The Change Agents

…cue Mission Impossible Theme Song…

Companies call consultants when they need help. They don’t have a pile of money just itchin’ to be spent – they have a goal or certification to be achieved, a customer visit or a new product launch. Sometimes there are years of habits, traditions and “we’ve always done it this way” methods. Often, these methods are not in compliance with regulations or the recognized state-of-the-art; worse, things are a mess and the company has no idea how to comply. That is why they call us.

Whatever advice, new practices or structure that we introduce to the client will involve change. Change that the company knew that they had to eventually implement but were too busy running the business to take the time to apply. Three key elements of change management are people, structure and strategy. These components are the basis for introducing change into any organization.

Aligning key people and eventually the entire staff must be done for effective change. All of the right people must be involved, well informed and focused on the right things. They need to be apprised of the goals, impact and benefits of the change. Training must be provided for people to be able to achieve the strategy and improve the structure. Truthful and open communication between all levels of the organization is essential. Staff will ask questions throughout the process and will need to be directed to the goal because they will have difficulty and will have to course correct. Staff may ask – “Is this worth it?” Leadership needs to coach and be champions of change.

Structure is what will be the secure “anchor” during the change. The structural settings of an organization should support the type of organizational culture that is part of the goal. Physical structure of the building, information flow, interaction between suppliers, customers and technology are all fundamentals that need to be considered before change is underway.

Strategy is the method for achieving the goals that are creating the change. The strategy is the roadmap. The focus on timing, investigating to root cause, priorities and financial outcomes should be balanced to ensure that the strategy will be effective. It may need to be changed based on feedback from customers or staff members. Listen and weigh the feedback!

Don’t be afraid to be the Change Agent when change is necessary. Come up with a strategy, eat your Wheaties and get ready to implement the requirements that will save the company by making it more marketable and open to new business. Hold hands and walk through it together; it will make your organization stronger.

“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” – Dr. W. Edwards Deming

- Beth Freed