How you change is the change!

I recently had the opportunity to read a new book by Lawrence M. Miller entitled Getting to Lean: Transformational Change Management Beyond Problem-solving to Co-Creating the Future. In full transparency I have known Larry for over 40 years as we were classmates at a small liberal arts college in Iowa called Parsons College.

A sub title to the book made the statement that how you change is the change. When we consider that more in depth it begs us to ask how do you go about changing the organization? As a vital member of your organization you have really only three courses of action.

First you can choose to do nothing at all. Many organization’s choose to talk the talk about improving the processes within the organization while utilizing an undertone which says change won’t work because that just is not the way we do things here. Management is totally complacent with continuing the way the organization operates even though the customers are telling the organization you are not meeting the needs we have. This track usually leads to loss of the client base as your customers take their business elsewhere.

Second, the organization can dictate the change from a high. Management tells the organization via edict that this the way we will change. The expectation is that because the ivory tower says change the organization will change. Surprise the result is a totally disengaged organization. Needs of the organization and the customer are never met.

The final choice in implementing change is the total involvement of the entire organization within the change process. The change process is centered around the input of the experts within the organization combined with management. The experts are those on the front line of the organization. The front line experts see the problems before they reach the C-Suite. To be successful the change process requires cross-functional teams which review the entire process and the impact on the customers. It requires the same steps as when you were doing the experiments in HS science class. The change process is the scientific method of the business world.

We consistently hear management complaining that the organizational human capital assets are not engaged within the organization. The change process provides a view of the way to change that. We need to be willing to change the way we change the corporate culture. Understand we are dealing with a corporate culture which is a constant state of fluidity. This means we change just from meeting the demands of our customers. This means we change because the marketplace changes. This means that we change because our front line assets see processes evolve which in turn create the potential for new problems that need viable solutions.

Which change process is your organization following? Are you walking the walk and talking the talk when it comes to organizational change. Want to find out more about how to introduce an authentic change environment? Join us in in Orlando Sept 25 for a look out how to bring about change in your organizations. For more information visit http://achievinghrexcellence.eventbrite.com. Deadline for registration is August 20^th.