Implementing a change in your organization – Survival tips

Asaf Horesh
Plataine

As more indicators are forecasting an expected economic recovery, now could be an excellent opportunity to invest time and effort in improving your production processes. The associated changes do not have to be as painful as many fear.

Many signs point to an impending economic recovery and the overall economic sentiment is turning optimistic. Bearing this in mind, you may be considering the best way to deal with the coming upswing. You want to be prepared when production gets back to pre-recession levels, and you know that when it will, growing the business back will not be easy at all. Now could be the time to make all the necessary adjustments you dreamed of, but never had the time to pursue.

A common goal we are seeing with many of our customers is to automate part or all of the production process. However, many questions loom over such an initiative. How will this be done? Will the employees accept it? Will the customers be patient during the transition? How will the change impact current processes that have been in place and working for years? And finally – is it all worth it?

Unfortunately, in many cases, implementing new technology has either miserably failed or eventually succeeded at a very high cost. This need not be the case. By addressing the challenges of implementing new technology, the risks can be mitigated and the value of the technology can be realized. While there is no one recipe for all, there certainly are some guidelines to follow towards a smooth, successful implementation process. All these questions and others will be discussed in this paper.

The professional literature presents several models that deal with change. This paper would address two of them, the first being the 3-stage process described by Kurt Lewin[1].

Figure 1 (below) outlines Lewin’s model of three main steps, each with its own challenges. Step 1 involves changing previous habit and overcoming the inertia; Step 2 entails making the actual change and the associated confusion; Finally step 3 revolves around the new mindset as things begin to crystallize again.

In many ways, each stage in the process requires its own set of tools to cope with change, but awareness of these challenges is an excellent first step, especially as it affects different people in the organization.

Figure 1 – Kurt Lewin, Three stage change model

Many of the theories discussing change originated with “leadership and change management” guru, John Kotter. Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor and world-renowned change expert, introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, "Leading Change".

The following section discusses the four most important steps towards a successful implementation:

• Create a sense of partnership – get your crew involved in the project as soon as possible, the earlier you share your thoughts the better. You will need as many advocates for the project as possible. Therefore, consider your staff’s opinions and consult them on the project’s scope, timeline and implementation. However, once you have decided that this is the time to make the move, be determined and assign a dedicated team to pursue the project’s goals from your side. A project manager from your side is crucial to the success of the project. Many tend to think that the product they bought will appear in place and transform their company in one day. Never underestimate the time it takes to implement new technology and the fact that you have an influence on shaping the final product. Thus a focal role on your end is a necessity.

• Set your expectations – define your goals based on initial incentives, which led you to look for the new technology to begin with. A general vision is a good start but getting to the details enhances the probability of having a better system, one that fits your goals. Thus, try to name your objectives, even numeric ones e.g. 8% reduction in raw material consumption or 10% improvement in inventory turnover. Verify that the vendor you chose realizes these objectives and plans to configure its product accordingly. It is likely that you will get a project document from your vendor describing the milestones of the project and its scope. Obviously, the implementation method should fit your organization, but it is even more important that this project is directed in light of your goals and objectives. Having these objectives inside the project plan document will ensure that indeed both parties are on the same page

• Stay involved – Technological projects tend to be implemented over a prolonged period of time, especially when it involves a change management in your company. You will likely encounter difficulties either in the product or the implementation. Moreover, it is common to encounter an internal negativity in your company. Therefore, it is imperative that you keep tracking the project’s progress from start to end, not only because you will be able to address all difficulties immediately but also because it will radiate both internally to your project team and externally to the vendor’s project team. As a result, it will better serve your goal to have a system, which complies with your objectives.

• Anchor the change – surprisingly the end of the implementation is not the final day of the system’s installation. This symbolic date should be followed (and sometimes even preceded) by training sessions, which should include the system’s user manual and the change in the current process flow towards the new one. Although it might seem as a granted sure success, many projects fail in this stage since it is the time when opponents to the technology begin to point out all the negative aspects of the system. Set a good example as a user of the system and exercise your leadership skills to lead the rest of your staff towards a better process that reflects your initial goals.

Making these 4 principles part of your change process will assist you in achieving a better change process and a better outcome from the change.

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[1] Kurt Lewin, Three stage change model - http://www.change-management-coach.com/kurt_lewin.html

 

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