The evolving world has created
unique and unprecedented challenges for IT leaders, especially in terms of
remote workflows and organizational management. According to a recent survey
from Helix Market Research, 52% of Fortune 1000 IT leaders are prioritizing
remote work as a critical investment in 2020. This is no surprise since 58% of the U.S. workforce now works from home.
IT leaders have been tasked with
controlling and keeping the entire business operating through their unique
perspective and confident vision. To accomplish this, they must first make organizational change
management (OCM) a core focus. OCM refers to the systematic
approach and use of tools, knowledge and other resources to manage change
within an organization. Change is hard for many people and a lack of change is
one of the primary reasons IT projects fail to meet their intended impact. Here
are four tips to successfully manage organizational change, especially in times
of crisis.
Implement
urgency
Passion and urgency are two
characteristics that drive individuals to succeed and accomplish substantial
tasks. As a leader, communicate your passions and be transparent about the
change management process from the start. Educate your employees on why
immediate action is essential and how they can participate in the process.
Transparency helps bring - and keep - your team on board, and a proactive
approach combats the reactive mindset that can hold back necessary change.
Preparation
is key
OCM can be applied to changes in an
entire organization, like shifting to remote work, or what steps a leader
applies to a specific project. Flexibility is critical in times of uncertainty
since optimization and efficiency are key. The best way to get there is through
adjustment and willingness to change. Shifting away from constantly putting out
fires and adopting a strategy that proactively prevents them is a must for IT
teams.
Many believe new tools and modern
technology will automatically ensure accomplishment, but actual OCM requires
change across the company, affecting every process, tool and individual.
Leaders should use OCM to redefine
and expand success metrics, followed by an established budget and outlined
opportunities for continued revenue. Remember that adoption and end-user
satisfaction should be considered success metrics to track on an ongoing basis.
Don't neglect employee motivation. A leader must help their team engage with
the OCM process to create positive short- and long-term impact.
Measure
OCM impact
Measuring the true success of an OCM
initiative is a long, ongoing process. However, before beginning operations,
outline metrics and protocols to determine how you'll measure success. Define
what a meaningful impact looks like for your business or project. Success
metrics should include concrete measurements like implementation time, or more
anecdotal metrics like improved customer satisfaction. Prioritizing this will
help build a consistent feedback loop that generates ongoing improvement
throughout the project.
Don't
forget about the people
In business, you have your IT
operating system, and you also have the HumanOS or human operating system.
Unfortunately, many IT leaders do not fully appreciate the HumanOS and its role
in motivation and team value. The HumanOS comprises four motivational centers:
the head, hands, feet and heart, all of which map back to the OCM process. The
head allows employees to understand information and what changes are being
made. The hands do the hard work while the feet represent shared passion and
desire to drive the business forward. Finally, the heart is what leads every
individual to believe in the reasoning and mission behind the changes.
These strategies may seem incredibly
simple, but they require intense, precise and intentional action to integrate with everyday workflows
and routines. IT teams often neglect steps they feel are unnecessary and
sluggish. But to ensure an OCM initiative is successful, leaders must be
proactive rather than reactive and clearly communicate their passion and vision
with their team from the start.
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About the Author
Sean McDermott is Founder and CEO of Windward Consulting and RedMonocle. Sean previously acted as Founder and CEO
of RealOps, Inc., the pioneer in enterprise management Run Book Automation
solutions which was acquired by BMC. Sean is an advocate for business
leadership strategies and shares how other entrepreneurs can align passion and
action on his blog, Wheels
up World.