Why Change Fails

'It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent: it is the one most adaptable to change
Charles Darwin'

The same is true of companies. Those that embrace change survive. Either you are driving, or someone else is. Which gives you more control?

The job of the Leader is 'comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable'. In other words, to stop people being complacent, generate a sense of urgency, even when you are doing well, and look after those who are stressed by this pressure.

Six common reasons why companies Change programs fail:

According to John Kotter of Harvard Business School, these are the most common causes of failure:-

• Failure to create a sense of urgency. If people don't understand why change is needed, then they stay in their comfort zones.
• Failure to create a coalition for change. You have to get the 'movers & shakers' on board at the beginning.
• Failure to understand the power of vision and to communicate it powerfully, through word and deed
• Failure to remove obstacles to change. They hold you up, and exhaust the energy and resources
• Failing to achieve 'quick wins'. They prove it is not only possible, but relevant
• Declaring victory too soon. If you don't keep at it, it vanishes overnight. Change has to become embedded, habituated and part of the culture

'There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to mange than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit from the preservation of the old institutions and merely the lukewarm defenders in those who should gain by the new ones'
Niccolo Machiavelli

Change is tough!

You need:-

• To know what to change and what to keep
• To allocate the right resources in terms of:-
  1. Money
  2. Time
  3. People
  4. 'Know how'

You will also need something to catalyse the Change. 'If you are part of the system, no matter how good you are, you must be a part of the problem. No heart surgeon, no matter how gifted, would consider operating on himself. This is the role of the outsider.'

Call us now to find out how we can help you avoid these missteps. We offer a free initial consultation.

We provide Change Consulting & Change Management.

Resources:

• Change Articles
• Our Change Model
• Business Change pieces on our blog
• Why Change Fails?

Testimonials: The results of this project have far exceeded our expectations. Richard's mix of people skills and experience, ’hands on‘ took us through the proccess of change step by step... - Baker Tilly OMP
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The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. - M. Scott Peck