Keys to facilitate organizational change

Facilitating organizational change processes is more than printing a manual, giving training, installing new technologies or modifying structures. These actions may be necessary and justified, but they are not the essence of organizational change, they are only the tip of the iceberg, the most visible part of the phenomenon. The market is people, organizations are people, customers are people… I hope you have no doubts about what change really "is"…

The concept of organizational change

The total or partial redesign of the organizational structure, the impact of various macroeconomic variables, mergers, acquisitions, incorporation of new technologies, creation of new business units, or the implementation of new processes, are just some of the many causes that generate in an organization, or in certain sectors of it, a situation of change. Change that most of the time is neither fully nor efficiently planned, much less facilitated.

Note that I will be recurring in the term "facilitation"; since I consider that the change is not scientifically managed or administered. Facilitating change involves supporting people to first visualize, then internalize, and then voluntarily become involved in achieving the goal resulting from the emerging situation.

Far from this, many still believe that involvement and alignment to the new state of affairs is achieved by delivering a “manual” outlining the Mission, Vision and Values of the company or business unit in question, an Outdoor activity, and in the Good times… two days of "reflection" and / or training in Punta del Este, and on the way back… each one back to his own… but yes, "the change is over," they say.

In reality, to facilitate, you learn by talking, walking the floor or floors, listening, participating, capitalizing on mistakes, and above all, knowing how to “read” the underlying messages of the people involved and act in reference, not accordingly.

To begin to understand the process of facilitation of change, and achieve that it generates value, while recognizing the losses that any change entails, it will be necessary to recognize the existence of at least three elements: a) a current situation, which by Some reason we need to abandon, b) a desired situation, which we want, or tell us that we have to arrive, and c) a diffuse, critical moment, often gray, difficult to measure and even more so to facilitate: The transition.

The transition

It is the psychological process that people must go through to find themselves in tune with the new situation. Change does not happen without this process. It is that intermediate moment between the current and the desired situation, during which, on the one hand, we hear the benefits that working according to the desired situation will generate for us. But on the other hand, we have no alternative but to continue operating in the “old way” because we still do not have the means, processes, people, strategies, information or technology necessary to operate according to the new situation.. "They screw us with the new one, but we still eat the old one… until when like this?" Asked me not long ago a middle manager directly involved in a change process that a client company is going through.

And this is how people feel. It is at this stage, where the actors involved do not fully see the north of the situation and the obstacles, doubts, costs of the change, the disadvantages of it and the personal damages that this new situation could bring to each one emerge.: loss of power, status, duplication or overload of tasks, possible new bosses, and likewise, self-questions about their ability emerge, and questions of the most diverse, and in many cases justified, nature.

What characterizes this moment is uncertainty; and it has a direct impact on the performance and motivation of the people affected and generates, as a primary consequence, reactions of the most varied magnitude, which, if not listened to and “accompanied”, can make the path to desired goal. As it becomes clear, it is the moment in which the change has more possibilities of failure, even if it manages to be implemented. Remember that implemented change is not synonymous with internalized change.

To go through the transition, I suggest that every facilitator or person in charge of a change process begin with:

Understand the reason for the change, and assume your own transition. View the situation systemically; understanding the whole, its parts, the interrelationships between said parties involved, and the impact that a decision can generate in the rest of the “system” that is being changed. Recognize that resistance to change is a half truth: many companies cling the resistance paradigm to justify in advance the failure of the change. Resistance is a natural, predictable and human reaction. Accepting reactions of all kinds, at least in the first stage. If there is no reaction in a process of change, there is no change. People react when they perceive that something is changing. Resistance, properly channeled, always adds up. Minimize, not ignore, the emotional impact that every situation of change generates,without thereby resigning the depth and making decisions, sometimes unwanted, that every process of change involves. Shortening the transition period as much as possible, providing information about the progress of the process, generating coaching and sharing, why not, uncertainty. The leader does not have to know everything. Understand that people are not devices that change in a fraction of a second from one state to another (ON / OFF and vice versa), but rather require their time and will have to be accompanied on that path. Through formal or informal training, workshops, discussion forums, coaching sessions, creation of a mentoring structure, etc. Communicate, communicate and communicateproviding information about the progress of the process, generating coaching and sharing, why not, the uncertainty. The leader does not have to know everything. Understand that people are not devices that change in a fraction of a second from one state to another (ON / OFF and vice versa), but rather require their time and will have to be accompanied on that path. Through formal or informal training, workshops, discussion forums, coaching sessions, creation of a mentoring structure, etc. Communicate, communicate and communicateproviding information about the progress of the process, generating coaching and sharing, why not, the uncertainty. The leader does not have to know everything. Understand that people are not devices that change in a fraction of a second from one state to another (ON / OFF and vice versa), but rather require their time and will have to be accompanied on that path. Through formal or informal training, workshops, discussion forums, coaching sessions, creation of a mentoring structure, etc. Communicate, communicate and communicateThey require their time and will have to be accompanied on this path, through formal or informal training, workshops, discussion forums, coaching sessions, the creation of a mentoring structure, etc. Communicate, communicate and communicateThey require their time and will have to be accompanied on this path, through formal or informal training, workshops, discussion forums, coaching sessions, the creation of a mentoring structure, etc. Communicate, communicate and communicate

Noel Tichy in his work The Transformational Leader, especially highlights the need for personal support during the process of change, when he maintains that, “(…) in the drama of transformation, leaders must direct the organization towards the future by creating a vision positive of what the organization can achieve and simultaneously provide the necessary emotional support for the individuals that face the transition process ”.

The costs of inadequate facilitation of change

Although it is difficult to measure the costs of inefficient management of the transition and also organizations do not record this type of loss on their balance sheets, we know that the risks of poor management of the transition are very high and remain for a long time. in the collective memory of the organization:

Final results worse than those existing before the change. Duplicated efforts and high costs. Setting more complex goals, but with fewer people to achieve them. Returning to old practices after trying something new, implying loss of credibility and trust towards the organization when facing future change processes. Unfavorable effects on the organization's climate. Loss of legitimacy in the leadership chain, "unclear" disengagements, privileges, "rush" promotions, etc.

In 1998 the Consultant Arthur Andersen, of which I was part during a good stretch of my professional life, carried out a survey among companies that went through great and lasting processes of change, which served to reveal what their own perception has been regarding their levels of success.

The results of the change:

33% Not sure how the change turned out 27% Not very successful 27% Too early to know 9% Very successful 4% Moderately successful

As you will see, the results are not very encouraging. Only 13% show acceptable levels of compliance; the rest, ambiguous. Additionally, the survey shows that the majority of the companies that declared to be in agreement with the results of the change (13%) dedicated a great amount of resources (time and money) to attend to the problems of the transition. When indicating what are the causes of failures in the change processes, the results of another survey designed and processed by the same Consultant, converge in certain aspects:

FACTOR	%
Resistance to change	60
Limitations of the systems in use	42
Lack of executive commitment	37
Lack of an executive level sponsor	39
Unrealistic expectations	35
Lack of cross-functional team	33
Inadequate equipment and skills	31
Lack of staff involvement	19
Project scope too limited	17

Note that most of the exposed causes have to do with human aspects of the change and that, among all of them, only the “Limitations of the systems in use” seem to be related to technical aspects.

In summary, for a change to be effective, it is not enough to have good ideas and have adequate technology, despite the fact that on these components companies invest 87% of their resources to implement a change.

It is known that the market is people. Organizations are people. Clients are people… I hope you have no doubts about what change really "is"…

Transition facilitation and resistance to change factors

We especially emphasized the importance of recognizing that people do not fully internalize a situation of change if they are not helped through the transition period; that is, the time that elapses between leaving the “comfort” zone and aligning with the new situation.

The transition consists of a well-differentiated series of stages, each of which involves changes in the performance and motivation of individuals, which are very clear indicators - or as we say in consulting, traffic lights that everyone responsible for a process of change should interpret to facilitate gradual involvement in the projected situation.

These stages of transition, through which people involved in processes of change inevitably go through are:

The end zone or "duel" The neutral zone The start zone

Below we detail the main performance indicators during each stage and some recommendations to implement:

The end or “duel” zone:

The feeling that some lose and others win:
1. To minimize this perception, it will be essential for the organization to clearly explain the why and benefits of the change, detailing in particular the vision ("where do we intend to go with this change"), and also anticipate the procedures and possible difficulties to achieve this vision. It is imperative, as a first step, to define the “port of destination” in a clear, simple and understandable way for everyone. Forget complacency, generate a sense of urgency. This, according to John Kotter in his book Leading Change, is crucial since by nature people resist rationalizing any situation that involves changes, so with low urgency it will become very complex to form groups that in turn are the internal propagators of the desired situation. "At this stage, the patient must be operated in the on-call room,if we take him to the operating room, it is late ”, exemplified a senior manager, leader of a change process in an airline based in Buenos Aires. Build a solid, strong and credible change facilitation team. The more heterogeneous and interdisciplinary, the better. Add critical visions and "heads" so that you can have a broad and systemic perspective of the progress of the process. It will be very helpful when making decisions. Remember that it is inevitable that people feel that they "lose" something. Find the form of compensation; create channels of contention, train your facilitation team members in coaching techniques, promote the figure of the mentor, train people to face the new situation… but get involved, remember that change is made by people,And for this it is key that everyone knows the benefits that such change will bring them.
Paralysis, anguish and difficulties to systemically understand the change. The loss is greater than the benefit:
1. Provide information on what was done, what is being done and what will be done. Don't tire of reporting; systematize meetings, business breakfasts, and even meetings outside the office, but REPORT; It is the best strategy to neutralize rumors, and it is the opportunity for everyone to ask questions. Avoid making people feel "guilty" about their past; The idea should not be installed that something different will be done now because what has been done so far did not work. People should be proud of their past, they should keep it in its most precious place. Remember that the dialectic of learning is spiral; As much as we do something new, we always carry our knowledge and our personal “best practices”.

The neutral zone:

People have no idea where they are or where they are going and do not know with whom to share their doubts and fears:
- Do not allow the reference model to be lost. Provide the elements and information necessary to implement the new way of operating. Dedicate yourself personally, listen, instruct, dialogue, support and, fundamentally, build trust. A very common mistake that I observe is that the referents of a process of change often lock themselves in their "ivory tower", moving away from the process and losing focus on what happens outside it.
People perceive their limitations to execute. They do not have accurate information. The general feeling is that "when we go up one step, we go down three":
- Here the role of your change facilitation team becomes essential. Spread it throughout the company, with the main purpose of identifying problems, informing and instructing the actors involved. Install the idea of privileging and recognizing progress, despite the logical mistakes made. Allow yourself the "trial and error" analysis. People, at this time, must learn by doing.
The dam is cracking, we make water everywhere, everything is urgent and the climate is tense:
- Clearly define objectives; remember these should be simple, measurable, achievable and realistic. Establish checkpoints. Be clear in differentiating the urgent from the important. Hold follow-up meetings and identify performance gaps, between what you want and what you get. At this stage coaching becomes essential: agree expectations with people, gradually review their performance and establish continuous feedback sessions.

Remember that although it is expected and reasonable that this stage is full of doubts, uncertainty and unproductiveness, you must ensure that these are as limited as possible.

The starting area:

There is some understanding, but doubts still prevail. If people do not get answers, discouragement and the general feeling of "before we were better" prevail:

Show achievements, even if they are insignificant. Remember that success is the result of small and daily triumphs. Don't be afraid to celebrate, but in moderation. Promote the organization of meetings whose objective is to share "best practices" about what is being done, share experiences and express difficulties. Be clear in the delimitation of functions; do not overload or duplicate tasks or functions. Define who is in charge of what. Get involved, especially at this stage. Remember that you and your team are the benchmarks. Be the example.

A research work carried out by the Business Consulting Institute of Arthur Andersen identified what were the best practices of the change process, through research carried out in companies around the world, determining what were the common elements in all successful change processes:

Evaluate the organization's readiness to change Articulate a clear vision of change Build an appropriate architecture of change Implement communication plans for multiple audiences Create leadership and support capacity Coordinate the change situation and cultural values Generate individual and team change capacities Articulate performance management systems

You will agree with me that change is here to stay, and that we are in a continuous transition. So I leave you with a concern: have you ever wondered what stage of transition is your company in?

The creation of organizational change facilitators

Change is not a moment; It is a long process that involves facilitating a tremendously complex stage such as transition, a period during which a vast range of expressions, behaviors and manifestations takes place that, if ignored, can generate the most resounding failure and the unnecessary expansion of priority corporate objectives. for business strategy.

According to surveys that I have presented to you, the organizations do not pay due attention to the so-called "human aspects" that any situation of change entails, focusing exclusively on "technical" issues, which naturally are a necessary but not sufficient condition for the change is successfully internalized.

In the midst of the "storm" of change (since organizations do not normally act in advance), they must think systemically and promote concrete actions that allow the essential integration between strategies, processes and people to be consolidated: this is precisely the professional mission of the Facilitator of change processes.

I. Facilitators sought…

Its fundamental task will be to help people and teams gradually convert to the desired situation of change, analyzing their own frame of reference, developing their capacities according to the new situation and turning those capacities into successful actions. In this way, it will create and develop what I call the three foundational "communities" of all situations of change: Communities of Commitment, Communities of Knowledge and Communities of Integration or Teamwork.

The Facilitator will, then, be the one to accompany people through the transition along a path with three “forced arrests”: Learning, Overcoming and Alignment, in the shortest time and with the least possible emotional and economic cost.

Likewise, you must assume the following responsibilities:

Advise, at the individual level, through the exercise of effective coachingCommunicate in different directionsRecover needs, problems and successesCo-assist the decision-making of the DirectorateGenerate spaces for participation and integrationProvide inputs for the measurement and evaluation of the progress of the change process, and the impact it generates.

Naturally, the function must also include certain requirements tending to its effectiveness:

Receive support and endorsement from:

Senior Management Human Resources Area Constantly interact with Management and the rest of the selected Change Facilitators Have time Have an impact on their personal performance evaluation Internalize and accept their role

II. The required skills

After several years of experience in having observed and worked on organizational change situations and considering the differences in scope and depth of said change processes, the type of business of the organization, the objectives, the culture, the mission and the values of each The company that follows may well be the set of "generic" competencies that every facilitator of processes of this nature should have:

Leadership: Ability to create and share purposes, vision and direction towards the team, generating understanding about the reasons for the change and creating a gradual commitment. Strategic business thinking and vision: Ability to think and plan, aligning current actions with future change strategies. Ability to generate the development of people: Constant commitment and dedication to people's learning, through practices such as coaching, mentoring, and generation of learning opportunities. Collaboration and attitude for teamwork: Ability to interact with people and groups both internal and external to the organization.Innovation for solving problems inherent in the situation of change: Ability to search for creative solutions and to promote own innovation and that of the people involved in the situation of change. Identification of possible "successors" in the role of Facilitator: Ability to diagnose and train people with profiles according to the role, as a means of forming "critical mass" of change.

III. The creation of the role

For the creation and development of the role of the Facilitator, I suggest the implementation of a series of very specific interventions, depending on their objectives, scope and impact, which can be summarized in three stages:

Stage 1. Survey of the current situation

Main objectives:

Compile information on the current situation of the organization (degree of predisposition to change, progress of the process, difficulties, opportunities, achievements, etc.). Define / validate the role that the Human Resources Area will play as a "partner" in the management of Facilitators: Understand the perception that the areas and people directly involved have of the current situation, and identify main gaps between the current state and what is intended of these areas / people in the immediate future.

Stage 2. Validation of the role of the Facilitators

Main objectives:

Validate the mission, objectives, attributes and responsibilities of the role of the Facilitators. Unify the messages for the Facilitators and those that they must transmit. Define the competencies required to perform the role, and design a tool to measure the performance of the Facilitators., depending on those skills.

Stage 3. Development of the Facilitators

The training of future Facilitators should be based on three objectives, namely:

Share a conceptual outline of the organizational and individual change process. Analyze the stages of a change process and its impact on people's performance and motivation. Assess and understand their role as Facilitators in the current context of their sector / company.

The figure of the facilitator as a decoder of strategies and as a guide for their implementation, becomes essential to forge successful and lasting changes, based on commitment, continuous learning and teamwork: three indispensable and in turn indivisible components, to move from the already dramatic transition period is relatively harmonious and fairly predictable.

However, it requires the existence of a strong and strategic association "Senior Management Human Resources Area", whose mission should be aimed at:

Transmit and experience corporate values, in order to convert them into principles of action for the organization. Set the norms, behaviors, behaviors and skills required for the new situation.

As I have pointed out, the facilitation of organizational change processes goes far beyond the delivery of a manual, going to a training course, incorporating technologies or reducing structures. Such actions are necessary and in many cases justified interventions, but they are not the change in itself. In any case, they represent the visible part of a process in which people intervene.

Let me close with a paradox: "The essential thing for us is our human resources…", phrases of this kind are frequently heard or read in the values manifesto of many organizations. Could it be because as “the essential is invisible to the eyes” that many organizations only see the change in a partial way?