Change at a glance

The reasons why change is difficult

Change is the process of altering a current state described by several key performance measures into another state where performance is different, usually for the better. The purpose of change is to achieve that alteration within pre-defined constraints of time and cost. To be a change, there has to be:
• A clear context, such as a goal to increase sales for a particular business unit
• Agreed delivery scope such as specific products
• A given time-frame for delivery.

We can see some of the difficulties of change right away.

One person or a small group has decided that the current state is not good enough. It's unlikely that this has come about painlessly, that everybody agrees with the analysis or even that more than a few people know about the decision. People will exercise their rights to commit to change - or not. So everybody needs be convinced that the change is a wise move.

From the start, there is pressure to get the results quickly. Many interactions sprout and, no matter how careful and conscientious you are, you will forget to tell somebody important what is going on. In fact most change managers do not pay enough attention to communication. Building and re-building bridges takes time and is often a major cause of delays in change programmes.

Constant turmoil makes plans out of date almost as they are published. As night follows day, understanding of the change goals and deliverables will be imperfect. Human behaviour conspires to make a difficult project impossible. There is always another, bigger system which has to be controlled for change to be successful. With many unknowns - at every turn a new task, new problem and new cost - the feeling emerges that something or someone has to be sacrificed to get the desired end.

It is not obvious where to start. This may sound silly but many change initiatives are lost at the first step because nobody has analysed the cause-and-effect chain of the planned actions. Also most change managers refuse to accept that it is impossible to control completely systems which are dominated by human activity. It is not long into the change initiative when momentum slows as the list of unplanned actions grows to a monumental size.

The many ways of achieving change

Although change may be pervasive and vital in modern society, it would be a mistake to treat all change as the same. You have to select a way which suits you and your situation.

A good place to start is to decide if your situation requires transformational change or a gentler approach through continuous improvement. Growth or crisis demands transformational change but success is never guaranteed. Organisations will fail if they attempt radical alteration to their business processes without adopting manageable solutions which can be implemented fully. When the stakes are lower or the change complex, continuous improvement is a better option when small initiatives drip feed into the organisation - provided the momentum can be maintained.

But both ways of making change present managers with significant challenge. The reason is that everything has an influence on everything else when change is on the agenda. Relationships are not fixed and even an innocent change can knock a programme or project off track.

So consultants have devised models and techniques to achieve change and avoid the pitfalls. There are many of them and you must make the right choice – or else!

This website presents a solution which is comprehensive and adaptable.
 

Slipperiness of change