How to Lead Through Constant Change

Traditional step-by-step change management as one time initiative approach might not work any longer for constant and multitude of change. Companies need to embed a change mindset in their culture and build change capabilities among all staff, not only managers.
Most people are quite willing to put effort in change. What they don't want is 'to be changed by others.' That calls out for resistance. So let them be part of the direction, speed and way you are heading. If people are used to take action of their own, and are also responsible for it, you can move mountains. Change is a challenge, and if you try to turn it into an obligation, you will cause an equal and opposite reaction. This is why command and control organizations struggle to change - first they need to let go of control. If you want to maintain management, then it needs to be a coaching and facilitation style of management - at every level. Dynamic and changing organizations cannot operate with unchanging people. Those who cannot learn change will get left behind. Indeed there should be some tools to implement the change, processes could be set depending on geographic location and taking into consideration the culture environment. Unless the persons whom you wish to change see the benefits of the change, no change is possible. So you have to demonstrate the intended change with results!
The vision for long term transformation is required for change to be effective and lasting: For change to be effective and lasting, transformation is required to provide the vision and focus for what the organization needs to look like alongside the impetus and sense of urgency. Unless of course the majority of resources and management in your organization are already there and are refining and continuing from a recent transformation. In a business sense, the speed of change in today’s business environment has shifted in pace beyond the capabilities of many businesses to change solely through continuous improvement and evolutionary change. Simple "Change" may involve dictated behavioral modification that is not natural and/or does not fit with the person's normal mode of behavior, values and beliefs. Being "unnatural" in this sense, it will be necessary to maintain a constant effort and vigilance to be confident that one is behaving properly and in accordance with the new rules. Change becomes a dynamic business capability, not just a one time initiative or a static process. Continuous change has taken the form of rolling projects - or unfreeze-change- refreeze, often with several projects running simultaneously, and across several functional areas which often overlap. In that environment, change managers still work on a 'project of change.’ But do this often enough and well enough and the culture of the organization will adapt to be more receptive to change, and better prepared to execute changes successfully. Instead, they need to be working as high performing and creative teams, creating both internal and external beliefs around how the business is a movement for enablement and improvement. Building the expectation for the next step and commitment that will follow. Business can no longer work on the basis of static exploitation internally or externally; as it has been pursued in the past. Change becomes a dynamic business capability.
Change Management has a very wide scope and is a relatively new area of expertise. The change management focuses on coordination and facilitation, not bullying and forcing. Change Management is usually involved negotiating a way around all the roadblocks which people erect against the change. The speed of change is increasing, therefore, the change capability needs to be cultivated, not for its own sake, but for improve organizational efficiency, effectiveness and agility.


Follow us at: @Pearl_Zhu