People Transitions
As William Bridges famously said, “It’s not the changes that do you in, it's the transitions”.
This has never been more relevant than it is today.
We have to recognise that transitioning people through change is now continual and multi-faceted. We must have an agile, iterative approach to organisational change whilst remaining cognisant of people’s needs and individual journeys.
When you look at the ‘traditional’ organisational change management approaches widely used today there are a myriad of roles to be played. Sponsors, executive sponsors, supporting sponsors, stakeholders, change agents, change champions, change targets, change consultants, change analyst and so on.
In our ‘brave new world’ we don't have time to ensure all these roles are in place, ready for the next change and that people have the right skills and capabilities to fulfil their role. We have to keep things simple so that they are ‘agile’.
In the same light, we do not have time to create comprehensive change plans covering sponsorship, coaching, communication, training, resistance management and reinforcement.
Those days are gone!
I believe there are only three roles required if we have a change platform - managers, coaches and players.
I am using a soccer analogy because I am from Liverpool in the UK and a staunch Reds supporter. But you can align those three roles to most field sports.
In a nutshell these roles are:
•Managers who determine the strategy that is going to be played out and direct the gameplay. They provide instruction and motivation.
•Coaches ensure that Players are game fit. They develop the skills and capabilities of the Players. They communicate the strategy and game plan that Players are being asked to fulfil.
They are change sponsors supporting and reinforcing the change.
•Players are ultimately the people that will win or lose the game. It is the Players that actually make things happen. They use the gameplay and capabilities with which they have been equipped to win.
Kill The Hierarchy
Whilst acknowledging that leadership is important, we need a collaborative workplace in which transparency and creative freedom reign over hierarchical boundaries. In order to respond to constant change we need to be innovative, agile, enable rapid decision-making, and ensure employee engagement.
The organisation needs to move from hierarchical ‘control’ to a flatter structure.
It’s not about having no structure but using the job of hierarchy to get rid of the bad bureaucracy.
Flat organisations are not flat – they are just flatter than tall organisations. Instead of “shifting the responsibility” up the management ladder, flat structures empower employees to take charge, help make decisions and feel responsible for the company’s success.
A flatter structure facilitates a greater level of communication between employees and management. These organisations tend to be more democratic and offer a greater level of innovation.
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