Business Support Information

2012 Business Transformation

Posted on January 22, 2012

European leaders have warned of a difficult year ahead, as many economists predict recession in 2012... so the BBC reports. They go on to say that growth in Europe has stalled as the debt crisis has forced governments to slash spending. The leaders' New Year messages came as leading economists polled by the BBC said they expected a return to recession in Europe in the first half of 2012.

However, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.

Whilst the inevitable chaos caused by recession has a tendency to push organisations into retreat this is not always the case. Did you know that iconic companies like:

Disney, CNN, MTV, Hyatt, Burger King, FedEx, Microsoft, Apple, Gillette, AT&T, Texas Instruments, 20th Century Fox, IBM, Merck, Hersheys, IHOP, Eli Lilly, Coors, Bristol-Meyers, Sun, Amgen, The Jim Henderson Company, LexiNexis, Autodesk, Adobe, Symantec, Electronic Arts, Fortune, GE, and Hewlett-Packard

were all founded during periods of economic recession.

One definition of chaos suggests that it is the uncertainty sparked by uncharted territory, economic recession, and bubbles of opportunity. We seem to phase in and out of this chaotic state... a state of randomness and disorder. The ebb and flow happens in an almost natural way, almost mimicking what occurs in the natural world. This system of natural governance that blends the characteristics of chaos and order is known as the chaordic state.

The good news is that we can use the significant power of these chaordic forces to help with generating revenue and growth, so important for our future economic survival.

One such way could be to embark upon a business transformation programme, another might be to merge with or acquire another company. All of these require change... something that we have to accept is a permanent feature of the world in which we all live.

So what is business transformation - well, it's all about aligning people, process and technology to achieve some previously agreed significant change. These three areas also feature as being important when considering an integrated approach to the associated areas of governance, risk and compliance within an organisation.

Our Business Transformation Consultant comments on the importance of making sure your desired significant change is relevant and appropriate ie is your business strategy "fit-for-purpose" and correctly aligned with what is going on in at the operational level? It could be that in order to achieve your strategic objectives you need to merge with and/or acquire another company... or it could be that organic growth is what is needed.

The conclusions from a recent Economist Intelligence Unit report on business transformation highlighted that the ability to manage change effectively is a great competitive advantage. It goes on to make the point that external crises such as what we are experiencing at present help to drive change in organisation and provide a "burning platform" for change, but emphasises the importance of the people-related challenges.

Several years ago, an earlier white paper from our own consultancy promoted the benefits of using a ten-step approach for generating prosperity from the deteriorating economic conditions at that time. It is encouraging to see that recently, the Kepner-Tregoe consultancy has been recommending a similar approach in their paper about coping with uncertainty in the business environment. The key message from both approaches is the importance of developing a clear business strategy and then maintaining strategic directions and integrity when times get tough.

10 Success Factors for Change Management In Projects

Posted on January 21, 2012

According to change guru Peter Senge (1999), most change initiatives fail simply because they fail to produce hoped-for results. Given that project management is all about changing the status quo, effective change management is critical to project success.

Whether this is the latest 'flavour of the month' programs that senior management rolls out, implementation of an IT system or an internally-driven team initiative, it is important that the change and expectations are effectively managed.

Current thinking indicates that good managers are the key to successful change management. In general, managers who see the need for change are usually correct in their assessment. Senge (1999) says: "companies that fail to sustain significant change end up facing crises. By then their options are greatly reduced."

It can be quite difficult for managers to view their work on change in a holistic fashion. Personal attitudes and political agendas can lead to bias towards HR issues or IT issues specifically preventing the big picture focus.

Based on this I have constructed 10 success factors to help project managers manage change in small projects or large organisations:

Factor 1 - Plan first

Take time to understand the central need for change. Know what you are trying to do and why. Think about the links of the change to real-life problems and create a vision of what it will look like when those problems are resolved.

Factor 2 - Involve the Team

Create opportunities - especially in the early stages - to discuss change with the team. This will not only create enthusiasm for change but also be a source of ideas for improved processes and ways of communicating to others. Negotiation will be easier if the team is on board from the start.

Factor 3 - Support the Team

Introduce the change clearly to the team. Explain the current performance level and why the change is needed, what it will involve and the objectives. Reassure staff throughout the change process - particularly around issues of changing roles.

Factor 4 - Lead by Example

Showing your own commitment to the change will act as a signpost for others in the team to also commit. Make your commitment evident in the decisions you make.

Factor 5 - Put Yourself in the Team's Shoes

Try to anticipate what will be the key issues that concern team members. Plan how you can best deal with them should they arise. Concerns will most often be about changed ways of working, new reporting structures, changes to job roles and services and unfamiliar systems or tools.

Factor 6 - Manage Resistance with Compassion

Resistance to change may be frustrating but it is a natural human reaction. Team members might resist change if they think that job security, the way the work, or work patterns will change. Managers need to source, analyse acknowledge, respond to and deal with staff concerns throughout the change process.

Factor 7 - Communication is Essential

Tailor your communication to the audience and their needs. Make it frequent and use different methods tailored to different preferences and accessibility. Methods might include one-on-one briefings, workshops, formal training programmes, advertising, briefing papers, blogs, RSS-feeds, e-mail and intranet postings.

Factor 8 - Review and Evaluate

Review and evaluation throughout the change process is vital. Continually check objectives and achievement against them. Celebrate ongoing success with the team and identify where you can improve.

Factor 9 - Know What You're Up Against

Change fails most often due to lack of understanding of the need for change, setting unrealistic goals, poor planning, and insufficient communication. Failure to properly manage change leads to problems with trust in change in the future.

Factor 10 - Don't Forget PM Tools

Great project managers use good tools to achieve outcomes. Tools such as SWOT, Gantt charts, Risk Assessment, Communications Planning and a realistic schedule will be useful in planning and delivering the smooth transition to success.

The Upshot

Change is all around us, and is happening every day. To some, this is exciting; they find it thrilling to be part of the action and to keep up with trends. But, to others, it can be threatening or even frightening.

As greater focus is placed on achieving business success and as projects are becoming more complex, project managers need to adopt the principles of change management in order to deliver the desired outcomes. If done right, change can be a force for ongoing innovation, growth and success. Implementing the right factors to manage change successfully gives teams and organisations new skills that set them up to be change ready in the future.

How Improving Employee Behavior Impacts Performance

Posted on January 19, 2012

Being a successful manager requires more than leadership. Managers are also responsible for the performance of the employees who report to them. Poor employee behavior and performance must be addressed quickly and skillfully to ensure that departmental and organizational goals are achieved. Although confronting employee behavior and performance problems is one of the most difficult aspects of a manager's job, avoiding this critical aspect of management has a direct impact on the productivity, profitability, and overall success of the organization.

An effective manager must be able to tell the difference between employee job performance and work habits. Although they are obviously closely related, an employee's performance refers to his output or results while his behavior refers to the way he does his job to achieve those results. Since poor work habits impact performance just as much as good ones, managers need to set aside time to ensure employees realize the correlation between behavior and performance. For example, a customer service representative who is rude to customers can lead to complaints which can then lead to lost revenues when customers take their business elsewhere.

Addressing unacceptable employee behavior and work habits early, before they become a serious problem and require disciplinary action, is also important. Managers should clearly describe to employees the exact nature of their poor work habits and how they impact both personal and organizational performance. But rather than focus on their attitude or personality, discussions with employees about unsatisfactory work habits should specifically concentrate on their behavior. This approach values them as individuals but stresses the ways in which changing work habits and behaviors will result in better outcomes. This is also a good time to discuss performance incentives, such as a pay raise or a bonus for improving the work habits that result in higher sales (or other performance objectives defined by the company).

Involving employees in an interactive process of enhancing unsatisfactory behavior is important for maintaining self-esteem and promoting a positive attitude. Developing and implementing an action plan with employee input increases accountability, and ongoing reviews with written progress reports ensures the steady improvement of employee behavior.

Managers can get the support they need to properly and effectively address employee behavior issues by hiring an executive leadership coach. A coach can help managers develop the communication skills to confront employee behavioral problems without negatively impacting morale, which ultimately boosts the performance and success of the employee, the manager, the department, and the entire organization.

Page 6 of 42« First...234567891011...203040...Last »

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Popular Tags

advertising amount Business car computer consultant contingency plans economy Entrepreneur Entrepreneurship franchise Furniture furniture exporter furniture products gift Hire Home idea information knowledge location logo Management manager marketing need office organization person plastic furniture product profit promotion rattan furniture result site small business owners store target audience target market time Traits way website work

Partner

Quality Garden Furniture
Find a Green Bay dentist to help get you perfect healthy teeth.