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Structure
Organisational Strategy
Routine Processes
Strategy
Systems
Shared Values
Guiding Principles
Staff
People
Style
Skills
Capabilities of key people
Attention must be paid to all systems or factors but the relative importance of each can vary, depending on the circumstances and the phases of the change.
Staff
Wherever possible and feasible, opinions should be gathered from all levels of staff. Whether this is done formally through staff surveys and focus groups, or more informally will depend on many factors. It is always worth doing, as it avoids the pitfalls of making too many assumptions. However, sometimes factors such as commercial confidentiality or proposed lay offs make it very difficult to sample opinion. In this case, it might be possible to review previous surveys for clues.
Style
Does the proposed change match with the management style and culture of the organisation? If the answer is yes, then while this aspect should be monitored, it should not present much of a problem. Sometimes a change is necessary for organisational survival even if this is contrary to the management style and culture. If the proposal is counter cultural, then there will be significant resistance. A change in culture will be required. If so, then you will need to deploy a wide range of Change Management techniques.
Shared Values
The same applies to Shared Values or guiding principles. If the proposed change is counter to the Shared Values then you may actually be talking about a change initiative that needs to change the Shared Values or at the very least reinterpret them. If that is so, then it will be a large and potentially difficult change.
Strategy
Finally, if the proposed change does not match the Organisational Strategy, then why is it being proposed at all?
Regular temperature readings on the state of the factors through such mechanisms as surveys, focus groups, meetings, absenteeism, customer satisfaction and process efficiency. A mechanism to spot and report early successes. A mechanism to spot and deal with problem areas.
Several important points are often overlooked in the planning phase: Skills. Soft skills as well as hard skills need to be examined. People were often initially recruited when the process required a different personal style. New processes may require different soft skills and sometimes these can be acquired. Systems. Many projects neglect to set up ongoing support systems that help to embed the new process such as ongoing coaching, local experts and a place for the local expert to escalate questions to, and methods for continuously improving the process. Structure. The informal structure. Formal organisation charts do not always reflect where the power lies and this should be considered in your stakeholder analysis.
If the change is complex, it will not be possible to plan it in every detail. This is especially true when the change affects the more emotional factors (such as Shared Values). In these cases it is important to keep a close eye on progress and watch the temperature readings. It is especially important for Change Managers to be honest with themselves during the implementation phase. Is it working? What can we do differently? Be as objective as possible. A matrix such as below can be quite powerful as a review tool.
Progress Staff Skills Systems Style Shared values Strategy Structure Issues Risks Evidence
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4. Review Phase
While change is often a continuous process, at some stage senior management will require a formal review. This will not be a trivial exercise, although regular temperature readings throughout the implementation phase will benefit here. It will be necessary to report on all factors and it is important to be as concrete and numeric as possible. A matrix such as below can guide the questions that should be answered:Before Staff Skills Systems Style Shared values Strategy Structure Now Benefits Areas for improvement
An important point that often gets lost in the review process is to document the lessons that were learned during the change initiative: What went wrong What went right What should be done differently next time
It can be hard to admit that things did go wrong at times, but unless this is faced openly and transparently, the organisation may be destined to repeat the same mistakes.
Conclusion
The McKinsey 7-S framework is both simple and powerful. It acts as an effective checklist through all phases of a change of initiative of any size. It is easy to understand and it can also be used to provide an early warning that the proposed change will be difficult and rich with complex issues.
This paper was written by Dan Skelsey, Director and Lead Trainer of Project Laneways. For more information about Project Laneways, please visit www.project-laneways.com.au Project Laneways is an accredited training organisation for PRINCE2 and Change Management. PRINCE2 is a Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce UK
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