Change Effort Stuck?

Transformational change in organizations is hard (major understatement!)– and the more processes, systems, peoples and time involved the greater the level of difficulty. Because of this, it is very typical to initially underestimate any number of things: the time it will take, the people required, the resources needed, the impact to other areas, the amount of coordination required. In the early planning phases we tend to assume the best – things will go quickly, the right people will be available just when you need them, that it’s really not “all that difficult”. And then hard, cold, unrelenting reality sets in.

Once we begin to get a sense of the real scope and scale of the change, these challenges begin to surface in a real way. Quite often much energy and effort have already been expended. Commitments have been made. Plans are in place. People are stretched thin and worn out. So when the hard truth that it will take more than we ever imagined to put the change in place becomes evident – it is a very “inconvenient truth”.

Facing up to this hard reality is a daunting  leadership challenge. Our human propensity is to fight or flight. Fight looks like denying the reality, pushing on without adjustment, asking people to work 14 hours rather than the normal 10. Flight is abandonment, turning back, giving up. Neither is what is needed.

Here are 6 things that do need done.

1. Yield to the Reality Be brutally honest about the true state. State the obvious. Declare the problem and the intent to fix it. Hiding problems almost always takes more time and energy than naming them and getting focused on a fix.
2. Pause. Breathe. Slow things down for a moment to go faster later.
3. Reflect. How much has been done? What is yet to be done? What do we know that was not knowable at kick off? What is getting the way? Why? What has changed? What needs to change to make this happen? What is our most important outcome? How do we get there? The more honest the answers, the more likely your fix will work.
4. Re-Plan. Pull together the team. Use their much more accurate understanding of the effort to put together a plan that can succeed. Keep a focus on what is really important. Typically this is an adjustment – not a total change of direction.
5. Recommit. Create fresh energy around the plan by reemphasizing the importance of the big goal. Maintain momentum by identifying shorter term wins that are within sight. Quickly get people moving forward again – this time with a clearer path with fewer obstacles.
6. Press On. Step by Step. One milestone after another. Demonstrate the will to get this done. Make it clear that turning back is not an option.

And a final note…..don’t forget to look back on occasion and celebrate the progress made.