Time for Change - Clearing the First Hurdle

Home
>
Business Management
>
Time for Change - Clearing the First Hurdle

Time for Change - Clearing the First Hurdle

"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it."

A.A. Milne (1882 - 1956), Winnie the Pooh

Absolutely vital to any business change is allocating some time to do it. Sadly, most companies find themselves in the position of poor Edward Bear when it comes to dealing with changes to their business processes. From my experience in helping clients to implement change within their businesses, I have outlined some thoughts to help you get started.

Face it!

You acknowledge that you need to change. You might know what you need to change too. You will make the change when you have time - this may be once a current project is finished, or once the year-end is out of the way, or when business slackens off.

You are in the grip of the vicious spiral that most businesses find themselves in. You are too busy to improve, you remain inefficient, and therefore remain too busy to improve.

Face it! There is never a right time, other than now. When this project is finished you will be into your year-end. When the year-end is out of the way, it's holiday time. The only way to pull yourself out of this is to make time NOW! Once you free up the time, the improvements you make help create more time and you find yourself in a virtuous circle of improvement.

What's going to give?

OK, you have faced up to the fact that Old Father Time isn't going to tap you on the shoulder and show you an extra week you didn't know was there. What can you do?

If the time isn't going to just appear, you will need to free it up from somewhere else. Assuming that the changes are to be implemented during working hours, this means that something has to give. You just need to decide what.

What would you do if a key member of staff was off sick for a week, or a major unexpected crisis occurred requiring "all hands on deck"? You would manage, you always have. Think of the things you would temporarily stop doing then. You never know, you might find that some of them aren't required anyway - there's your first improvement!

The key is to give the change process the level of importance it requires. We can always make time for things that are important enough. This needs to come from the top.

Lead by example

Employees, in general, treat as important what they believe their managers and leaders think is important. This belief comes from observing what managers do, far more than listening to what they say! It needs to be clear to employees the importance that management attaches to the changes being implemented.

With some clients we find it useful to have senior management represented at workshops where they may not strictly be required. It is very hard for employees to argue that their time is more valuable to the business than that of the Managing Director.

When a member of the management team misses a workshop or meeting planned as part of the process of change, it can have a devastating effect on employee availability for future workshops. This simple act can be read by the employees as: "Ignore what I have been telling you about these changes - the day-to-day business is what is really important!". Next time they are asked to attend a workshop, the answer is likely to be "I don't have the time."

Just Do it!

When it comes down to it, there is no substitute for action. In the words of the 35th US president:

"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. "

John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)

Or more succinctly, in the words of Nike's marketing slogan:

"JUST DO IT!"

Good luck!

Glen Feechan is Chief Executive of Feechan Consulting Ltd (http://www.feechan.co.uk), a business consultancy specialising in business process improvement training and consultancy. Email Glen at glen@feechan.co.uk.

Glen is also the editor (and regular contributor) of Changing Business ezine (sign up at http://www.feechan.co.uk).

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Job losses stack up as recession deepens (AP)

AP - Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon.

Illinois House on verge of impeaching Blagojevich (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces almost certain impeachment by the Illinois House, a historic step that would trigger a trial to determine whether the Democratic governor should be tossed out of office.

Rifts show as Obama urges quick action on stimulus (AP)

AP - Lawmakers are under orders to finish action on President-elect Barack Obama's nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan by mid-February. But already it is plain that a set of serious fissures need to be bridged if the bill is to be completed within five weeks.

Israel to continue offensive despite UN resolution (AP)

AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets, as Israel's government said it will press forward with its offensive despite a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Obama to finalize national security team Friday (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama is completing his national security team by announcing his unusual choices for CIA director and a national intelligence director who may face tough Senate confirmation questioning over how he confronted the Indonesian military when civilian massacres were occurring in East Timor.

Stocks point lower ahead of employment report (AP)

AP - Investors showed nervousness Friday ahead of the government's monthly employment report, sending stock futures moderately lower.

Democrats begin new session with labor bills (AP)

AP - Democrats are ushering in what they believe will be a new labor-friendly era in Washington with House votes on two bills aimed at helping women fight pay discrimination in the workplace.

Broadcasts to mobile devices to start in 22 cities (AP)

AP - TV stations in 22 U.S. cities announced Thursday that they will start broadcasting their signals this year in a format designed to be received by mobile devices like cell phones, MP3 players, GPS units and in-car entertainment systems.

Ex-'Sopranos' actor faces prison for burglary try (AP)

AP - A former actor on "The Sopranos" faces up to 15 years in prison for a botched burglary in the Bronx in which an accomplice shot and killed a police officer.

Tebow leads Fla. past Okla. 24-14 for BCS title (AP)

AP - Tim Tebow gave Florida the jolt it needed, and the Gators toughed out a second BCS title in three years. Their 24-14 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in a choppy, sloppy affair Thursday night made them a national champion.

World waits on jobs data as recession weighs (Reuters)

Reuters - Steep falls in European industrial output underlined the severity of the world economic crisis on Friday and more grim news was on the way with the United States expected to report the biggest monthly job cuts in more than 30 years.

U.N. calls for immediate Gaza truce (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel pushed ahead with its two-week-old offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday, defying a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Panel steps up criticism of Treasury: report (Reuters)

Reuters - A report being released on Friday alleges that the U.S. Treasury has failed to reveal its strategy for stabilizing the financial system, not answered questions asked by a government watchdog, and has done nothing to help struggling homeowners, the Wall Street Journal said.

Obama team working on overhaul of financial rescue (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is working on an overhaul the $700 billion financial rescue program with the aim of doing more to spur the flow of credit to the struggling economy, an Obama aide said on Friday.

EU seeks gas supply return after deal on monitors (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly said a deal to monitor gas exports via Ukraine would be signed on Friday, allowing for the resumption of supplies to Europe cut off by Moscow's price row with Kiev.

Citi backs measure to help avoid foreclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc will support a proposal in Congress to rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said on Thursday.

Illinois panel recommends governor's impeachment (Reuters)

Reuters - A legislative committee on Thursday recommended the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, citing widespread abuse of power including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Health care overhaul needn't break bank: study (Reuters)

Reuters - An analysis of proposals to overhaul U.S. health care by President-elect Barack Obama and members of Congress suggests it is possible to insure all Americans without significantly raising total health spending.

Israel presses on with Gaza strikes despite UN resolution (AFP)

AFP - Israel battered Gaza with bombs and shells on Friday, vowing its offensive on Hamas would go on despite an order by the UN Security Council to stop the assault that has killed hundreds of civilians.

Russia hopeful of resuming Europe gas supplies (AFP)

AFP - Russian gas deliveries to Europe could resume later Friday, the head of Russia's state gas firm said, raising hopes for an end to a transit dispute with Ukraine that has left several European states without gas at a moment of bitter cold.

Time for Change - Clearing the First Hurdle

Business Management Business Management