Although change is constant, its outcome isn’t one hundred per cent impactful. Research shows that 70% of change efforts fail to deliver results. Failure two-thirds of the time isn’t an impressive reflection of change management efficiency. The uncertain outcomes call for a shrewd and strategic approach to managing change when it is intended for an organisation, a market, or a product.
Let’s explore managing change within an organisation and for products. Constant change is undoubtedly a strong driver of market relevance. I know this much, being an entrepreneur. I founded Kaizen Polymers, a firm I have run for almost a decade, focusing on Sustainable Waste Management practices based on the 4 R’s (recover, recycle, reuse, and reduce). I understand what product and organizational change processes demand.
Kaizen Polymers protects the environment from plastic pollution. We recycle polythene wastes, shred them before combining them with unique additives, and later transform them into eco-friendly (multiple-use) products applicable across multiple sectors. For instance, in the construction industry, our recycled products are used as damp-proof sheets. In the agriculture value chain, they are used as grow bags, greenhouse covers etc.
Having provided some background on my business, I would like to get back to our topic. From my experience, products need to reflect progression to continuously maintain relevance. Company cultures must evolve to rally an organisation for the growth focus crucial for keeping in touch with the pace of the market.
However, change can be resisted. Change can be undermined. Change can lose momentum. Change can be halted. Change processes can be manipulated. Change can fail to produce the desired results.
Where such occurs, it is often because people within the organisation clog the wheel of change, underlining why change efforts often fail to deliver success, as established by research.
Now, considering the importance of consistent change to keep pace with transforming market expectations, a strategic approach to managing any change effort is necessary. The strategy involves taking calculative measures, examining loopholes and bends and factoring in response nodes before deciding to pursue change.
Most importantly, any strategic measure that ignores the people who are part of the change process or whose circumstances will be impacted by the change is already heading for failure.
Naturally, change creates a shock. People are wary of shocks. Shocks create uncertainty. That is the word – ‘uncertainty’!
Precisely, people don’t resist change. They resist uncertainty. They are unsure where the change is driving. They fear the space and vacuum that the change will create. They are afraid of how their circumstances will change and fear what the future holds.
Driven by such deep uncertainty, they mentally and physically throw curveballs at any efforts to change the existing systems and conditions around their operations. It takes just a few dissents to influence others and frustrate the change from producing the desired results.
Meanwhile, leaders erroneously assume their people (employees) will embrace a change as soon as it is announced. It rarely happens that way.
To make change succeed, whether it is changing the organisational culture, tweaking a structure or innovating a process to deliver a ‘killer’ product, leaders (management as the case may be) also need to change how they approach change.
Here are four (4) ways to approach change within an organisation to increase the probability of success:
- Engage – Don’t assume people will simply be sold when change is rolled out. Failure to engage the people will create disengagement, which can form a big hurdle to acceptance. Engaging the people isn’t simply calling for a town hall meeting or a brainstorming session. It is about core engagement in the form of providing clarity, taking feedback and contribution. When people are engaged, they feel valued, understood, and considered. When people are engaged, they feel respected. If this happens, they are likely to feel a part of the change and throw their weight behind it.
- Empower – Frustration sets in when employees lack the required abilities, tools and mental readiness to accept and execute change. Capacity comes in levels. The capacity required by the workforce to deliver success under past market conditions may not necessarily be enough to scale and maintain optimum performance under the new change conditions. Providing training and performance incentives to help people function optimally under a new operating structure is essential to delivering results.
- Reward – Reemphasising performance incentives one more time is critical. Create a performance-based reward system that incentivises the people and encourages them to move in the direction of change. A reward system is like a compensation platform targeted at helping offset any trade-offs involved in change implementations. Also, accurately communicating the reward system will foster alignment, acceptance and participation.
You don’t want your change efforts to be among the 70% of failed initiatives. Being strategic with change will ensure you put people ahead of the process in effecting change. If the people align, accept, and participate in the change, the process is likely to fall into place.
Adedapo Onafadeji is the Managing Director of Kaizen Polymers, a business providing solutions to plastic pollution in Lagos. He studied Systems Engineering. He is PMP certified and has been in business for 10 years.
