In this installment of our guide to organizational management we look at managing change…

Successful organizations will be required at some point in their development to effect change. Changes can result from operational strategy makeovers, when adding or removing major units of practice, or even when the underlying mission statement of a company undergoes a transformation.

It’s not something that can be ignored, indeed those organizations that try to do that inevitably fail. Yet, it needn’t be complicated, following a few simple principles will go a long way to successfully managing changes in an organization.

It must be realized that any organization is just the sum of its members and that it cant change unless its members do so. Too often the focus is only on changing methods or systems when it should be on changing the people. Having the best new method or system in the world available is of little use is the people who are meant to be using it are intent on doing things the way they always have.

There should be a constant emphasizing of not just what is changing, but also why it is changing and, most importantly, what the benefits of changing it are. People are always acutely aware of what they’re losing, but often they don’t have a clear picture of what positives to expect in its place. Regardless of how good a strategy for change has been drawn up, if the people who it ultimately affects don’t buy into the reason for change, it won’t be successful.

Open and honest communication is a company’s best plan when attempting to effect organizational change. Staff needs to have pertinent information and the ability to provide feedback on the proposed change. All the speeches, newsletters, corporate videos, values statements and such in the world cannot engage the employees of a company the way that allowing them a part to play in the process can.