STEERING THE CHANGE - My Approach

Me standing over at my cubicle and addressing the team is a common sight at the workplace these days. I have sessions with the team about the recent developments in the organisation and also about the road ahead for all of us as a team. The anxiety that prevails within the team is an obvious function of the CHANGE. 

In the coarse of managing a young and big team in the times of the change, I realized that the best way to bring about change is to first gain the support of the people who will be affected by it and the people whose support you need to implement it.

I scratched my head in an effort to realize the best way (whatever extent possible) to manage and bring about the change in an organisation. One question that kept coming to me as a manager of change was that, " What factors should any CHANGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM have to make it successful?"

It came up that an ideal system should have following factors which can ensure that the brought about change is successful and meets its objectives. 

I have tried to define it as a 4-tier process:

• Guidance
• Communication
• Empowerment
• Culture

I will make an attempt to describe the above factors in context to Change Management in any typical services organisation of today.

GUIDANCE:

People ought to follow leaders who have the ability to guide them to the final goal / destination. The leaders of the change ought to ensure that they are directing the people in the right direction and everyone is aligned to the cause. When the people are aligned, the decision making is lot more easier and effective.

COMMUNICATION:

This is one of the most important factor contributing in the success or failure of change. With lack of communication, even the best of change management initiatives might turn out to be complete disaster. Communication can have many forms, carried out in many phases, have many levels to it; still it is very important to continuously keep spreading the right information to people, customers, vendors and the business world.

EMPOWERMENT:

In CHANGING systems, the major anxiety people have is about delegation of authority - whether they will be empowered to take decisions the way they use to earlier? 

An ideal system should empower people at the lowest possible level, which increases the productivity and motivation of the employees. It also develops the next layer of managers who can work independently and pull of things in crisis situations with help of innovation.

CULTURE:

A common set of values, beliefs, language and perspective helps people with diverse backgrounds to work together in harmony. The same people working under different cultures - even in the same organization - can act in very different ways. Change culture, and you change the way people act!!

A common thread of culture binds people together and facilitates achieving the organisational goals.

Let's try to understand further how above 4-tier approach can help in devising an ideal Change Management system.

Guidance: 

• To clearly define Where we are and where we have to go
• Map the current process and systems
• Concentrate on people
• Define the strategy with clear scope and expected results
• Device clear parameters for measurement
• Sustain the current best practices

Communication:   

• Share with the stakeholders about what is happening
• Daily and Monthly meetings
• Frequent/periodic descriptive mails from leaders
• Sharing of remarkable data and information
• Open door policy
• More time on work floor than cabin

Empowerment:

• Confidence to employees that they can do what they need to do
• Delegation of authority to sub-ordinates
• Involvement of supervisors/managers in system development
• Direct access to superiors
• Assigning responsibilities as well as functional authority to employees

Culture:

• Clearly demarcate how to do things around in the organisation!
• Plans for individual, team and organisational growth
• Encourage MBO (Management By Objective)
• Device effective training & development programmes
• Hold confrontation meetings
• Linkage of salary to performance and productivity
• Employee Surveys
• Rewards & Recognition

Many organisations have implemented some or all of the above initiatives to ensure effective Change Management processes in the past. In my understanding, an effective system not only assists in effective change management rather it helps in positive transformation of the organisation and facilitates the growth.

My organisation; Vertex Software is integrating with 5 other subsidiaries in India and start operating as one brand - NTT Data, which is a 16Bn dollar organisation and also the 7th largest IT Company in the world.
Refer the links below for more information:
http://americas.nttdata.com/news/2012/press-releases-31-jan-2012.aspx

Jumping Jobs??

You're tired all the time; you don't want to get out of bed in the morning; you can't concentrate at work anymore. Guess what, you could be one of millions of people that need to consider a job or career change.

If you even think you are starting to feel 'burned out' or uninterested in what you are doing make some time for a real conversation with yourself - starting with the question. 

"What do I really want to do with the rest of my life?" 

Most people consider themselves lucky to have a job. But it may be time to start asking just how happy you are with it. Gone are the days when you could expect to work for the same company all your life and then receive a pension that paid income for life. 

As against older people who are at the end of their careers and are comfortable in their existing set-up, younger people get most frustrated in the same organisation after a couple of years. 

Also the same comfort level can be termed stagnation. Hence they are even ready to take risks and move to a different industry. So if you are ready for the switch, first do intense personal assessment and consider the following tips: 

Find reasons

You need to pinpoint why you are looking for a change and whether you have the right reasons. It is better compensation or benefits or is it dissatisfaction with career potential? 

If you are ambivalent about leaving, career consultants say there are a number of red flags that signal unhappiness at work. 

The root of your discontent could be linked to anything from dysfunctional relationships at work to a personal clash with the organisation's values. It could be lack of close relationships, either with colleagues or your boss that could be disheartening. 

A simple change can often be the remedy to your workplace woes. When contemplating a change, think about classes you took in college and even high school that appealed to you and left you inspired.

What's the way you like it? 

You needn't change the organization. Maybe what you do is not what you like. The solution could be as simple as moving to a different department. Voice your commitment to the organisation and express how much you'd like to stay.

Then ask about other positions that might suit you better. When considering a professional makeover, don't think in terms of job titles. 

Those can be limiting and can feed people's fears that they're pigeonholing themselves into doing one thing for the rest of their lives. Don't feel pressured to stick to one job. There are options beyond those that we can visualise. We just need to seek them out.

How does the industry look at you?

There is no rule as such, but put yourself in the position of a potential interviewer and think how you would react to your own CV. 

While your current job may not be right for you in the long term, it is in your own interest to develop your role and responsibility as much as you can before you move on. Interviewers will naturally want to know what you have achieved and what has made you decide to change jobs. 

Your application will be much more attractive if you can show evidence of your ability to manage your own personal and career development. Most important of all, you can use this experience to ensure that your second job is a better fit. You should be much clearer on what is important to you and what you have got to offer. 

Consider your finances

If you're unemployed and bills are stacking up, you might take the first offer that comes along, even if it isn't perfect. But if you are considering a job change, make sure you aren't loading yourself up with debt. 

Too much debt causes you to be more vulnerable during a job transition. Therefore, get your financial picture in order and give yourself a cushion of about six months. But you should know what you are worth on the open market. 

Get connected 

Stay up-to-date on technology, industry trends, customer needs and any other factors that are important to your personal and professional self-development. Upgrade your knowledge and skills in ways that are consistent with your own future interests and career development. 

Find out what's happening within your industry. Those who struggle the most are just in tune with their own little circle. You may also consider contacting a head hunter, and make sure the headhunter is working in your best interest.