Why is change management vital for career success?
Have you looked at the LinkedIn profile of any successful board-level professionals lately? If you have, you’ll notice a common theme. Whether it’s transformational change, organisational change, or change management, the c word will be in there somewhere. Because guiding any business’s strategic vision makes evolution a necessity!
The pace of progress in the business world is rapid. It’s driven by a variety of factors such as constant technology innovation, economic and regulatory environments, and increasing global competition. The faster and more effectively a company adapts to developments outside of its control, the greater competitive advantage it and its leaders have.
But failure is all too common
According to a McKinsey study, 56% of large IT change projects fail to deliver what they promised. And 17% of any type of change projects “conclude so disastrously that they threaten an organisation’s existence.” Yet companies which refuse or significantly delay change will get left behind and even disappear. This cheifexecutive.net blog makes it clear that adapting is surviving. It uses the example of the launch of Netflix’s video streaming services becoming the final straw for the demise of Blockbuster. Remember the days when you had to leave the house to choose and watch a movie?.
When you’re considering a change programme, do you really know your ‘as is’ operating model? And do you have a well-defined Target Operating Model (TOM)? (read Defining operating models in the international arena for help here). It will make it easier for you to gain traction for change because the value, the challenges and the risks – internal and external – will already be determined, with your strategy able to be translated into implementation and operational plans for your stakeholders.
Human beings by their very nature don’t like change – even for career success
If their business and career success make it a necessity how do good leaders motivate people to join the ride along the learning curve? Even with a working TOM? Change is only effective when it is defined in terms of all aspects of the organisation. From its mission and values to its operational processes, its structures and the information required. And the outcome for the customer must be centre stage of the change.
And it’s why we created the Change Management Framework©, a template for organisations to define what the future should look like. Once the change has been defined, we use standard techniques and communication together with Programme Management to make sure it is delivered successfully.
As qualified practitioners, we cover the full spectrum from organisational design to process and culture change. What’s more, we make sure the change is embedded! So, get in touch to find out how we can help your business thrive, along with your career.
