| Are you planning any business change initiatives? | | | | unexpected sometimes shows up as resistance in |
| Most change managers that I know, the good | | | | people, this is a natural part of the cycle and |
| ones anyway, usually plan, plan and re-plan and | | | | paradoxically is to be expected. In NLP terms all |
| why not - it's what all the text books and | | | | behaviour has a positive intention, we need to |
| management guru's tell you to do. But the very | | | | understand the intention behind the actions rather |
| nature of change as I have discovered is that the | | | | than focusing on behaviour change. How you now |
| unexpected will, can and does show up at the | | | | deal with resistance to change will determine you |
| most unexpected of times. That is the nature of | | | | level of success as a change manager. |
| the unexpected - to be unexpected, thus you | | | | 4. Utilise it: I am a strong believer that in every |
| can't plan for it. The real issue here is how do we | | | | adversity there is opportunity. This may sound |
| deal with the unexpected when it gate crashes | | | | like some new age affirmation, but I am a |
| our change initiative parties. I believe that | | | | pragmatist and this perspective helps me to tap |
| effective change is about equipping ourselves with | | | | into my creative potential. Whether you call this |
| the skills of dealing with the unexpected rather | | | | emergence a crisis or an opportunity is irrelevant |
| than worrying about implementing the latest | | | | though - it is how you respond to it that is |
| change strategy. | | | | important. Always ask yourself how can I use this |
| Here are six tips to help deal with the sometimes | | | | challenge to its best effect? |
| unwelcome and unforeseen guests of | | | | 5. Learn from it: Leading on from the last point ... |
| organisational change... | | | | shift happens ... you can only become stronger |
| 1. Keep calm: I have never solved anything while | | | | and more effective by learning from what life's |
| being in a state of panic. The key to successful | | | | many processes throw at you. Change is a |
| change management, life, love - pretty much | | | | process that provides us with many opportunities |
| anything really is to keep calm. Staying calm and | | | | for learning and growth. Change management |
| centred allows you to stay resourceful. Creative | | | | mastery is not about running perfect projects |
| solutions will present themselves to us when we | | | | every time, it is about dealing effectively with |
| come from a peaceful state. You will have more | | | | what evolves from the process. So always ask |
| chance of spotting the solutions when you are | | | | yourself how can I learn this challenge? |
| calm. | | | | 6. Build in slack: On a practical note, when planning |
| 2. Look like you were expecting it: When | | | | always build in slack into the time scales to allow |
| managing change one has to be inspiring to the | | | | for the unexpected. Prioritise your requirements, |
| people we are leading. If we look like we were | | | | deliverables, goals or outcomes into MUSTs, |
| expecting what everyone else wasn't expecting, | | | | SHOULDs, COULDs and WONTs. A maximum of |
| we'll end up looking like geniuses. This attitude | | | | 60% of your time is to be allocated to the |
| inspires and motivates our people. | | | | MUSTs and 20% each to SHOULDs and COULDs. |
| 3. Welcome it: What you resist persists. Rather | | | | Guarantee to only deliver the MUSTs and this will |
| than put your energy into fighting something, | | | | build slack into your time scales. |
| focus yourself on its successful conclusion. The | | | | |