How to Coach Yourself and Others Influencing, Inter Personal and Leadership Skills | Page 46
7. Facilitating Change
Most organizations have been facing wave after wave of significant change that will only
increase in volume, speed, and intensity in the future. With all of the change going on,
the cost of failed change has become high for organizations. There is an equally high
“human toll” from failed change because the first casualty is loss of trust. Compound
that loss with the emergency management goal of protecting life and property in the
face of disasters, and the potential loss is great indeed.
Of crucial importance is not what change happens, but how change happens.
A study for managing change in the government singled out leadership as the most
critical factor in the successful implementation of change. Clearly, organizations that are
most successful are those that:
Have learned how to respond to changes that impact them.
Have leaders who know how to plan for and implement change well.
Attend to people’s reactions and feelings associated with the change.
It is helpful to understand the stages of any change process and what is needed
for each to make the process successful.
The stages we will discuss are:
Defining and Promoting the Change
Planning and Implementing the Change
Maintaining the Change
Engaging People in the Change
1. The Stages of Change
1. Defining and promoting the change
To successfully lead change, certain characteristics are required:
1. Being trustworthy, reliable and influential
2. Initiating change, but not micromanaging or controlling it
3. Listening to and advocating for both organizational and individual needs
4. Communicating that opportunities are available in the change
5. Maintain public visibility and accessibility during the process.
Communicating Change
All people involved need to understand
1. What the change is
2. Why it is necessary
3. What it means to them and the organization
4. Why the change needs to happen NOW
Key questions are:
1. What problem are we addressing with this change
2. What opportunity are we trying to capitalize on
3. What will the organization look like in the future