How to manage change effectively
One of the core skills required to be a successful manager is the ability to manage change effectively.
Asked about their plans for 2006, a quarter of engineering employees told the Chartered Management Institute that they intended to change jobs, around one-third planned to take education programmes, and around half were looking to spend more time with family and friends. At first glance these might appear to be perennial resolutions, but rather than being repetitive there is a strong underlying message that managers in the engineering sector must take on board.
Namely, that staff are not content with the status quo and this is the time of year traditionally seen as one of restlessness. After all, January is a time when people are returning to work with their ‘batteries recharged’, having reflected on their achievements of the previous year and their ambitions for the year ahead. People often say at this point that they want a fresh start and while there is nothing wrong with that, it can come as a shock if you are not prepared.
One of the core skills required to be a successful manager is the ability to manage change effectively so it is worth spending some time developing this area before you decide to leave. If change is going to take place, or even if it is just a possibility, you need to ask yourself the question ‘Can I manage it?’. If not, there is a serious danger that any change will impact on your organisation’s success because your natural reaction will be to try and contain and control problems that arise, without the time to consider your options properly. So what can you do to ensure that change is managed, without innovation, productivity and employee morale being sacrificed?
Whatever the change, you need to agree an implementation strategy before embarking on the initiative. Will the changes affect the company as a whole, or just one area? What is the time-frame people need to work to? This is something that must be stretching enough to convey urgency, but attainable enough to be motivating. Do not forget to draw up detailed plans because the worst thing about change is uncertainty; people get used to the way things are and often need guidance to help make any transition appear seamless.
At the start of the year, you should also be thinking about rewards for creativity and innovation. After all, if change is to be seen in a positive light and embraced, people should be encouraged to make suggestions of their own. This could mean a greater devolution of responsibilities, as giving people more accountability is a good way of increasing motivation levels. The key lies in looking for real participation from your staff and colleagues. Sharing problem solving and decision making with those who are to implement the desired change will ensure that you can begin to build commitment and ownership of the project.
Of course, change also involves learning. People rarely accept adjustment by reading memos or notice boards in staff canteens; they learn by practice and experience. So make sure that any transition is gradual – those who are ‘activists’ will thrive and those who are ‘reflectors’ will grow in confidence.
Successfully managing change is a critical skill that we all have to master at some point in our career; but this does not make change for its own sake worthwhile. Do it badly and you may only introduce de-motivation and uncertainty. Do it well, however, and you could get noticed as someone who leads people, meets organisational targets and delivers results; something that all engineering organisations want, no matter what time of year it is.
By Petra Cook, Head of Public Affairs, Chartered Management Institute
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