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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Change management introduction

Challenges to grow, strengthen, streamline, consolidate, improve or protect the organization take many forms and are rarely simple, nicely ordered or sequential. Many organizations will be challenged by change to such an extent that multiple change initiatives of varying size, import and impact are concurrently seeking to change the organization.

Change management attitude

Recognize That Change Management Culture Starts at the Top
As a leader, you set the tone for change management. If you express or show a negative attitude towards the change, the culture for change will have negative results. If your attitude towards change is positive, then the culture for change will have positive results. Constantly communicate the positive overall results from the change and how the employee will benefit from this change.

Benefits of change

Create a Culture of Growth. Enduring and sustainable positive change only results when systems are changed. I like to refer to this as second-order change. First-order change is simply when surface level policies and procedures change and is usually short term and induces minimal positive impact. Second-order change, on the other hand, creates long-term sustainable growth that changes how and why things are done, not just what is done.

CONCLUSION

Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and above all, consultation with, and involvement of, the people affected by the changes. As soon as change is forced on people, problems arise. Change must be realistic, achievable and measurable. These aspects are especially relevant to managing change where it affects people at a personal level, like being re-structured and "downsized".