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Business & IT Alignment
Using Change to Properly Align the Average Employees' Skills and Roles
Another benefit of change: using the opportunity to ensure your average employee's skills and role are properly aligned. If not, see if you can reposition him / her to a newly created opportunity based on the changes being introduced.
15% of IT Change Projects Are Huge Money Sinks
Ah - the importance of effective (people and) change management strikes again...
On Being Productive: Tools, Techniques, Inspiration & Motivation
He who knows most grieves most for wasted time.
Seeking a Change Management/OD Consultant for 3-Month IT Capability Diagnostic for a Global Firm in Downtown Chicago
Ability is of little account without opportunity. -Napoleon
Measure Twice. Ask a Few Questions. Measure Again. Cut Once.
"The correct solution to any problem depends principally on a true understanding of what the problem is." Arthur Mellen Wellington
Have you ever seen people rallying around a solution, putting money and other resources towards building that solutions, only to eventually see that solution as an amazing non-solution? I have.
Confirmation bias: a tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions and avoids information and interpretations which contradict prior beliefs.
Lots of interesting words, but what does it all mean? It means:
o We think we understand the problem.
o We think we have the answer(s) even though we may not fully understand the problem.
o We will find information to support our understanding and ignore information that doesn’t support our line of thinking.
o We may dig in our heels to support our point of view, ignoring new, factual information for any number of reasons (pride, not liking the message deliverer, not having the time to explore alternatives).
Pay attention to your confirmation biases the next time you are looking for the best solution to a problem. These biases are there – your challenge is to bring them to light. Your opportunity is the creation of spot on solutions. Ah – a win-win for all.
What's Behind Your Successful Organizational Change Efforts: Your Customers' Needs or Your Smarty Pants Insights?
"We believe that our activities should be governed by the needs and desires of our customers rather than by our internal requirements and insights." Eugene F. McCabe
A system enhancement, regulatory requirement, merger and/or acquisition are often the obvious faces of organizational change. And while it may not always seem so, if you search for the root cause of most successful organizational change, it is in fact customer needs. If your search leads you to another root cause, assess the success of that change closely.
Internal requirements and smarty pants insights can be prudent/sexy/unique/mind blowing/the next great thing, etc. If you want to increase the likelihood of organizational change success, challenge yourself to ensure that the root of your great ideas are driven by your customers' wants and needs.
Action:
Ask your customer(s):
- What is the one thing we could change in the services we provide you that would help you most?
- How can we change _______ to serve you better?
- We are thinking of changing the way we ________. How could this change affect you, both positively and negatively?
Again, ask better questions to get better answers. Be wise, not smart.
Engage. Resonate. Apply. Change.
I am always grateful to learn when my presentations resonate with the audience. I'm hopeful that what the audience also takes away is the respect I have for their time. If you or your leadership team wants to discuss how to effectively lead change or manage change, let me know. Helping folks become better change leaders is tons of fun.
Here's an abbreviated version of feedback I received from a presentation I gave last week to a group of highly talented CIOs - all wanting to bolster their change leadership skills:
"Sandy,
I would like to thank you very much for all your time and efforts to prepare for and present your views on ...strategies CIOs can use to ... lead change.
Your presentation was well organized and very informative. Once again, you did an excellent job of engaging the group and keeping the session interactive! The CIO members and guests in attendance offered high words of praise for your knowledge and experience on the subject and contributions to their learning on this very important topic area.
Our ‘feedback reviews’ reflected very positively on the insights and perspectives you shared.... A representative sample of what they liked best about the discussion and what they consider to be their key take-away include:
- There are many things to pay attention to when dealing with change
- The importance of change management to large projects
- Too much change can undermine projects
- Do not lose sight of the people aspect of change
- Good framework brought things to light
- Organizing the different aspects/ways of managing change
- Formally scheduling time with shareholders
- The idea/practice of shadowing
- Business skills to develop in direct reports
- The Five imperatives – I will pin this up!
The overall ranking from the group was excellent.
Sandy, excellent presentation! Very well received and very much appreciated!"
