Q&A from Action Planning on preparing for change

Sector Briefing No.6 Managing the Recession, Q&A, from Action Planning 

We have recently restructured our organisation and change just doesn’t seem to happen in the way we want it to. What could do to make sure change actually happens?

Structures, systems, processes and planning have a role to play in orchestrating change, however it is the people element in the change that will influence considerably the degree of success. It is how staff responds to change and the strategies that are employed to positively influence that response; build staff resilience to change and win the hearts and minds of the majority that is key. This can be achieved through Coaching Managers to understand and recognise the typical responses to change, how to build resilience and develop strategies to move people forward towards the change required.

We have tried to implement a significant change in our organisation and it has proved challenging, how can we deal with those members of staff who sit on the fence, are reluctant or who don’t want to change and are content with the way things are?

It’s important to keep in mind that we all respond differently to change dependant on the degree of control we have over it!

Those affected by a change programme generally fall into five categories, "architects, builders, dwellers, stragglers and last to move in".

Members of staff who are critical to tip the balance towards change becoming the norm is the largest group called "the dwellers" who typically have the following characteristics:

• Comfortable with the way things are
• Have a big need for order and stability
• Slow to give up what is familiar and safe
• Need and wait for more proof
• Willing to follow, ‘once things are all worked out’

Working hard with this large group of people is essential if desired change is going to become a reality. Here are some general strategies for working with this group:

• Do a lot of listening to concerns and reservations
• Link up with the advocates for change
• Assign accountability for some aspect of implementation
• Establish an on-going conversation about the transition
• Provide evidence of the benefits of change
• Give added reassurance

Communication is key.

Once you have the rationale for change and the impact from a financial and pragmatic perspective, it is time to create the powerful vision and evidence of need for change that will engage the hearts and minds of the people that you need for the change to become a reality.

Our experience working with clients has shown that change can be implemented most effectively when staff and leaders develop what it means to them and the best way to respond to it. Identifying advocates of change, often outside of the leadership team, has also been a powerful factor in achieving success. Combining our practical approach and powerful vision for change has delivered tremendous results when implementing change.

I am looking into mentoring and coaching, what is the difference and how can it help my organisation?

The key difference between mentoring and coaching is that mentors can give you guidance and answers to problems using their experience, whereas coaches get you to think in a way that allows you to come up with the answer.

Mentoring can help in situations where experienced advice is required to teach new skills for an unfamiliar or new role and provide ongoing advice and support. Coaching focuses on motivating an individual to reach their potential, overcome problems themselves and perform to the best of their ability. In this way it helps the organisation as they have key members of staff working to their capacity.

Organisations always need individuals who are skilled at achieving results through others. This is even more the case in times of economic difficulty. Staffing levels may be reduced and work patterns changed, meaning teams are left coping with the after effects of change.

Managers who are able to coach their staff are also more likely to adapt to change quickly and overcome the difficulties presented by the current economic climate.

We are going through a difficult period of time at the moment. How can I keep my staff motivated?

Maintaining motivation is a huge challenge when the focus seems to be more on costs and results than people. Organisations are forced to deliver more with fewer resources. Supporting leaders, individuals and teams really can add benefit to the bottom line by promoting engagement and gaining buy-in. By identifying and building on strengths, people can increase their impact and re-align with the shifting climate that they are operating in. Ultimately, employees need to feel what they do matters and that their efforts are recognised. Ideally, employees should also like where the organisation is going. That's when they will want to be around and see it through the challenging times.

The key thing for managers to do is to communicate effectively with staff over any changes in direction, workload, organisational restructuring and so on. When an organisation is going through significant change, regular staff briefings or meetings really help, and if managers are well informed then staff can ask questions and share concerns with their line manager. An intranet is another useful tool for communicating progress and updates to staff. Organisations need to make sure that their volunteers are also kept up to date, after all they are a key part of the organisation as well.

For more information please visit, http://www.actionplanning.co.uk/briefing6qa/