Change or die …
You don’t need me to tell you that change is a feature of life in all businesses today, and leaders are constantly faced with handling small and large changes at work. As a result, you must be comfortable in dealing with change yourself and in helping your employees to cope with it, particularly those changes which are substantial in nature. For major change, you should follow a structured, but not rigid, approach to implementation, taking into account the not inconsequential human relations issues associated with any change. Unfortunately, many leaders mishandle change and this can lead to significant resentment and conflict, much of which is avoidable if some basic principles and processes for managing change are applied.
People and Change
In terms of coping with change, to varying degrees, people can struggle with it and, generally speaking, the bigger the change, the greater the likelihood they will struggle. Sometimes, gaining commitment is seen as the trickiest part of the change management process – and it is undoubtedly a challenge – but sustaining change is perhaps more difficult; often, far more so than we realise.
In an article entitled, Change or Die published in Fast Company, Alan Deutschman highlighted some startling points about our collective inability to sustain change. Here are some extracts of his article which are relevant here:
. . . What if a well-informed, trusted authority figure said you had to make difficult and enduring changes in the way you think and act? If you didn't, your time would end soon -- a lot sooner than it had to. Could you change when change really mattered? When it mattered most?
Yes, you say?
Try again.
Yes?
You're probably deluding yourself.
You wouldn't change.
Don't believe it? You want odds? Here are the odds, the scientifically studied odds: nine to one. That's nine to one against you. How do you like those odds?
Where did those odds come from? In his article, Mr. Deutschman goes on to refer to a presentation given by Dr. Edward Miller, the Dean of the Medical School and CEO of the Hospital at Johns Hopkins University, which focuses on an individual’s inability to change:
. . . He [Dr Miller] turned the discussion to patients whose heart disease is so severe that they undergo bypass surgery, a traumatic and expensive procedure that can cost more than $100,000 if complications arise. About 600,000 people have bypasses every year in the United States, and 1.3 million heart patients have angioplasties -- all at a total cost of around $30 billion. The procedures temporarily relieve chest pains but rarely prevent heart attacks or prolong lives. Around half of the time, the bypass grafts clog up in a few years; the angioplasties, in a few months. The causes of this so-called restenosis are complex. It is sometimes a reaction to the trauma of the surgery itself. But many patients could avoid the return of pain and the need to repeat the surgery -- not to mention arrest the course of their disease before it kills them -- by switching to healthier lifestyles. Yet very few do. "If you look at people after coronary-artery bypass grafting two years later, 90% of them have not changed their lifestyle," Miller said. "And that's been studied over and over and over again . . . Even though they know they have a very bad disease and they know they should change their lifestyle, for whatever reason, they cannot."
If people struggle to sustain change even when life and death are at stake, this undoubtedly has implications for managing change in the workplace. Naturally, creating a compelling case for change and getting ‘buy-in’ from employees are critical early steps; and, as a general rule, the more involvement people have in determining the nature and direction of changes affecting them, the more easily they will support the implementation process. However, based on what this article tells us, even when there is a willingness or desire to change at the outset, people can easily fall back into old habits, or commitment can wane over time.
It’s worth spending a moment looking more closely at how people cope with change.
How people cope with change
There are several defined stages of coping with change, as outlined by the Kubler-Ross Change Curve [1]. This model was originally developed to explain the emotional responses of individuals to serious illness and death, but it has also been applied to organisational change. The stages of coping with change according to the Kubler-Ross Change Curve are:
Denial: This stage is characterised by disbelief or a refusal to accept that change is happening. People may ignore or downplay the change, or they may feel that it does not affect them directly.
Anger: In this stage, people may experience frustration, irritation, or resentment in response to the change. They may blame others or feel that the change is unfair.
Bargaining: During this stage, people may try to negotiate or bargain to avoid the change or mitigate its effects. They may make deals or promises in an attempt to maintain the status quo.
Depression: In this stage, people may feel sadness, disappointment, or hopelessness as they come to terms with the reality of the change. They may mourn the loss of the old ways or feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the future.
Acceptance: This stage is characterised by a willingness to move forward and adapt to the new reality. People may start to explore new possibilities and opportunities that arise from the change.
Now, it is important to emphasise that not everyone experiences all of these stages, and some people may move through them more quickly or slowly than others. Additionally, people may move back and forth between stages, particularly in response to new developments or challenges. The scale of the change will also have an impact of people’s reactions to it, and as a basic guide, the more comprehensive the change or the greater it forces people to shift out of their comfort zone, the more likely they are to progress through some or all of these stages.
Understanding these stages of coping with change can help you to anticipate and manage resistance to change. By recognising that people may have different emotional responses to change, you can develop strategies to support employees and help them move through the process of coping with change more effectively. This might include providing information and communication about the reasons for the change, offering training or support to help people adapt to new roles or processes, and creating opportunities for feedback and dialogue to address concerns and questions. By proactively managing the emotional response to change, you can increase the likelihood of successful implementation and minimise the negative impacts on individuals or your team as a whole.
A framework for managing change
Therefore, how you lead the change process beyond the initial stages will play an important role regarding the results you get; you need to really focus on how you can bed-down and sustain change, as much as you do on getting people onside from the beginning. In doing so, having a framework to follow is helpful and that’s where I find Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model [2] very useful. Developed by John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor and change management expert, the 8-Step Change Model is a comprehensive framework for leading successful change initiatives. It provides a step-by-step process that senior managers can follow to create buy-in, align stakeholders, and execute change effectively. Let's take a closer look at each step and how you can apply them in your organisation.
Step 1: Establish a sense of urgency
The first step in Kotter's model is to establish a sense of urgency. This means creating a compelling reason for change that motivates stakeholders to act quickly. You can do this by identifying a significant threat or opportunity that requires action, and communicating it effectively to your team. For example, if you're introducing a new product to stay ahead of the competition, you could highlight market research that shows changing consumer preferences.
Step 2: Form a powerful coalition
The second step is to form a powerful coalition of stakeholders who support the change initiative. This group should include people with influence, expertise, and diverse perspectives. You should communicate the urgency of the situation to this group and encourage them to collaborate on the change effort. By building a strong coalition, you can overcome resistance and create momentum for change.
Step 3: Create a vision for change
The third step is to create a clear and compelling vision for the change initiative. This vision should describe the desired future state and the benefits that the change will bring. It should be communicated in a way that is easy to understand and memorable. You should involve the coalition in creating the vision to ensure that it is realistic and achievable.
Step 4: Communicate the vision
The fourth step is to communicate the vision to all stakeholders. This involves not only sharing the vision itself but also explaining why the change is necessary and how it will benefit the organisation. You should use multiple communication channels and tailor the message to different audiences. It's essential to communicate frequently and consistently to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Step 5: Empower others to act on the vision
The fifth step is to empower others to act on the vision. This means removing obstacles, providing resources, and creating a supportive environment. You should delegate responsibility and authority to those who are best equipped to make the change happen. You should also provide training and development opportunities to build the necessary skills and knowledge.
Step 6: Create short-term wins
The sixth step is to create short-term wins that demonstrate progress toward the vision. This helps to build momentum and motivation for the change effort. You should identify quick wins that are achievable and visible, and celebrate them when they are achieved. This helps to create a sense of accomplishment and energises the team.
Step 7: Consolidate gains and produce more change
The seventh step is to consolidate the gains that have been made and produce more change. This means embedding the new practices and behaviors into your organization's culture and processes. You should identify and address any remaining barriers to change and continue to communicate the vision and benefits. This helps to ensure that the change becomes a permanent part of what you do every day, not separate to it.
Step 8: Anchor new approaches in you organisation's culture
The final step in Kotter's model is to anchor new approaches in your culture. This involves embedding the changes into your processes, systems, and culture, so that they become part of the organisation's DNA. You need to ensure that the change initiatives are sustainable and enduring, and that they continue to deliver value over time.
To conclude, Kotter's 8-Step Change Model provides a clear and comprehensive framework for senior managers to lead and implement successful change initiatives.
Following a framework such as this provides focus for your efforts; allows you to harness commitment from the start; helps you plan for implementation and, most important of all, emphasises the need to sustain the change. In applying a framework such as this, keep the following general points in mind about managing change:
Change must lead to tangible benefits, if employees are expected to buy into it;
You must ‘sell’ the change to your employees;
Change just for the sake of it winds people up and should be avoided;
Include your employees in decision making around change, where possible;
The bigger the change, the more difficult it can be for employees, so you need to take a strong leadership role in making the change happen;
The implementation of change should be time bound, for dragged out change can be disheartening;
Make sure you define and communicate clear implementation plans and that deadlines are adhered to;
Show benefits to your employees as early as possible in the change process, so people see the value of it;
Offer lots of support and guidance to your employees as they seek to work through the change;
Recognise that change processes provide ideal opportunities for the negative team members to ‘stir things up’. You should pay particular attention to the influence they are exerting at such times.
To conclude, many day-to-day changes just happen in organisations and rarely cause too much challenge, although at times people can feel they are passengers to change and this can cause problems. However, when faced with large scale change, or industry shifts, the risks are significant and mismanaged change or a failure to shift with the times can be fatal for organisations. Here are some examples:
Kodak: Kodak was a leading company in the photography industry, but it failed to adapt to digital technology, which ultimately led to its downfall. Despite being aware of the emerging digital market, Kodak failed to take action quickly enough and lost its market share to competitors. Kodak's failure to embrace change highlights the risks of being complacent and failing to innovate. It has since emerged from bankruptcy but it’s an example of a failure to adapt and change.
Blockbuster: Blockbuster was a video rental company that was once dominant in the industry. However, it failed to adapt to the shift towards digital streaming, which led to its bankruptcy. Blockbuster's failure to recognise and respond to the changing market landscape highlights the risks of being too slow to adapt to emerging technologies.
Sears: Sears was a department store chain that struggled to compete with online retailers such as Amazon. Despite recognising the need to shift towards an online business model, Sears failed to implement the necessary changes quickly enough, which ultimately led to its bankruptcy. Sears' failure to respond quickly enough to the shift towards e-commerce highlights the risks of failing to execute change effectively.
Nokia: Nokia was a leading mobile phone manufacturer, but it failed to adapt to the shift towards smartphones. Despite recognising the potential of smartphones, Nokia failed to develop a competitive product quickly enough, which led to its decline. Nokia's failure to respond quickly enough to changing market trends highlights the risks of failing to innovate and keep up with the competition and saw it lose its once leadership position in the market.
These examples demonstrate the risks of failing to manage change effectively. Depending upon your role or level, perhaps the changes are not always so dramatic, but you still need to be aware of the risks associated with change and take proactive steps to manage change successfully.
Thanks for reading!
References
[1] Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan.
[2] Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.