I had a conversation with a chap a few days ago about organisational change - what he actually wanted was a change to the organisational design of his organisation (same people, different labels and responsibilities) along with a few remuneration and job role changes.
What he didn't want was organisational change, where there is a rethink of the way people work, inprovements to processes and systems, team and organisational culture and suchlike. This type of activity will drive out real financial value, whereas simply changing the organisational design is likely to incur costs, cause unnecessary turmoil and focus away from getting the job done.
Businesses are adept at changing the organisational design of their operations - how many places have we all worked where we see things changing every week, month, quarter in this respect - but these tweaks are rarely (never?) assessed in terms of the impacts that they will have, operationally and financially. If we accept that people don't like change, and they come to work to do a good job, we need managers to think about the impacts of their actions and not have a casual attitude to things that they can do with a swift memo. What organisations really need is strategic thinking- for instance, will this change actually deliver real financial value, what needs to happen to make the change accepted and effective, and are there other things that need to be done to ensure continued high-quality customer service etc.
Thursday 30 November 2006
Wednesday 29 November 2006
Is email spam a tool in growing your business? Does email matter?
I have just been through my junk email. It caused me to stop and think for a moment whether spam is a business tool. If there is any substance behind the links in the junk mail that I receive (I've never felt the need to click on them...), obviously someone out there in cyber world thinks so.
But stopping and thinking for a minute, what were my reactions (without expletives);
But stopping and thinking for a minute, what were my reactions (without expletives);
- not more email
- how does it get through
- better check to make sure the junk filter hasn't captured anything I really want
- why do these people bother? Does Randy at Erogenous Pharmaceuticals really exist? (Actually, I might trademark that name.)
Email is really cheap. And it is the bane of our business and personal lives, particularly if we let it take over. I think it is really unacceptable to sit in a meeting reviewing your Blackberry/Smartphone messages rather than having the courtesy to follow the substance of the meeting and then asking for a summary or being unable to react to a question or critical point. In one organisation I worked with, it was de rigueur for colleagues to sit looking at their PDAs at the same time as holding one-to-one discussions. This happens because the speed of business lives has accelerated, and we don't have the collective presence of mind to accept that an email will wait a few hours.
Back to the spam question. It is the cheapness of email, messaging 1000s or more email addresses at the same time that makes it so attractive to these little online suppliers. If junk email were arriving from supposed reputable organisations, we would all want to know how they got our details, how we can stop the junk, and their reputation would suffer. The senders of junk mail don't have a reputation to worry about and if the get one 'sale' for every 1000 emails they send then they've probably done well (of course the 'sale' might be of details off of your PC rather than pills or potions).
Spam mail is not a legitimate business tool - I think I knew that before I started to rant, but constant communications are important in respectable business. It is getting the content and form of those communications right that is so important - an email is often harder to draft than a simple phone call or a chat around the coffe machine, and we've all seen email chains that start with a simple innocuous question that then ends up with a huge number of comments and replys, forwards, copies, blind copies etc. We're creating an unnecessary email industry, and all feeling the pressure of ensuring that we don't miss that one important email in amongst the day-to-day dross.
In managing change in the real world we always talk to people about getting the right messages, to the right people, in the right format at the right time. We need to bring people through the change, dealing with the emotions and challenges that appear - shame we don't do that in our 'normal' lives...
PS: Please let me have an email with any comments ;-)
Why change fails...People Stop Change
I thought (I know it is dangerous) that I would let you have a version of the article that I have published in the Association of Project Managers Yearbook. I figure that if this blog is going to be helpful to us all, I need to make it a bit of a magnum opus of change stuff, without the pithy slogans and ra-ra. This is real world stuff, that affects the professional and personal lives of real people. Anyway, enjoy...
Our business lives have become more pressured over recent years – computing and telecommunications have a lot to answer for in that the mobile phone has led to instantaneous communications wherever you are in the world, and email has lead to more interpersonal communications than ever. Computing power and complex software has lead to more questions being asked that would never have either mattered before or have been capable of being answered. A little test;
Rank the following 5 statements in the order that they apply to you;
1. I need more emails
2. I always have my mobile phone switched on
3. I prefer to send emails rather than pick up the phone
4. I’m being asked for ever more complex analyses
5. I work longer than ever hours
Depending on your role, 2-4 will be in the middle in any order, 5 will be at the top and 1 at the bottom. No empirical data of course, but we all know the realities. Whether this is right or wrong is the subject of a whole different essay!
Given all of this increasing pressure, managers are required to continuously improve productivity, grow or contract their operations, outsource or insource, new system here, manage the legacy system there, acquire and dispose. The working environment is continually changing inside organizations, and for our customers it isn’t any easier.
There isn’t always a willingness to accept the reality of change inside organizations, but since it’s a reality why do we always make it as hard as possible for ourselves. The key is that although we communicate more than ever, we aren’t good at managing the people-impacts of change. Picture the scene – you’ve been having sleepless nights since your boss asked you to install a new system. You’re no IT guru, but you know you are going to have to get new hardware, software, and train people. You’ll need consulting help to get it all done on time, select the software, implement, test, and make sure all the processes work.
Well, your sleepless nights are set to continue. Where did you think about the people affected? What do they think, feel? You recognize that you will have to train them, but have you thought about what they’ll be worrying about, how they make the current systems work with undocumented workarounds, how they’ll feel with a new flat screen monitor where their fluffy toys will fall off of the top! The people will be worrying about the ‘business case’ – new system = greater productivity = fewer jobs is the normal way these projects are justified isn’t it?
I could go on. Managers tend to think about processes, and good managers tend to think about people. There’s middle ground somewhere, but when you wonder during a sleepless night why your project is failing you’ll come to the following conclusions;
• The people are worrying about the business case, productivity has plummeted, and coffee consumption has increased.
• The people hate the new system, because the consultants you used didn’t ask them what they think (nor did you), how they use the current system and so on. Productivity has plummeted.
• The system doesn’t work – the old world has prevailed, the workarounds don’t work any more. Productivity has plummeted.
• Testing is inadequate, training is inadequate – no real consideration of the journey from current state to future state was given. Productivity has plummeted.
• Your peers are taking the opportunity to sneer and jibe – your productivity has plummeted.
• Your boss isn’t pleased…your productivity is ceasing…
Although the people think you don’t care, at least the flat screens leave more room for fluffy toys on the desk. Result!
People stop change. Systems are inanimate, buildings couldn’t care who occupies them, processes will operate if the right inputs are delivered….but people are a whole different matter. ‘Command and control’ regimes are not de rigueur and will not work in the modern business, so its no good expecting to ‘tell’ people what to do. They’ve got brains, personalities, and egos and all need nurturing.
People stop change. So what are you going to do about preventing them stopping your change programme? Talk, communicate, email – this is where we came in – use the technologies that you have available, involve people-affected in the decision processes, ask them what they think and believe.
Back to your sleepless night. If only I’d;
• Explained the business case up front. There will be job losses, but we’re going to transition people to new roles. The purpose of the system is to solve a long-standing MI problem, hence we’ll need more people doing more interesting jobs. There will be job losses, but this is what we’re doing to make it as easy as possible. If only you had explained this.
• Asked people what they do – what does and doesn’t work in the current state, what will make their working lives easier and more fulfilling in the future state.
• Been more visible – showed sponsorship and got the team behind me.
• Involved some of the key people in choosing the replacement system, building the revised processes, establishing the testing and training.
• Got my peers to buy-in and support the approach I was taking, involved them in the project, helped steer progress and maximize the benefits.
• Managed my boss better, and had them involved and visible in supporting me.
You need people to go through the whole process of shock and anger, denial, understanding, challenging and (eventually sometimes) commitment to the change, whether it’s a new system, location, process, PC or business acquisition. Getting over the questions of ‘what does the change mean to me’ or often ‘what’s in it for me?’ is often time consuming and painful, but getting it right is always worthwhile.
There’s huge debate amongst project management professionals about whether its rigorous project management practice and procedures that deliver successful projects, or whether its ‘change management’ that delivers success. People stop change, make change happen, deliver successful projects, and provide you with business results, so focusing your management effort here is likely to derive most value. It won’t always be easy.
So you want an easier life…focus on the people aspects of change – it will pay dividends in both your sanity and business results terms.
Our business lives have become more pressured over recent years – computing and telecommunications have a lot to answer for in that the mobile phone has led to instantaneous communications wherever you are in the world, and email has lead to more interpersonal communications than ever. Computing power and complex software has lead to more questions being asked that would never have either mattered before or have been capable of being answered. A little test;
Rank the following 5 statements in the order that they apply to you;
1. I need more emails
2. I always have my mobile phone switched on
3. I prefer to send emails rather than pick up the phone
4. I’m being asked for ever more complex analyses
5. I work longer than ever hours
Depending on your role, 2-4 will be in the middle in any order, 5 will be at the top and 1 at the bottom. No empirical data of course, but we all know the realities. Whether this is right or wrong is the subject of a whole different essay!
Given all of this increasing pressure, managers are required to continuously improve productivity, grow or contract their operations, outsource or insource, new system here, manage the legacy system there, acquire and dispose. The working environment is continually changing inside organizations, and for our customers it isn’t any easier.
There isn’t always a willingness to accept the reality of change inside organizations, but since it’s a reality why do we always make it as hard as possible for ourselves. The key is that although we communicate more than ever, we aren’t good at managing the people-impacts of change. Picture the scene – you’ve been having sleepless nights since your boss asked you to install a new system. You’re no IT guru, but you know you are going to have to get new hardware, software, and train people. You’ll need consulting help to get it all done on time, select the software, implement, test, and make sure all the processes work.
Well, your sleepless nights are set to continue. Where did you think about the people affected? What do they think, feel? You recognize that you will have to train them, but have you thought about what they’ll be worrying about, how they make the current systems work with undocumented workarounds, how they’ll feel with a new flat screen monitor where their fluffy toys will fall off of the top! The people will be worrying about the ‘business case’ – new system = greater productivity = fewer jobs is the normal way these projects are justified isn’t it?
I could go on. Managers tend to think about processes, and good managers tend to think about people. There’s middle ground somewhere, but when you wonder during a sleepless night why your project is failing you’ll come to the following conclusions;
• The people are worrying about the business case, productivity has plummeted, and coffee consumption has increased.
• The people hate the new system, because the consultants you used didn’t ask them what they think (nor did you), how they use the current system and so on. Productivity has plummeted.
• The system doesn’t work – the old world has prevailed, the workarounds don’t work any more. Productivity has plummeted.
• Testing is inadequate, training is inadequate – no real consideration of the journey from current state to future state was given. Productivity has plummeted.
• Your peers are taking the opportunity to sneer and jibe – your productivity has plummeted.
• Your boss isn’t pleased…your productivity is ceasing…
Although the people think you don’t care, at least the flat screens leave more room for fluffy toys on the desk. Result!
People stop change. Systems are inanimate, buildings couldn’t care who occupies them, processes will operate if the right inputs are delivered….but people are a whole different matter. ‘Command and control’ regimes are not de rigueur and will not work in the modern business, so its no good expecting to ‘tell’ people what to do. They’ve got brains, personalities, and egos and all need nurturing.
People stop change. So what are you going to do about preventing them stopping your change programme? Talk, communicate, email – this is where we came in – use the technologies that you have available, involve people-affected in the decision processes, ask them what they think and believe.
Back to your sleepless night. If only I’d;
• Explained the business case up front. There will be job losses, but we’re going to transition people to new roles. The purpose of the system is to solve a long-standing MI problem, hence we’ll need more people doing more interesting jobs. There will be job losses, but this is what we’re doing to make it as easy as possible. If only you had explained this.
• Asked people what they do – what does and doesn’t work in the current state, what will make their working lives easier and more fulfilling in the future state.
• Been more visible – showed sponsorship and got the team behind me.
• Involved some of the key people in choosing the replacement system, building the revised processes, establishing the testing and training.
• Got my peers to buy-in and support the approach I was taking, involved them in the project, helped steer progress and maximize the benefits.
• Managed my boss better, and had them involved and visible in supporting me.
You need people to go through the whole process of shock and anger, denial, understanding, challenging and (eventually sometimes) commitment to the change, whether it’s a new system, location, process, PC or business acquisition. Getting over the questions of ‘what does the change mean to me’ or often ‘what’s in it for me?’ is often time consuming and painful, but getting it right is always worthwhile.
There’s huge debate amongst project management professionals about whether its rigorous project management practice and procedures that deliver successful projects, or whether its ‘change management’ that delivers success. People stop change, make change happen, deliver successful projects, and provide you with business results, so focusing your management effort here is likely to derive most value. It won’t always be easy.
So you want an easier life…focus on the people aspects of change – it will pay dividends in both your sanity and business results terms.
Tuesday 28 November 2006
Blogging in the real world
This is all new to me - I thought that as a bit of a closet techie (OK World, you all now know) I would be able to see the point behind most changes in the internet world, but I'm pretty sure until Graham Jones enlightened me at a meeting yesterday I hadn't really got it. So here's my first ever, virginal, pristine, blog.
And then I need to ramble on confidently and enlighten the world about managing change and all that stuff, helping folks understand why change is a good thing and why professional change management is key to getting to wherever you need to go. And its not just about your business life.
But that's all for another day....
And then I need to ramble on confidently and enlighten the world about managing change and all that stuff, helping folks understand why change is a good thing and why professional change management is key to getting to wherever you need to go. And its not just about your business life.
But that's all for another day....
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