Jean-Jacques Rousseau said, “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
Events, circumstances and forces beyond our control can impose change (and we’ve experienced a great deal of that these past few years), but what about the change programs you initiate? How successful are you at leading change?
How often have you seen efforts to create change stall? Ever been part of a team or an organization that attempted something really different and failed. We’ve all seen attempts at change bomb. What are the causes?
I spoken for and worked with over 3,000 organizations in my career. I’ve observed the successes and failures, and paid attention to what caused each. The following are some of the most common reasons I’ve identified why organizational change fails. You can use the list for diagnostic purposes, or to prevent mistakes in future attempts at change.
1. Mis-starts
A mis-start occurs when a change is ill-advised, hastily implemented or attempted without sufficient commitment. This is a leadership credibility killer. It is often caused by a good idea that gains too much enthusiasm and too little examination. Change takes much organization effort, so be prudent in what you attempt.
2. Making change an option
When leadership commits to a change, the message must be that the change is not an option. Unfortunately the message that often comes across is “We’d really like you to change…” as if staying the same were an option. Whenever people have the option not to change, they usually won’t.
You need to make a compelling case for change and give people solid reasons for it. Don’t allow commitment on the part of your team to be choice. If you’ve done your homework–and especially if you’ve considered your teams opinions and suggestions about the change–then moving forward is requirement for everyone.
3. A focus only on process
Leaders can get so caught up on planning and managing the process that they don’t notice that no tangible results are being achieved. Leaders become more fixated on the process (which creates rigidity and prevents adjustments) than the results it was designed to create.
The process needs milestones and measurable outcomes. If original plans aren’t working, consider a revision, not of the change itself, but of the way you’ll achieve it.
4. A focus only on results
This stems from a belief that the end justifies any means. Organizations tend to fail miserably in this regard: they downplay or ignore the human cost of change. It is this insensitivity to people’s feelings that not only prevents the change but destroys morale and loyalty in the process.
You can incur too much pain to make a change worthwhile, especially if it creates futility and despondency among employees or customers. Both need to believe the change is necessary and achievable. Pay attention not only to what people do but how they feel about the process.
5. Not involving those expected…
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