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8 Reasons WhyOrganizations Fail
To Change James Saliba
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By far the biggest mistakepeople make when tryingto change
organizations is
to plunge ahead withoutestablishing a high enoughsense of
urgency in fellowmanagers and employees.
The error is fatal becausetransformations always failto
achieve their objectiveswhen complacency levelsare too high.
Error #1Allowing Too
MuchComplacency
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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#ajor change is often saidto be impossible unless thehead of the
organization is
an active supporter. $nsuccessful transformations%the president%
divisiongeneral manager% ordepartment head plusanother &ve%
&fteen% or&fty people with acommitment to
improvedperformance pull togetheras a team.
Error #Failing to Create
a !ower"ulCoalition
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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'ision plays a key role inproducing useful changeby helping to
direct%
align and inspire actions.(ithout appropriatevision% a
transformatione)ort can easily dissolveinto a list of
confusing%
incompatible and time*consuming projects thatgo in the wrong
directionor nowhere at all.
Error #$n%erestimating
the !ower o"&ision
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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!hange is usuallyimpossible unless mostemployees are willing
to
help% often to the point ofmaking short*termsacri&ces.
+eople will notmake sacri&ces% even ifthey are unhappy with
thestatus ,uo% unless theythink the potential bene&tsof change
are attractiveand transformation ispossible.
Error #'$n%er
Communicating the&ision
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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-ew initiatives fail far toooften when employees%even if they
embrace a
new vision% feeldisempowered by hugeobstacles in their
paths.ccasionally% theroadblocks are only in
people/s minds and thechallenge is to convince
them that no e0ternalbarriers e0ist. $n othercases% the blockers
arevery real.
Error #(!ermitting
O)stacles to *loc+the &ision
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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1eal transformation takestime. !omple0 e)orts tochange
strategies or
restructure businesses risklosing momentum if thereare no
short*term goals tomeet and celebrate. #ostpeople won/t go on
thelong march unless they seesomething compellingevidence within
si0 toeighteen months that the journey is producinge0pected
results.
Error #,Failing to Create
-hort.Term Wins
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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2fter a few years of hardwork% people can be temptedto declare
victory in a majorchange e)ort with the &rstmajor
performanceimprovement. !elebrating awin is &ne% any
suggestionthat the job is donegenerally is a terrible
mistake. 3ntil changes sinkdown deeply into the culture%which
for an entire companycan take 4 to 56 years% newapproaches are
fragile andsubject to regression.
Error #/0eclaring &ictory
Too -oon
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
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!hanges sticks only whenit becomes 7the way we dothings around
here%8 when
it seeps into the verybloodstream of the workunit or corporate
body.3ntil new behaviors arerooted in social norms andshared
values% they arealways subject todegradation as soon as
thepressures associated withthe change e)ort areremoved.
Error #8eglecting to
Anchor ChangesFirmly
Source: eading !hange by John "otter
