Our Proven Five-Step Process For Organizational Change

Step One: Organizational Audit

A clear understanding of the current situation (or situational analysis) is needed before beginning any change initiative. This involves a close look at organizational structures (formal and informal), roles and responsibilities (how things get done), employee evaluations, and more.

We work with you and your staff to examine the history of your organization including successes and failures, trends, opportunities, and threats.  This research becomes critical during the next steps. 

The organizational audit typically identifies several key opportunities for change including ROI and cost benefit analyses.  The knowledge and understanding gained during this audit helps us develop an implementation plan with greater odds of success.

Step Two: Define the Need

From the opportunities identified in the organizational audit, we work with your stakeholders to select the most appropriate change initiative for your organization.  This selection considers several factors including the ROI, organizational priorities, and other similar issues.  A key consideration, however, is the measure of the employee attitudes and the organizational resources to support the change initiative.  Many well-meaning and advantageous change initiatives fail due to the lack of resources and the inability of the organizational structure to support and sustain the change.

Where the organizational audit identifies the opportunities, this step carefully selects the best change initiative for the current situation.

Step Three: Build Support

Now that the change initiative is selected, we begin strengthening the support from your key stakeholders.  Some of this work will begin in the first two steps - this is critical to gaining the needed buy-in from your key players.  Often, your key stakeholders are closely involved in the organizational audit and the selection of the change initiative.  

We do not shortchange this step and plan ample time for several meetings to discuss and confirm the change initiatives.  We schedule individual one-on-one meetings as most people are reluctant to be completely open and honest in the group discussions.  Our approach is to encourage opposing viewpoints and play the "devils advocate".  This is the time to fully disclose all the concerns and objections.

Using the information collected during our organizational audit, we carefully build our case for change.  Past mistakes, costly procedures, market trends, and many more factors become vital in demonstrating the need for change.

Some organizational change "experts" seem to suggest that you avoid change initiatives that do not have employee buy-in.  Of course change is always easier when everyone is on board.  Our work, however, usually involves situations where there is much resistance to change.  If your change initiative was successful you most likely would not call us.

Our experience is building the support where needed to implement the change - usually with the key stakeholders (including key employees).  Then continuing to buld support with your employees as we implement the changes.

Step Four: Develop the Change Plan

This step of your change initiative is straightforward.  We define the goals, milestones, and the action steps required to implement the change.  Our approach is to first define the end result, then work backwards to your current situation.  We carefully consider seasonal trends, market trends, available resources, and other factors when establishing your implementation timeline.  Contingency plans, alternative resources, and critical deadlines all come to bear in developing your implementation plan.

Whenever possible, we schedule "quick victories" early in the process.  This helps us continue to build support for the change initiative.

Step Five: Implementation - PLAN THE WORK, WORK THE PLAN

Properly prepared, you are ready to begin your change initiative.  ALWAYS schedule a kick-off meeting. 

Flexibility during implementation is the key to your success.  Most plans change on day two of the implementation - expect your plan to change often.  This is normal. 

Keep your team focused on the goals and objectives of the change initiative. 

COMMUNICATION - THE KEY SUCCESS FACTOR!

Over communicate everything - constantly communicate everything.  We help you develop key presentations and facilitate ongoing communication throughout the change initiative.

CONTACT HOLLAND RESOURCE TODAY FOR ALL YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE NEEDS

Using our proven five-step process, you and your managers will learn how to:

• Reveal false urgency that blocks change
• Nurture a culture of change
• Embed new behaviors
• Blast through the status quo and motivate action
• Build a new culture founded on a true sense of urgency