Leadership in Uncertain Times - Part 2

It's a short week this week, but already it's been an interesting one. All this week's challenges seem to be about getting difficult change in place in the organisations that I work with - especially difficult when the proposed changes affect what the employees get paid and the hours that they work.

It's never easy to set out and make changes, sometimes painful changes in the organisation, and most clients are often keen to avoid it. Challenging times makes the imperative to change all the greater and all the more difficult to ignore. The first task is to make a real decision to change the organisation based on a clear and compelling business case that meets the business challenges and issues head on. Sometimes, I am struck by the shallowness of the commitment to change amongst directors and managers even when the business case is strong. Although it's a cliché, beginning with the end in mind is absolutely critical to implementing successful change and seeing you through the difficulties that arise along the way.

Sticking to that clear message throughout the consultation with the affected employees is vitally important so that they are able to grasp the reality of the situation and the crtical nature of the changes that are proposed. This does not mean that the consultation is not two way. In my experience, many great ideas can come from getting employees involved in the solution. But new ideas need to be evaluated in the light of the business case and the outcomes that are required. If they are not reasonable alternatives, they can be addressed and responded using consistent references back to the business case you started with.

Keeping to a well defined timetable for the consultation and subsequent implementation of the changes is also highly recommended. Letting consultation and related grievances, which seem far more common these days, drag on unnecessarily just complicates and slows the process. Not only that but they are emotionally and physically exhausting for all concerned.

Using union representatives, employee representatives and other consultative bodies in the organisation also help to provide structure and process in the midst of difficult discussions and decisions.

But ultimately, it always seems to me that it comes back to leadership that business owners and manager show during periods of change that really determine whether the desired outcomes are achieved.