Change Management

As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is no doubt that the working environment will change in some format in the future. Both employers and employees will need to adapt to accommodate this new development. Some of the main issues that will need to be addressed are as follows;

(1) Who are the people that will be affected?

(2) What support / resources will be required to accommodate this change?

(3) What will be the impact of this change on all relevant stakeholders?

In an article titled Leading Change – Why Transformation Efforts Fail by John Kotter (Harvard Business Review, January 2007), in summary, from the author’s extensive research he highlights the following errors from this process;

Error 1: Not Establishing a Great Enough Sense of Urgency

Error 2: Not Creating a Powerful Enough Guiding Coalition

Error 3: Lacking a Vision

Error 4: Undercommunicating the Vision by a Factor of Ten

Error 5: Not Removing Obstacles to the New Vision

Error 6: Not Systematically Planning for, and Creating, Short-Term Wins

Error 7: Declaring Victory Too Soon

Error 8: Not Anchoring Changes in the Corporation’s Culture

Kotter recommends an eight step process that can help achieve a successful transformation of an organisation. In summary, they are as follows;

Step 1 - Establishing a Sense of Urgency

Step 2 - Forming a Powerful Guiding Coalition

Step 3 – Creating a Vision

Step 4 – Communicating the Vision

Step 5 – Empowering Others to Act on the Vision

Step 6 - Planning for and Creating Short-Term Wins

Step 7 - Consolidating Improvements and Producing Still More Change

Step 8 - Institutionalizing New Approaches