Six Steps To Manage Change In Your Organisation

Editors note: Today’s post is coming of you courtesy of Chris Farmer of The Corporate Coach Group in the UK. Take it away Chris!

Change is the only universal constant. You can be on one of two positions in respect to change:

• You can drive change.
• Or be driven BY change.

Those who are the victims of change find that changes are usually for the worse.

Those who drive change, find that the changes are usually to their advantage

• Do not be passive in the face of change.
• Be active in the face of change.

In order for you to effectively manage a changing environment, you need to first:

Take the initiative: Be the instigator of change.

In order to take the initiative and become the driver of circumstances, follow this five step process.

The process can be reduced to six words

1. Purpose
2. Plan
3. Action
4. Feedback
5. Adapt
6. Repeat

Let us analyse the meaning of these six words:

Step One: Purpose

Your purpose is your aim, or ultimate goal. Develop a clear set of progressive goals for the next three, six or twelve months. Set your mind onto the achievement of specific goals, in order to inform your decisions on a day to day basis.

• Goals allow you to develop a psychology that is “goal focused”

“Goal- focused individuals” perform better than those who are not goal focused. Non-goal focused individuals can be described as drifters. Drifting in a stormy sea is a dangerous activity. Sit down tonight and work out a series of progressive goals.

Step Two: Plan

Then, write detailed “Plans-of-action” relating to the achievement of the goals that you wrote out in step one. A goal without a detailed set of written instructions (plans) is no more than a fantasy. A goal together with a detailed set of written instructions is the beginning of creative and adaptive change. When you have finished setting your goals (what it is that you want), then gather the team together and build the very best, intelligently written plans that you are capable of. Spend all day on it if you have to. Failure to write a detailed plan proves that you are not serious enough. You do not merit a top prize.

Step Three: Action

Then, take action on the plan. Take immediate, persistent, dedicated and consistent action on the plan. This is where many fail. How many people do you know who:

• Have exercise plans they do not follow
• Diet plans they don’t keep to
• Business Plans that they never actually start.
• Big promises backed up with NO action

Failure to take action on a plan is the most common fault. This fault is due to:

• Fear of failure
• The natural inertia of the human spirit that causes people to “put things off till tomorrow”.

Overcome this error. Once you have your written plan, use your personal initiative to drive yourself into ACTION. – Even in the face of difficulties. Failure to act will make your plans meaningless. Without the ability to make yourself work, you risk  becoming a victim of change.

Step Four: Feedback

Then, gather the feedback. When you act on your plan you will find two things will happen:

• Some parts of your plan work well.
• Some parts of your plan do NOT work well.

This is because your original plan was not perfect, because YOU are not perfect. Do not worry. This is normal for all human beings. Instead of worrying, take the elements of the plan that are not working well, and analyse them. Bring the team back together and apply your creative intelligence to this question:

How can we correct the errors that must have been present in our original plan?

Derive your best answer to the above question. Apply all your powers of logic and creativity. When you have your answer, take step five

Step Five: Adapt

Adapt your plan using the information and ideas that you gained in step four. Sit down and write “PLAN NUMBER TWO”.

1. Failure to analyse your mistakes will cause you to fail.
2. Failure to re write your plans will cause you to fail.
3. Repeating what did not work last time will cause you to fail.

Instead, reverse these trends:

1. Analyse your mistakes and correct them.
2. Re- write your plans and improve them.
3. Come back stronger with a better plan.

Then go to step six.

Step Six: Repeat

When you have your new plan, repeat the process. Go back with your improved plan to step three. Take immediate, persistent, dedicated and consistent action on the second third, fourth plan.

Repeat, repeat, repeat – until final victory is yours!

Summary

Change is the only universal constant.

• Do not be passive in the face of change.
• Be active in the face of change.

In order for you to effectively manage a changing business environment, you need to first

• Take the initiative:

In order to take the initiative, follow this six step process.

1. Purpose – Develop a clear set of progressive goals for the next three, six, or twelve month.

2. Plan – Write detailed plans of action relating to the achievement of the goals stated in step one.

3. Actions – Take immediate, persistent, dedicated and consistent action on the plan.

4. Feedback – Gather the feedback.

5. Adapt – Adapt your plan using the information and ideas that you gained in step four.

6. Repeat – Repeat, repeat, repeat – And final victory will be yours!

Chris Farmer is the leader of The Corporate Coach Group, who provide UK management training courses, and a published author in Business Coaching.

Tagged as: change, chris farmer, corporate coach group, managing change