CUSTOMatrix™ Insights Newsletter

Beyond The Obvious Answer:

Key Issues For Navigating Change

By Jordan Goldrich, Associate, Human Relations/Organizational Development, CUSTOMatrix, Inc.

“There is always an easy solution to every human problem— neat, plausible, and wrong.”

(Variations of this quote have been attributed to H.L Mencken and Oscar Wilde)

Making the right change, at the right time, in the right way can mean the difference between business success and failure. It has become a cliché that the world is changing rapidly and that companies need to be “nimble” to maintain and keep the edge. Most leaders we know are constantly scanning their markets looking for “the next new thing.”

American business invests billions of dollars per year on change- New strategy implementation, new product development, technology implementation, business and manufacturing process re-engineering and major reorganizations. Yet, experts estimate that between 65% and 80% of change initiatives fail.

Below are two not so obvious considerations to support you in navigating through critical change initiatives.

Is it the right change?

In America, we have had a bias towards action. We have made great strides implementing quality systems, six sigma and continuous process improvement. Yet the traditional American model is still practiced in many organizations:

Spend 5 minutes identifying the problem, 15 minutes figuring out who is to blame and 30 minutes designing what often turns out to be a band aid. The alternative is to use proven principles for solving complex business system issues. These involve spending the necessary time to identify the real problem-often called the root cause. How long does this take? Usually several months? Is this cost effective? Compare it to implementing an ineffective solution in a critical process.

Here are some coaching questions to help you assess your status:

Have we surfaced all the possible contributing factors to the problem or did we start creating solutions after identifying one or two obvious ones?
Have we asked the people who are most directly involved for their input?
Have we gathered any data about when and where the problem occurs?
Are we working on the real solution or on a political solution?

How do I have to change?

There are two key factors for successfully leading change: “What you are doing” and “Who you are being.” “Who you are being” is at least as important if not the more critical factor.

Why is “Who you are being” so important? Because we subtly communicate powerful messages about our real intentions without knowing it. Most of us have been “active listened” by a leader, supervisor or other person who said all the right words but subtly communicated impatience and disrespect. Yet when someone is “being” respectful and truly intends to add value, they can make all kinds of technical communication errors and still be effective.

The key requirement for leaders, senior executives, managers and team members is getting things done through and with others. They must create or contribute to an environment where people are willing and able to give their best. This requires understanding and managing our intentions and emotional responses-referred to as “Emotional Intelligence.” It is almost impossible to fake it.

Leaders and key contributors communicate by word and deed. In the most effective organizations the message from the deeds of the leader is:

My number one goal is the long-term (after I am gone) success of the organization not “My status, power and turf are my number one concern.”
“I will do whatever is necessary to get the best long term results no matter how difficult” not “We will do whatever serves my short-term interests.”
“Our people are responsible for what has gone right.” not “I am responsible.”
“I want your input” not “I want you to agree with me.”
“Our standards are the most important thing in building enduring success” not “What I want is the most important thing in building enduring success.”

It is just human nature. People avoid, accommodate, manipulate and intimidate. Often, they are unaware of or rationalize their behavior. These are called “defensive routines.” As a result of defensive routines, people create unintended consequences. This is a one of the most critical aspects of the “Who you are being” factor.

The combined defensive routines of the senior management team drive the creation of a culture with unspoken rules that limit the ability of the organization to challenge its own assumptions and achieve breakthrough results.

We all have these blind spots and defenses. Therefore changing “Who you are being” requires a trusted person, dedicated to your success who is willing to give straight feedback. The higher you are positioned in an organization, the less likely you are to get the feedback you need.

Here are some coaching questions to help you to determine how you have to be different in order to achieve the change you want:

How have I contributed to the current state? How do I know?
How important is this change to me, really?
What must I do to convince everyone I am serious?
Do I value and reward people for giving me news I don’t want to hear? Do I know the reasons my people think it won’t work?
Have I communicated a clear message about the fire that is burning or the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
How much time do I spend discussing my vision and my “teachable point of view” regarding how we will get there?
Do I measure our progress publicly?
Do I hold people accountable?
Do we celebrate our successes?
What assumptions am I making that are not true?"

Should your organization be faced with an acquisition, merger, downsizing or other event which will result in wholesale changes to staffing or the status quo, managing change will be a key for achieving your goals. CUSTOMatrix Consultants can assist you in assessing your situation and recommending a course of action.

Written by Jordan Goldrich who is an Associate Consultant in the Human Resources practice for CUSTOMatrix.

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