Managing change from the inside and out

Businesses, like humans, are naturally resistant to change and like most things, they crave stability. This is part survival instinct and part fear, so the default reaction is to resist change, as it represents uncertainty – and uncertainty does not correlate with the survival of a species.

In the realm of change management, leaders have the difficult task of not only implementing organisational and structural change but shifting innate mindsets towards adapting.  

Despite the boardroom mantra that innovation is vital to business, often the real narrative is that innovation – or any risk or change – would lead to an uncontrollable outcome.

Overcoming resistance is the first step

The competitive fact remains that if you resist change, you will go extinct. Change the way the business and its leaders think, and talk openly about change. What needs to be communicated to management is that change must happen to allow for the ongoing survival of the business; it must be adaptive to time. Also, management needs to pull back from the short-term results of a change and look at the greater corporate-wide benefits, even personal opportunities, that may emerge.

Be aware of your competition

Even if your business is resisting change, it’s likely that your competition isn’t. Companies tend to fail if they remain wedded to one idea only and expect all factors to be constant. Be open to admitting something isn’t working, learn to adapt and grow from what has been learned.

Change is good, change is inevitable

Many businesses and their leaders see change as negative because it has been traditionally associated with adapting to a negative circumstance – such as financial instability, mergers, acquisitions or market failure. The proactive response is that change is not just in response to an emergency; change is normal and part of evolution.

Reinforce change, and embrace it!

This is not just a survival tactic, but a path to better results. There is a concept called ‘zooming’ that is based around making small, constant changes to enable your business to fine-tune itself in a competitive field. Businesses should always be zooming to stay on their toes and be poised enough to pivot when required. The more frequently a company evolves, the more flexible it becomes and makes better use of their assets.

Change allows you to retain top talent

Talented people won’t stay at a company that saps their initiative. If a company can’t hire talented people, it cannot evolve, thrive or innovate. Timid businesses don’t anticipate the future or opportunity. Like organisations, timid people don’t invest in themselves or take the actions that enable them to quickly adapt. Good change management strategies place people at the centre of what you do.

In an uncertain world, the complexities of change are the only constant. By keeping a people-centred approach to the process, the delivery of change can be a positive experience and provide benefits to staff and stakeholders.

Investing in Master of HR Management online can offer a new perspective on current best-practice change management and give you the theory and skills to help you strategise and implement within your workplace. Contact our Enrolment team on 1300 701 171 to learn more.