When life is hard, you have to change
End of last year I was a subject to a lot of coaching. Like seven-eight sessions per week a lot. My brain was working overtime - it still does, to be fair. It was intense and it helped a lot.
Among others, I had a Change coach, a really nice lady with questions sharp as a samurai sword. I confided in her about my perceived rigidity. Just some years ago I came to Germany from the UK with a couple of suitcases and many hopes. When we were talking, though, it felt like I’d lost my mojo. I wanted my readiness for change back.
I've always believed in the power of change. It keeps life moving forward and helps prevent stagnation. Thus, I was positive that lack of it meant I’d gone stiff. However, my coach patiently explained to me how non-linear this correlation was.
“The most important thing for change management is to approach the change deliberately and from several angles.” asana’s article on change management highlights. It’s also crucial to keep certain parts of the process stable to anchor team members when the ground is shifting. Change for the sake of change isn’t just disorienting, it also can be damaging.
Below I’d like to discuss the beauty of change management and things to watch out for.
A Change (Would Do You Good)
Embracing change is essential. It's an integral part of healthy growth. According to Posci, having change management processes in place increase the changes of achieving project goals sevenfold. It also makes the project 1.4 times more likely to stay within budget.
What’s really important to consider, while implementing changes in the company, is preparation. Change management is called like this for a reason. There’s more to it than just supervising the way businesses innovate. Management starts long before.
Whether we’re talking about a widely popular ADKAR framework, or method described by Harvard Business School, or any other process, actual implementation is never the first step, or even the second. What comes first is thorough preparation:
- conducting analysis to identify the improvement areas;
- raising awareness about the need of change;
- bringing together a group of internal and external experts to discuss the process;
- conceptualising and documenting concrete plans;
- aligning the plans with company goals and iterating;
- clearly communicating the future change to get employee buy-in.
Only then it’s time to act.
Companies that are really dedicated to making the change happen, when it truly fits into their goals, are 30% more likely to sustain the positive effects, notes McKinsey. All sources agree that celebrating wins during the implementation phase, bypassing hierarchies to get timely feedback, as well as closely monitoring the KPIs, really do set apart the organisations that are serious about long-term optimisation.
If you start me up I'll never stop
Change is a double-edged sword, though. While it can drive growth and innovation, unnecessary changes can cause chaos.
“All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison”, Paracelsus said. Applies to change too. In the current economy, hit with crisis after crisis since 2020 pandemic, organisations are understandably reluctant to fix what’s working after finding some semblance of stability.
Despite the best intentions, up to 80% of change management projects fails, Personio relays. Here are the most common reasons why:
- Poor Timing. Implementing significant changes during financial instability can exacerbate stress and uncertainty.
- Mismatched goals. If changes are not aligned with the company’s core objectives and culture, it can lead to confusion and reduced morale.
- Insufficient Resources. Attempting change without adequate resources and support can lead to incomplete implementation and frustration.
- Resistance and Low Buy-In. If employees are not on board, resistance can undermine the change effort, leading to reduced productivity and engagement.
- Rapid or Excessive Change. Overloading employees with too many changes in a short period can lead to burnout and diminished performance.
- Ineffective Leadership. Weak or inconsistent leadership during change initiatives can fail to inspire and guide employees, resulting in confusion and lack of direction.
It’s clear that the process could go off rails at any stage. Change should be carefully timed and introduced in moderation. Balance and respect for people are key.
Standing still is a step backwards
“Stillstand ist Rückschritt”, Friedrich Nietzsche wrote.
Contrary to what many might think, Germany isn't as resistant to change as it's often portrayed. Especially after major events like Brexit, COVID, and ongoing war conflicts, it's clear that it can't stick to old ways.
Germany scores 8 out of 10 on the AI readiness index. Moreover, Germany has a strong history of robotic automation. It's not just about robots in factories; robots are increasingly used in software and workflow automation too.
Summing up the pros and cons of change management, on the country level it’s the same as when the companies are involved. Analyse, prepare, communicate, test, roll out, get feedback, sustain, rinse, repeat.
