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Restructuring Again? Reasons, Challenges & How to Succeed

Acceptance, Communication, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Change, ResistanceComments Off
Jennifer Tice

Jennifer Tice

It’s not everyday I get to discuss corporate restructuring with an expert but recently I had the rare opportunity to interview a friend and colleague with lots of experience in this area. Jennifer Tice is a Learning and Development executive with experience in major corporations including one of our clients, Fidelity Investments. She has participated in numerous restructuring efforts and I got to ask a few questions I’ve always wanted to ask of a top executive!

  1. Why do companies embark in restructuring and reorganization efforts?
  2. What are some common factors that determine the success or failure of a restructuring process?
  3. What are some common challenges mid-level managers face during reorganizations?
  4. How do you help them balance their personal agenda and the company agenda?
  5. What would you advise a top-level executive who is considering restructuring the organization? What should they definitely do? What should they definitely not do?
  6. How should change management be used during a reorganization effort?

Rejection: Reframing ‘Resistance’ to Change

Acceptance, Leadership, Organizational Change, ResistanceComments Off

Resistance or rejection? What’s the difference? And why does it matter?

As a sequel to our previous post about resistance as a counterproductive label, here we explore a new framework for ‘resistance’ to change. RESISTANCE assumes negative intent on the part of the ‘resistor’ which leads change leaders to ‘conquering‘ or ‘overcoming‘ others as the strategy for success. Alternatively, the REJECTION view assumes that people are missing evidence to accept a proposed solution. Consequently, the strategy for success is ‘influencing‘ others though evidence. 

RESISTANCE: A Label to Blame

Acceptance, Change Strategies, Leadership, Mindsets & Behavior, ResistanceComments Off

Nobody likes to be thought of as ‘resistor’ or a ‘roadblock’ or a ‘barrier.’ None of those labels are positive or flattering! Besides, ‘resistance’ connotes a battle between right and wrong, good vs. bad. Not a good picture!

And more often than not, ‘resistance’ is only a symptom of fear, confusion, mistrust, lack of information, misunderstandings, unanswered questions, no visible need for change, an unclear end goal, etc. most of which are fully under the control of the person leading the change. From this perspective, labeling others as ‘resistors’ is to blame them for our inability to lead and to influence effectively.

Effective leaders provide evidence for people to accept the change. What is that evidence? Below is a short list of some critical pieces of evidence that will go a long way to develop ‘acceptance’ rather than rejection.

Others Have Failed, But You Don’t Have To!

Acceptance, Change Strategies, Organizational Change, Resistance, Stakeholder, TrainingComments Off

Consider this…

  1. Change is constant
  2. The pace of change will increase
  3. Most change initiatives in organizations fail

For decades now, studies have shown that as many as 85% of all change initiatives fail. This is true in new technology implementation, organizational restructuring, mergers, business transformations, outsourcing, process improvement programs, or other types of change. Why?

So, Everybody Embraces Change?

Acceptance, Employee Involvement, Organizational Change, Resistance2 Comments

Once, I was invited to present at a Leadership Development Program hosted by a major university for a large corporation (my topic was organizational change). The host facilitator of this program got the group started in the morning by asking participants to take a few minutes to introduce each other at their table and make a list on a flip chart of the assets they brought to the organization.

I listened with interest and curiosity to each table report out. Without exception, each of the eight groups reported that one of the assets they brought to their organization was being ‘agents of change’ or ’embracing change’ or some form of that. This was interesting because at the time I was working with this organization and the reports were that ‘change’ was something this organization struggled with. I was there, to speak on the topic!

How to Sustain Change & Improvement

Acceptance, Culture Change, Resistance, Sustaining ChangeComments Off

This is the fourth post in the series “5 Reasons Why a Change Management Strategy Matters“

A client once implemented a new operating and management philosophy across the entire organization. A team of dedicated experts spent months implementing the change, training the people, and basically refurbishing the entire facility. The results were impressive. At least initially. A few months after this effort, operational performance slid back almost to previous levels. This is not a unique story!

Why does the change not last? Partly for the same reason that a father brings his wayward son back to counseling after a transformational improvement at an Anazasi camp, a wilderness survival camp for at-risk youth. The boy had come back transformed but the improvement didn’t last. Why? Because he came back to the same environment, the same friends, and the same family relationships. He had changed but the system had not.

The Soft Stuff is Really the Hard Stuff! Really!!

Change Strategies, Culture Change, Employee Involvement, Organizational Change, Resistance, StakeholderComments Off

This is the second post of the series “5 Reasons Why a Change Management Strategy Matters“

Have you ever tried pushing noodles with chopsticks? I’ve heard organizational change described as just that, pushing noodles with chopsticks…frustrating! Why? Because it’s hard!

To illustrate…I had three separate conversations recently with colleagues who described this phenomenon. In one case, the company wants more collaboration among highly skilled and highly paid professionals who are not used to working like this, and are not welcoming the change. In another case, the board of directors is not seeing what’s crystal clear to the chairman, and therefore, not going in the direction the chairman believes they should go. In yet another case, the business is in need of some clearly needed and logical improvements, but the politics involved have stalled any progress forward. In every case, they are confronting the same ‘soft’ issues. All workable stuff, all soft stuff. All hard to deal with.

What’s Wrong with Stakeholder Analysis?

Change Strategies, Organizational Change, Resistance, StakeholderComments Off

Recent work with a client reminded me of something I wanted to share with others. Many years ago when I started giving change management seminars, I noticed a pattern that I did not like. When we covered the concept of stakeholder analysis, inevitably someone (usually more than one) would express concern, even fear about using this most commonly used tool. Their concerns?

  • What if someone sees the document?
  • What if so and so found out we labeled them as “not supportive”?
  • How do we even know for sure they aren’t supportive?
  • Why would you NOT want anyone to be ‘strongly supportive’ anyway?

‘People Resist Change’ …Really? Maybe Not

Acceptance, Change Strategies, Employee Involvement, ResistanceComments Off

That people naturally resist change is a common held view and one we hear all the time!

But one that does not explain why people adopt new technology faster than never before. Just think about all the madness around the iPhone 5, which was much ado about nothing after all! Still, according to technology news outlets, about half of ALL cell phone users are planning to upgrade to the new iPhone 5 (when it finally comes out). Die hards of all types of technology campout outside stores before opening day to be the first to get the coveted new toy! OK, so, that’s not everyone. But does that look like people resist change? No, I don’t think so.

Lessons From Long Distance Running: Managing Pain

Acceptance, Change Strategies, Organizational Change, ResistanceComments Off

This is part of the series “Lessons from Change Management Strategies and Long Distance Running.”

During training, my right knee would start hurting after about 4 or 5 miles; so it was no surprise when the pain started around mile 4 the day of the race. The pain was sharp, it got worse, and the urge to stop increased with every step. But it was not unexpected and I knew what I needed to do to manage the pain through the next almost 13 miles to the finish line.

Large, complex organizational change is painful at many levels. It is painful to those impacted by the change because it takes them out of their comfort zone and stretches them to unlearn old habits and learn new ones. It’s painful to the change leaders because it feels like running in sand. But what does pain look like during organizational change?

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