Leadership for Sustained Change-Management

Inspiring change is easier than sustaining it.  All you have to do it is move people with a vision or paint pictures of what could be and you are on the road to moving people to consider and even adopt a change for which you are advocating. That's a step toward change but it IS NOT CHANGE.   The goal of any change process must not only be to initiate change, but sustain it.  The required leadership skills for initiating and then sustaining change are complementary and yet different.  Like the popular t-shirt saying goes in SE Asia:  "same same but different". 

Most non-profits do very well at inspiration-driven change.  In fact, since they tend to rely more on a committed volunteer vs. motivated-for pay personnel base, this is a necessary leadership skill set.   However, inspiration-driven change that is sustainable is rare. Most change requires the sustained effort of committed leaders.

Coming from the church world, I know a lot of them right now are in their budget and ministry planning process.  Voices abound expounding visions for change and rationales for financing those changes.  Personally I am launching a project right now that I believe will effect change.  I am inspired by it and a few others are 'catching the vision'.  But I know that I will need to create a framework and add personal commitment to sustaining the vision over the long haul.  If I don't commit to that, I am a passing fad, a whiff of wind that was refreshing for a moment.

Reminds me of the movie Braveheart.  At one point William Wallace waxes eloquent to his followers about his vision & aspirations.  To which one of his key guys responds:

 

"Great speech.  

Now what do we do?"

Once you have cast the vision, how will you make that a reality over the long haul?

The following critical success factors in sustained change management are adapted from “Best Practices in Planning and Performance Management” (Second Edition; 2007; David Axson; John Wiley & Sons).

11 Critical Success Factors for Sustained Change

1. Don't count on a silver bullet. 

·         Usually a combination of approaches and skills is needed.

2. Stage the process. 

·         Extend it if necessary to ensure success.  Each stage must have clear outcomes.  Staging the process also allows for organizational learning along the way, and opportunities for adaptation of the process to enhance its success.

3. Plan comprehensively. 

·         Breadth is more important than depth in planning.  Identify all the component parts first. Planning the detail is not absolutely necessary up front because good planning is an ongoing activity to 'fill out' the component parts.

4.   Dedicate the resources.

·         Assign the best people and funding to the project.  The calibre of resources influences not only the optics, but also the outcomes.

5.   Build commitment through involvement.

·         The PRIMARY key here is that the organizations' leaders themselves must believe in the change and be seen as embracing the changes that the process seeks to implement.

·         There are 7 elements of securing commitment:

i)        Commitment is earned; it is not an entitlement, even in hierarchical organizations.

ii)      In the early stages, find the people who 'get it'.  They are your 'evangelists'.  Get them resourced with information and other supports.

iii)    Once earned, sustain the commitment.  The tendency is to expend the energy and vision in the creative process and then let it dissipate in the execution.  This is extremely damaging to any change process. Cynicism sets in.  Volunteers and finances begin to depart.

iv)    No single method to secure commitment works in isolation.  Match the message and the medium to the recipient(s).  Take into account their motivation, personal style etc.

v)      Security is top of mind with people.  People generally fear uncertainty more than the change itself.  Therefore consistent and redundant communication is crucial. Use common 'talking points'; create communication schedules across various media; provide easy access to information through vehicles such as websites.

 vi)    Communication by itself won't secure commitment.  You must also

·         provide 2-way processes

·         use pilot programs

·         develop templates/prototypes

·         conduct workshops

·         involve a wide spectrum of people and provide feedback loops

vii)  Know you won't convert everyone.  Plan for how you will deal with resistors.  You must deal with them because if left ignored, they will negatively affect the project. (see point # 11)

6. Gain momentum quickly. 

·         No false starts.  Momentum is a function of activity and delivery.  Produce something visible every 3 months.

7. Make the investment of time, money and personal focus.

·         It means you must reduce your commitments in other areas to make this work.

8. Work the organizational politics. 

·         Success is the best offence, so create it early; tell the story and repeat it often

9. Be flexible but don't compromise the end objective.

·         You will never define all the steps ideally or anticipate all the events along the way, but don't lose sight of the objective

10. Keep Boards informed and focused on the goals with regular updates.

11. Don't let naysayers get you down.

·         A small number will never sign on.  The greater number of naysayers are those who, at the first sign of trouble start to question the viability of the change.  Addressing this starts with the leader and his/her change implementation team. 

Is your vision worth more than the inspirational story you are telling?  If it is, my challenge to you (as I am making it to myself), get in for the long haul and roll up your sleeves to create some sustained change.

Harv

harvey@visiontracks.ca
www.visiontracks.ca

1-403-970-4148

Skype: visiontracks05