Issue 23 April 6, 2004

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In this Issue:

Are you ready for the change?

Every year thousands of businesses undergo significant changes. The reasons for change are varied; the state of the economy, changing market conditions, new product technologies and the general need for improvement are all prime reasons for undertaking change efforts. The types of changes undertaken are also quite varied ranging from new product introductions to company wide reorganization. Whatever the nature of the change or the reason behind it, the main purpose of change is improve certain aspects of the business.

There are a few adventurous individuals who seem to thrive on change and are always ready to try something new; but for the most part, people tend to resist change. This reluctance to change often causes big problems when it comes to implementing changes necessary for business improvement. People very often agree with the need for improvements but disagree with the need for change. This is not due to stubbornness or simple mindedness, but to the fact that people have become quite proficient at doing things in the usual way and change means that they will have to take on new things, at which they are not so proficient. Change represents uncertainty and risk, and most people want to keep their risks to a minimum.

It is probably unrealistic to believe that you could completely eliminate all the resistance to the changes necessary for continued business success. However, there are some wise strategies than can be implemented to help ameliorate change resistance:

Strategic Alignment: Having a clear definition of your vision, mission and goals will help assure that changes are clearly related to the business objectives. It is much easier to get people to buy-in to a change when they see that the change is necessary and beneficial.

Anticipate Change: No one has a crystal ball (at least not one that really works). However, it is necessary to anticipate the future and to understand who changes in the economy, market conditions, customers and technology might necessitate changes in the business. It is much easier to deal with change if it is known in advance.

Communicate: Just having a clear vision and a good sense of the future is not very helpful if you keep this to yourself. The company�s vision, mission, goals and future scenarios must be strategically communicated to all levels or the organization so that everyone can align their plans and objectives to that of the overall business.

Involve everyone: Nothing is more alienating than having something thrust upon you for which you had no input or alternative. People do not resist change as much as they resist being changed. People will readily undertake significant changes in their personal lives when they see the benefits of such a change and have the opportunity to take part in planning and implementing that change. The same idea can work in implementing changes in an organization. People are much less resistant to a change if they feel that they are an important part of planning and implementing that change.

It is often said, �the only constant is change�. Successful business people recognize that they must continually evaluate and implement change in order to keep pace with the business environment. Being ready for change is an important step in assuring that the change will provide the benefit intended. Change is here to stay.

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John Yost

ProCompass Management Services

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