15 Key Lessons On Managing Change
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Change, they say, is the only constant. With rapid globalization and advent of technology, the rate of change in society and in organizations has just multiplied.
We may not be ‘change management experts’, but having a set of thumb rules always helps when dealing with change (because at some point, we have to face/manage/lead a change). Based on my experience in implementing organizational change through processes and people, here are a few key lessons I have derived:
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Change is difficult because it pulls us out of our comfort. Change challenges us to do things differently. Any meaningful change always comes with a set of associated pains.
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Every change has its settling time and that depends on you/your organization/your context.
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Change eliminates (on a long run) those who don’t adapt. Remember what Charles Darwin said?
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Changes are driven by external factors (e.g. market forces) and internal ones (e.g. internal re-organizations, initiative to change etc.)
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We have to be conscious enough to identify, assess and trigger internally driven changes. (because a lot of progress depends on that)
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It is always more fun to change ourselves (internally driven) than to be forced to change by external triggers.
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That means, even when everything is seemingly going great, you need to watch out for signs of change.
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Change can be a great learning experience if we know when and how to align ourselves (and our mindsets).
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You should know what "not do to" when implementing change.
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Ability to change, readiness to realignment and agility in mindset are the new competitive advantages.
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To implement change, you can either preach tactics to change, or you can drive change through a compelling purpose and value. (so that people ‘want’ to change)
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Because the fact is, people only change when "they want to change’.
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In organizational context, constant training and support on change is essential to remove barriers for people who are impacted by the change.
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Trying to change everything at once is a sure recipe for failure. Let change be gradual. Change a few most critical things. Changes need to be prioritized.
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You can be a ‘victim’ of change, ‘manage’ a change, or lead it through. You create maximum impact when you ‘lead’ the change. (Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”)
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