Secrets of Top Performing Change Agents

Online, April 16, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Companies spend millions of dollars each year to make change initiatives a success. Yet the results are frequently dismal-change initiatives fail and leaders are left wondering what went wrong. A recent survey by OnPoint Consulting sheds light on this issue:

- Only 46% of the 655 leaders surveyed believe change is managed
effectively in their companies.

- Moreover, 43% lack confidence that current organizational
changes will be implemented effectively.

What does it take to implement change successfully? OnPoint's research found that top performing companies are more effective in four areas:

Leader Behavior - Top leaders are perceived to be effective change managers and the actions of top management are consistent with the objectives of the change initiative.

Based on OnPoint's research, the core behavior of the most effective change managers is modeling behaviors that support the change. "If employees perceive that there are two sets of rules and behaviors-one for them and one for senior leaders," says Rick Lepsinger, President of OnPoint Consulting, "the change will lose credibility and be seen as less important." It is not enough to just say the right thing or even enthusiastically communicate the benefits and the business case for the change, as employees want to see those words backed up with behavior.

Goal Clarity - Clarify the purpose and objectives of the change and communicate a clear and appealing vision of the future.

"In times of change," observes Lepsinger, "people look to their leaders for direction and signs that the organization has selected the right course of action." Therefore, it is essential to communicate confidence that the vision can be achieved and that the benefits will be worth the short-term sacrifices. Leaders can convey a message of confidence and optimism through the type of language they use and by consistent actions that demonstrate their conviction and support of the vision.

Implementation Planning - Identify obstacles to implementation and actions to address those obstacles.

Many companies do a lot of work on the front end to put a plan in place that clearly communicates the objectives and prioritizes initiatives so employees know what they should be doing. Many then assume that they can go on "automatic pilot" and employees will stay committed to the plan and carry out the change. Unfortunately, that seldom leads to success. Planning, by definition, is working toward an unknown future state. That is why plans need to be treated as living documents that are revised as unanticipated problems and opportunities are discovered.

Systems- Ensure systems are in place that support the change and align the performance management system with the change objectives

Organizations need to ensure that they have the proper systems and resources in place to support organizational changes. "While leader behaviors are a core component of successful change management, the appropriate structure and systems also need to be in place to reinforce changes," says Lepsinger. One of the primary tools is the performance management system, which should be viewed as a tool to drive results, rather than an administrative "check the boxes" activity. When goals related to the change effort are integrated into the performance management system and managers are focused on providing coaching and feedback on key behaviors that support the change, it is more likely that the change will be implemented smoothly and "stick."

Managing change comes up on almost every list of organizational and leadership success factors. Yet, despite the amount of time and money that has been invested in educating organizations and training leaders in the tools and skills to effectively manage change, the results have been uneven at best. OnPoint's survey highlights the specific practices that companies can leverage to ensure their changes are more successful.

For additional information on how to avoid the commitment dip, click here.

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OnPoint Consulting specializes in helping companies close the gap between strategy and execution. For more information or to request a complete copy of the report of findings, please visit our website at www.onpointconsultingllc.com.