In their book, \u201cBlue Ocean Strategy,\u201d authors W. Chan Kim and Ren\u00e9e Mauborgne offer some advice for successfully introducing change.\u00a0 The advice they offer is in the context changing marketing strategy, but their advice is really valid for any significant change within an organization whether you\u2019re making operational changes, organizational changes, policy changes, or other.\u00a0 The authors talk about four hurdles we must clear to successfully introduce change, and two of those hurdles deal with winning the hearts and minds of your people.\u00a0 Clearly that\u2019s the key because if we can\u2019t win the hearts and minds of our people, how can we depend upon them to implement the changes we need.\u00a0\u00a0 So we\u2019ll deal with only those two people hurdles here.\u00a0 If you want to find out about the other two hurdles, you\u2019ll have to get the book.\u00a0 For more about getting your people on board with change, please read below.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t manage change.\u00a0 Lead it!<\/strong><\/p>\n In most organizations, change is difficult because there\u2019s so much inertia to overcome.\u00a0 After all, we\u2019ve always done it this way, we\u2019re good at doing it this way, we\u2019ve been successful doing it this way, so why do we have to change?<\/p>\n Fair question, and if we want to effect change quickly and smoothly, it deserves a compelling answer.\u00a0 And by the way, \u201cBecause the boss says so,\u201d is not the sort of compelling answer we\u2019re looking for here.<\/p>\n So the first step in bringing about change is to get a majority of your people, particularly leaders, understanding the need for change and moving toward that change.\u00a0 Here, Kim and Mauborgne advise against using numbers to make the case.\u00a0 They argue that numbers can be manipulated, and therefore, people tend to distrust them.\u00a0 Besides, numbers can make the need for change feel theoretical or abstract.\u00a0 Instead, the authors suggest letting people see and experience<\/em><\/span> the need for change.\u00a0 For instance, if we need to change our manufacturing process, let\u2019s ask people not directly involved in those processes to spend some time on the manufacturing floor, witnessing (maybe even participating in) the problems we\u2019re trying to address.<\/p>\n OK, we\u2019ve gotten over the first hurdle.\u00a0 Our people understand and believe the need for the change we\u2019re asking them to make, but we\u2019ve still got to get over another hurdle, and that can be even more difficult.<\/p>\n Just because our people appreciate the need for change, doesn\u2019t mean they believe we can pull it off successfully.\u00a0 In their minds, they may be thinking, \u201cGeez, this is a big mountain to climb!\u00a0 How can we possibly reach the top of this thing?\u201d\u00a0 As Henry Ford once said, \u201cWhether you think you can or you think you can\u2019t, you are right.\u201d\u00a0 So it\u2019s vital that your people approach change with a positive, \u201ccan do\u201d attitude.\u00a0 Kim and Mauborgne recommend something they call \u201catomization\u201d . . . essentially, breaking the project down into individual tasks so that the entire project doesn\u2019t seem quite so daunting.\u00a0 They also suggest using performance metrics to keep each individual focused on his or her task, to keep each team leader focused on what his or her team needs to accomplish, to keep each department head focused on what his or her department needs to accomplish, and so on.\u00a0 Of course, managers at the very top need to have the big picture, but the idea is to keep everyone else focused exclusively on their area of responsibility without getting caught up in the enormity of the overall project.<\/p>\n There are certainly other factors to be considered when contemplating a significant change in your organization, but if you begin by laying out a compelling case for the need to change, and then inspiring confidence in your people that, \u201cWe can do this!,\u201d you\u2019ll be well on your way to a successful implementation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In their book, \u201cBlue Ocean Strategy,\u201d authors W. Chan Kim and Ren\u00e9e Mauborgne offer some advice for successfully introducing change.\u00a0 The advice they offer is in the context changing marketing strategy, but their advice is really valid for any significant change within an organization whether you\u2019re making operational changes, organizational changes, policy changes, or other.\u00a0<\/p>\n