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Greetings!
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I hope you had a joyous Independence Day!
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| Embracing CHANGE
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""If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself." - Henry Ford
There are tons of theories out there about
change. There are probably some good points in each. One of my favorites is the
Change Model Formula or Change Equation (Gleicher, Beckhard, and Harris). This formula explains the reaction to change:
Dissatisfaction X Vision X
First Steps
> Resistance to Change
In this model, the closer to zero that any of the
three components is, the higher the resistance to change will be. In other words, there are three things that
have to happen to overcome the resistance.
First, if your team members are happy with the system the way it
currently is, you will have problems. As
I explained last month, if you are unhappy with the current situation, it is
easier to accept change.
Share the vision
Second, you have to not only have a clear vision of what the change
will look like; you have to communicate that vision to your team. Many times, the leader knows what the vision
is, but neglects to share that future situation with the team. In
old-fashioned, top-down organizations, this problem was especially common. Business
owners often believed that they were the only ones who needed to know where the
company was headed. Bringing your team into the picture can make the achievement
of the dream a great deal easier.
Take the first steps
Third, having the vision is important, but if you don't take those
first steps, you will encounter resistance. People hear that change is coming,
but they have to actually see and experience some of that positive change, especially
those who are reluctant to change. Once the team starts to experience the
change and realizes that the steps that were taken might actually result in a
positive outcome, resistance tends to melt away.
Look at the current political situation. The majority of Americans were
dissatisfied with the way things were. The dissatisfaction quotient was
high. The majority shared the vision
that Barack Obama had for the country. Now it's up to the Obama Administration
to turn these first steps into first positive results. If that happens, the
"team" will be considerably less resistant to change.
If your team does not share your vision, it will take a far greater "first
steps" quotient to overcome the lack of shared vision. In a business
setting, even when your team members agree with the need for change, if they
fight the vision, either because they do not understand it or because they disagree
with it, those first steps and first results become critical.
Bring the team along
Of course, in
business, if your team doesn't share your vision, it may be time to replace
some of the team. Just remember that turnover is expensive. If you can bring
the existing team members along, your organization will be stronger. Make sure
you have done what you can to communicate your vision and take those first
steps toward the improved future before you change the team members. Disrupting
the team can cause additional resistance at a time when you can least afford
it.
Communicating with your team about your vision and letting team members
see the results can make the whole process easier. Let your team members be a part of the
process.
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Paul Cuevas from M.D. Anderson was the first of many to know that June 19th was the day that Texas slaves found out they were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. If only we had Twitter then! Knowledge definitely is power, isn't it? since Paul is in Houston, he'll receive a $25 Starbuck's card.
