The Basics of Organizational Change
The premise is straightforward. You need to better engage people for successful change. To get it right takes active involvement, transparency, and openness.
No one should undertake an organizational change initiative lightly. This is especially true for complex organizational change initiatives where the majority (up to 70% by most accounts) fail. Why do they fail?
One of the main reasons is inadequate preparation on the part of senior leaders. They have not gained enough understanding or spent enough time engaging their employees to get behind the initiative. Too many employees are left on the shore with no compelling reason to dive in and pull the company in the new direction.
Why People Resist Change
People naturally resist change. They accept the current situation and they are comfortable with that familiarity. In general, we feel fear and anxiety about the unknown, as well as uncertainty about whether the future will be an improvement over the status quo.
Overcoming Resistance
The key to successful change is getting stakeholders involved early on and earning their support. The challenge then becomes how to engage stakeholders which should include employees, customers, partners, and suppliers.
Five Tips to Better Engage People for Successful Change
The Bottom Line
Put people at the center of organizational change. They are the ones who can ensure your change initiative is truly successful.
To learn more about how to better engage people for successful change, download 5 Science-Backed Lenses of Change Leadership
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