Whenever organizational leaders come up with change efforts, one thing in their minds is to see to it the successful implementation of the change efforts. Surprisingly, based on my experience working with board members and executives, being interested in the successful implementation of any change effort and providing the required resources, and also executive support are not just enough. Could there be any possibility of let’s say what a CEO is doing that will sabotage his or her own efforts and honest intentions of ensuring that the organization achieves success in their organizational change quest? My answer is a resounding yes.
Often times, CEOs, leaders and managers find it difficult to believe that they can work against any change effort they have shown absolute support for. Naturally, these leaders might not want to sabotage their organizations’ change effort, but unknowingly to some, they failed to realize that leaders and managers alone cannot totally effect organizational change. They need majority of people in the organization.
A resonating question for leaders to ask is: how come many of the process improvement, re-engineering, customers’ service improvement and the likes are not yielding the desired results? Despite the fact that enormous resources have been approved and management has shown their commitment. Is there anything managers and leaders are doing wrong as to work against the organizational change effort? I think my answer is yes! Again, to my surprise, whenever I lead strategic retreats for organizations, leaders and managers in attendance always speak as though they have had a previous conversation. They will always lament that their employees are not helping matters when it comes to running with the change being backed upon or implementing the desired change. So, what is going on between leaders and employees?
One major error that managers and leaders do and that will ultimately work against every organizational change initiative is to “make employees feel or think that something is being done to them”. Instead of making them feel or think that something is being done for them or by them or with them. This might sound so simple from the surface but has caused many organizations’ downfall. The basic premise that “People Support What They Help Create” is true. The number one mistake to avoid in every organization is deciding and announcing a change without the input or involvement of those that will run with the change. Let us not be deceived by rhetoric, without including the people who are impacted by, or can impact the change, any change plan is only as valuable as the paper it is written on.
Having worked with some CEOs of organizations, I have realized that the practice of inclusion is not always a part most leaders are comfortable with. It may be a new and unfamiliar way of managing. More so, coupled with the fact that some leaders might think they aren’t being a leader if they are asking people what to do or for their advice. But this should not be so. It is not that you are actually asking people what to do. Instead, you are presenting a draft of the change plan for their feedback. This means you are saying to them that; you will seriously listen to their feedback and incorporate some of it into the change plan if it makes sense to you. This is because no one has all the answers in today’s complex organizations and environment. This simple act of inclusion can work wonders in organizations.
Final note:
One of the things I took away working with and learning from the late Steve Haines years back is that; “people want input into decisions that affect them prior to the final decision being made”. Once people have input into a plan, they are more likely to support it and implement it than if you were a leader or manager that just expected people to follow their orders. By involving employees at all levels, you release “magic”- the magic of their ideas, their experience, their expertise, their wisdom, their energy, their excitement and ultimately their commitment. And believe me, this is the kind of magic that will make any organizational change effort to yield results.
Always remember that no one is the custodian of knowledge and so in your organization great ideas can sprout from any one.
As a CEO, learn to utilize the gift in your people, as they have what your organization needs to succeed.
As always, I welcome your comments, questions or requests.
The trusted advisor,
‘Uju Onwuzulike,
