2011 October | Horizontal Change Management

The Head and the Hands

Which one are you being paid for?

Are you constantly delivering “tangibles”?

Do you make decisions and get rewarded (or not) for the results?

Are you measured by the hour? (that would be hands)

Are you measured for finding root causes and guiding toward results?

There is only so much your hands can do.

The possibilities of your mind are endless.

As a client, or a middle manager that acts like the client, are you asking your consultant to constantly deliver to your organizations paper requirements and losing the power of the mind?

Are you trying to

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External Consultants- When to take responsibility

Consultants, the valuable ones, are paid more for their mind than their hands. When practiced effectively consulting is the guiding and mentoring of clients and their stakeholders to success. If those consultants actually lead by assuming, accepting or taking responsibility they create a co-dependent relationship. When the consultant leaves (as they should at some point) there is no one there with the expertise to replace them.

This is not two people filling the same role. It is the consultant transferring knowledge and skill that the organization does not possess. This can be an effective and profitable balance. Consultants are expensive,

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Permission

Often the one thing needed for change is permission.

For a leaders decisions can make or break careers, so they often hesitate. Helping them to see the value and the benefits of a choice for both them and others can scoot change along.

For stakeholders who are surrounded by push back and resistance and think the change is a good thing, permission to be a positive maverick is often the key to moving the others forward.

For mid level implementers who really can’t get the change to happen without the support (and dare I say camaraderie) of cross functional leaders

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Real Change Management is “the little extra”

The production/deliverable is one element; the effect/result another (requiring a “little extra”).

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Noise

I consider all of these areas when I am trying to figure out how to conquer client noise. Communication- right amount, to the right place, from the right sender, easy to find, easy to absorb.

Here is a hint though: Develop a voice to voice plan that can spread to add a little insurance.

Socializing is one version. Using champions that people listen to is another. Getting as high up the ladder of leadership for senders is another. Don’t crank up the noise. That will just irritate your listeners..

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Expectations, Promises and Consistency

Change is fluid, often confusing and usually unpredictable. That needs to be balanced by trust and inclusion. Set expectations, make promises and keep them, while being conscious of the things you can do (that do not effect the move to the change) that are consistent. Your stakeholders will thank you for it by participating.

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Readiness, Perception and my first negative comment!

Two and a half years of blogging and I have my first negative comment. Exciting!

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Little Attempts to Overcome Culture (Structure?)

The walls, the rules, the formality, the approvals, all serve to slow down change and growth. Yes there may be some who think these things “control” growth. I think it is interesting (and refreshing) to watch people either give in or try little tweaks to attempt small change.

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