Introduction
Communication
- Can we talk?
Support
- Do we really care?
Structure
- Are we in this together?
The
Future - Can we create it together?
Full version of this document in PDF.
Introduction
Most of today’s
organizations, including those in the human services sector, are
facing unpredictable futures of unprecedented change. An inescapable
reality is that the nature, scope and duration of the changes
that we have been seeing over the past few years are unlike anything
we have had to face before. As a result, we must come to terms
with unique organizational and personal challenges.
Many organizations are working hard to develop
strategies to respond to these challenges. We are learning a great
deal from their efforts. Some organizations have learned how to
make conditions of constant change work for them, both on an organizational
and a personal level. In short, they have learned how to create
healthy change.
Organizations typically base their approach
to bring about change on two basic human emotions: fear and hope.
A fear-based approach tends to start the change process more quickly,
appears to generate more energy and work activity, and may even
increase productivity, especially in the short run. However, this
early momentum is almost never sustained, and fades as quickly
as it began. By contrast, a hope-based approach provides the people
who make up the organization with the tools and support they need
to create their own change. While it is true that this kind of
approach takes longer and requires more "up front" investment
by the organization, experience shows that it greatly enhances
a sense of ownership by staff in the process. As a result, the
overall change is more easily sustained.
In recent years, we have had the opportunity
to study the change initiatives of a wide variety of human service
organizations. Some clear patterns have emerged. ‘Change-friendly’
organizations work hard at creating a climate for change in which
staff genuinely feel that they are a part of the process, that
their contributions are valued and, more important, that they
are valued as people. These organizations treat their staff as
people worthy of a significant investment and this also supports
their participation in creating change.
Based on our work and conversations with countless
organizations over the past few years, we have learned that employees
look for support in four specific areas:
Communication
– Can we talk?
Support
– Do we really care?
Structure
– Are we in this together?
The
Future – Can we create it together?
Let’s examine each of these areas more
closely.
Communication - Can
we talk?
Communication is an important
part of creating change. Good communication doesn't just happen
automatically, however, it requires attention, energy and respect
for others. Taking the time to establish better communication
during periods of significant change should not be a luxury, as
many organizations seem to treat it; it is an integral part of
engaging staff in the change process.
Effective communication is about how information
is shared, how input is sought, and how decisions are made.
Key indicators of effective communication include:
More
information about issues and process
"Sooner,
more often, and on demand"
A variety
of forms and channels
More
opportunity for input and discussion
Clear
guidelines for influencing decisions
Opportunities
for ongoing dialogue
Support - Do we really care?
Organizations need to demonstrate in very practical
ways that they care for their staff and support them– not
just as employees, but also as people with intrinsic value. As
the nature of work evolves, and organizations re-structure, people
need support both to perform their current jobs and prepare for
‘new’ ones either within or outside the organization.
Effective support is about equipping staff for
the challenges of the future, both organizational and personal.
Key indicators of effective support include:
Realistic
human resource plans, fully accessible and regularly updated
A focus
on helping people create their new jobs
Adequate
professional development support
Opportunities
to explore a variety of options
Clear
guidelines for ‘transitioning’ into whatever jobs people
are headed for next, and clear information about available supports
and how to access them
Follow-through
assistance
Structure - Are we in this together?
Traditional organizational structures typically
reflect a ‘command and control’ philosophy, with authority,
freedom, and usually money, concentrated at the top.
Today’s more adaptive organizations, on
the other hand, are characterized by more open, flexible, ‘flatter’
structures, and environments in which authority, accountability
and ownership are part of how everyone works. Making the shift
to such structures means addressing important questions about
formal and informal structures, staff/management relations, and
the key issues of job attachment and security.
Handled appropriately, the result will most
likely be a group of people committed to common goals, and to
the organization itself. Handled poorly, the result will likely
be an alienated and detached work force.
Structuring effectively for change is about
creating a sense of ‘connectedness’ – an organization
where people are committed to the ‘work’, the organization,
and each other.
Key indicators of effective structure include:
Reduced
bureaucracy
Teams
organized around, and responsible for, complete processes
Broad
sharing of authority and resources
Clear
guidelines for supporting ‘success’
Open
processes related to job attachment and security
A
commitment to ‘servant leadership’
The Future - Can
we create it together?
Planning for the future
of an organization is a role traditionally restricted to management.
If an organization is to truly create a sustainable future, owever,
every staff member needs to be a part of the process. These changes
will serve the organization well in the midst of whatever challenges
and uncertainties it may continue to face.
Creating a sustainable future together is about
engaging as many people as possible as co-creators, indeed, as
co-owners of the organization.
Key indicators of planning for the future together
include:
Clearly
defined planning process
A focus
on both vision and current reality
Acknowledging
uncertainty, complexity and diversity
Clear
guidelines for innovation, renewal and change
Freedom
to fail, and learn
Appropriate
implementation expectations and support
Prepared with the financial assistance
of the Ontario Ministry of Health
