By Nan Macleod
While our politicians argue and fight about what needs to be done about healthcare and the national budget, I am reminded of how easy it is to pick and choose information and facts to build a case and make a point, to attempt to influence people’s thinking, to create enemies to be conquered rather than colleagues to be valued and listened to.
Consider this…
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?
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.
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?
Ever heard the cure to all problems? “Communicate, communicate, communicate!” …Yea, think of this…
A long time ago, I was in downtown Mexico City. A big place with lots of tourists. I saw an American tourist (camera and all), asking a vendor for information…in English. Yes! Next, the local doesn’t respond right…so the tourist begins to increase the volume and slow down. The third time, the woman was almost SHOU-TING E-VERY SY-LLA-BLE!
Can you picture that? Yes, it was funny to watch. In the end, the local never understood what the tourist was talking about. The tourist left angry and frustrated!
