(08) 6102 0343Let's talk about BS
There are a few things that make us cringe. We feel we must talk to you about the 3 change "facts" that we hear A LOT:
These three make the top of our change-myth-that-need-busting-list. Why? Because they are an outdated recipe for a messy transition. They stifle motivation and collaboration. And, ultimately set organisations up to fail in delivering successful change.
So let's get this straight:
#1 Change Failure
49 studies across 10 types of change found a 19% median success rate for cultural change, 40% for technology change and 58% for strategy development. You can see that the failure-rate varies depending on the type of change, the type of failure and the business' capability. The failure rate you should use for your project contingency plan should be much closer to 40-50%.
#2 Carrots and Sticks
Studies confirm that rewards (carrots) kill internal motivation by replacing it with external motivation. Every time we use the reward to nudge a behaviour towards our desired ways we make the task more about the reward and less about the joy of doing the task. Reward and recognition programs can be costly and inefficient. Instead, choose change initiatives that are high in engagement and co-creation. High engagement increases the probability of change success by up to 22%, cut implementation time by up to one-third.
#3 Resistance To Change
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Lastly, we have all heard that resistance is a given in change. More correctly, organisational transformation triggers a wide range of emotions in us and our employees. Qualitative studies show that when these emotions are acknowledged and treated with respect, people become more engaged with the change. Start to embrace your employee's reactions as engagement. Create an emotionally safe space to open the way for better collaboration, problem-solving and sustainable change outcomes.
Successful change leaders will need realistic, practical and evidence-based tools.
Sam is one of the authors of The 6 Cents of Change. He's a father, a CEO, an Engineer, a trainer and a problem-solver. His work impacted Apache, Santos, MMA, and more. In his other life, he loves CrossFit and cricket.
To learn more about us and the solutions we provide, subscribe to The 6 Cents of Change, follow us on LinkedIn or connect with us here info@approach-services.com or +61 (08) 610 20 343.
