Change is a word we hear a lot of recently,
especially in politics and business. Look at job descriptions and resumes and
many of them include the term “change agent”.
Change
is difficult for all of us, even for those who say they
thrive in change. Imagine if someone swapped your favorite toothpaste one day
without telling you, and then they changed the type of shoe you wear (not the size),
and then they change your diet to something they think is better for you. How
would that make you feel? That is how we truly feel about change, but some
people are better at rolling with it then others.
“Change and Change Management. On the surface these terms may seem interchangeable.
However, there is a significant and important difference between change and change management. When there is no clear
delineation, the result is confusion and lack
of clarity on what is needed to move an initiative forward.
The better we can separately define and address change and change management,
the better position we will be in as change management practitioners with a clearer scope and shared sense of direction and purpose”. http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-change-vs-change-management.htm
Students of political systems grapple
with a subject matter that is today in constant flux. They must deal not only
with the major processes of growth, decay, and breakdown but also with a
ceaseless ferment of adaptation and adjustment. The magnitude and variety of
the changes that occurred in the world’s political systems beginning in the
early 20th century suggest the dimensions of the...” http://www.britannica.com/topic/political-change
Does any of this really mean anything to
you, or to the average person? What people are actually thinking is well
demonstrated in the video below:
It is funny right? However, the dark
side is this is what happens in a lot of organizations when they change
rapidly, and when they make changes without knowing who works for them. Sometimes you need top down change (especially
in highly regulated industries), but when you are working with high achievers
or people you expect to perform at a high level, that can be disastrous if you
do not get buy in!
Getting buy in does not mean you take
your staff to a nice lunch and then say this is what we are doing. You can buy them
food but then take time to not only ask their opinion, but to incorporate their
ideas as well.
There is a difference between true
change, and a makeover. True change means you are scrapping everything and
building up for the better, and that involves detailed plans and complete buy
in from everyone. A makeover is trying to disguise a mud pie into a chocolate éclair.
So ask yourself: have you truly changed
or are you just dissembling?
Dr Flavius A B Akerele III
The ETeam
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