Your Career Questions Answered by Jolito Ortizo Padilla - Letter sent from Bahrain Telecommunications (BATELCO)

Thank you for reading Strategic Management: Building Competitive Advantage at Amazon's Kindle 3G...

>>The Problem: I've heard that Change management is beneficial for organizations, but I don't know how it works. What does it involve?

>>The Answer:
Change management can be extremely beneficial but can be damaging if implemented haphazardy. Change is integral to organizations in order that they adapt to stimuli, both internal and external.

There is no agreed manner of implementing change. There are, however, factors that must be considered to meet the organizational need to adapt. Initially, desired changes require clear identification. Also, there must be consideration given to the desired impact of changes on performance. Other changes , such as changing core business functions, are more difficult and will involve clearly defined processes at the outset.

There are several key steps:
- Identify reasons for change, desired outcomes , training needs, HR, legal framework and health and safety
- Implementation: consultation, engagement, documented discussions
- Ensure dates and key milestones are agreed, including staff needs
- Make the change
- Evaluate the change at regular intervals and monitor for effects
- Make any adaptations as indicated during evaluation

Most important is identifying the need for change and desired impact. Be clear on goals at the outset and ensure there are mechanisms to measure effects. Be prepared to listen and seek feedback. Finally no change is ever perfect so accept failures and build on success. Hopefully the end result will be fitter for purpose than what  was in place before.

>>The answer: Excerpt from my book Strategic Management: Building Competitive Advantage on Managing Change:

Change Management involves analysing the current capability for change identifying resistance and determining a plan. The aim is to minimize disruption. Organizations that are skilled in successfully delivering change will benefit from a decrease in the cost and time required to action change and an increased probability of it being accepted by stakeholders.

An appropriate approach needs to focus on delivering change and an increased profitability in a visible  controlled and orderly fashion:
 - Investigating and defining change:
   Do we know the scope of the change?
   What resistance can we expect?
 - Developing the change:
   Is there support for the change at all levels?
 - Transitioning the change:
   What training will be offered to those affected?
   How will successes be celebrated?

Carving the right approach requires a sound understanding of change management principles. Organizations are increasingly aware of the importance of employing change teams which explains  the increased interest in developing change management intelligence.