Most organisations are poorly equipped to survive in a volatile climate
Many organisations’ ability to meet their business objectives and effectively implement their strategies is failing as they are simply not set up for agile change. Rather than prepare the workforce for it, they implement a top-down crisis management approach. This is based on the belief that change, disruption and crises can be managed reactively, when today they simply can’t. Organisations end up layering up issues to “manage”, each one on the top of the last as they try to solve problems individually. The result is congestion, blocking the organisation’s flow.
While managers are busy relentlessly communicating about the change imperative, the design element is lost. Organisations tend to slant the playing field toward controllability, stability, routinisation, risk-avoidance, zero-tolerance for error and deference to authority. At the same time, they preach that “It’s all about empowerment”. This is like pushing the accelerator and the brake pedals at the same time. Leaders start to struggle, and the employees lose sight of and belief in the vision. The result is friction, fatigue, and cynicism. If we then push change onto an organisation that is built for stability, nothing good will come of it, and pushing harder won’t do the trick. If, instead, we get the organisation ready for change, by challenging its processes and creating an enabling environment, then resistance can be reduced, and flow restored.
Leading complex change requires foresight and experience to make the big decisions and design innovative interventions that will transform your business. You need to leverage research, analytics and industry insights to help design and deliver leadership development and change interventions that focus on the toughest issues affecting your organisation today.
It requires direction, alignment and commitment. Careful facilitation is required to develop a deeper understanding of present challenges and the transitional paths toward potential future states. Your leaders need the transferable skills that build commitment by achieving engagement and co-operation whilst managing the emotional and highly political dynamics of change. Which isn’t easy.
Organisations need to flip the traditional approach on its head, letting the employees lead the change by inviting them to contribute to the design using their own control and influence, which in return will enhance their resilience as part of the process. Meanwhile leaders listen, learn and respond. It is only when this behaviour is transformed can the Organisation be fully equipped to survive in a volatile climate and together, they can create a platform for ever-evolving contributions and the development of all the employees involved.