Why aren’t we undertaking a normal Crisis/Recovery Program?
In most crises, our aim is to return to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible. However, in some cases the crisis exposes a need for change. In these cases we are not returning to ‘normal’; we are charting a new direction.
An example is the need to change because of disruptive technology (external force), or a major crime inside the company because of insufficient rigour (internal force). These involve not just change in processes but cultural change – ‘the way we do things around here’.
Change can be intimidating depending on how it’s presented. Presented clumsily it can lead to resistance and failure. Done properly, change can be exciting for all stakeholders. This plan sets out a road-map for an exciting change management program.
First question: What is going to change, and how much?
What are we going to become? It is not a communications issue; it is often a compliance issue as well as a reputation issue. It is certainly a cultural issue.
Resistance to change
Change is hard for people. Reasons vary. People resist change because of:
- History
- Denial
- Conservatism
- Brand protection
- Sunk costs
- Profitability
- Lack of imagination
- Fear of job loss.
These are powerful forces and there are numerous examples of companies that have failed because of one or more of the factors above. For successful change, we need to address directly the factors that make change so hard for most people. So it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, and often comes down to person-to-person engagement.
An effective change management strategy, works with this awareness, and uses techniques to make change easier.
Different stakeholders need different strategies.
Change management is effective not by telling people what needs to be done, but by explaining why, and where we need to end up, and asking people to participate in the process.
This involves encouraging people at all levels to become advocates for change, rather than critics; followers to become leaders.
It is much easier to create change at any level in an organisation, if the people at that level have significant roles in designing (as well as executing) that change. There is a lot of research available on the internet to support this assertion.
Be ready to be involved in extensive discussions (retreats, presentations, discussion groups). Be flexible in how you engage people as advocates; a common outcome is the creation of teams that report up and down the organisation.
Every organisation will behave differently to a Change Management program. So it’s unwise to be too formulaic about this – for instance, strong personalities can skew the best laid plans. Flexibility and nimbleness are critical skills for the Change Management team.
A program for change
So Change Management involves:
1. Post-crisis analysis and designing a rebuild plan
2. Bringing together a rebuild team (Change Management team) and allocation of resources
3. The development of a program and timeline
4. The development of relevant channels of communication to ensure ‘stakeholder responsiveness’ – reaching them at their touchpoints
5. Implementation, including the creation of sub-groups to become advocates for change
6. Measurement (Assess, Review, Refine).
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1. Post crisis analysis and development of long term organisational rebuild strategy
– Thoroughly debrief all the media angles and legal findings – ultimately the lessons learned
– Brainstorm and identify the areas for change, leadership and outcomes across all divisions
– Brainstorm and identify the systems, support required
– Identify channels/activities to deliver/receive ideas
– Brainstorm and identify ways to measure effectiveness of the strategy
2. Develop the rebuild team:
– Identify a solid team to ensure belief and trust from the start
– Consider the balance of external/internal expertise to ensure independent and fresh thinking alongside working knowledge of the organisation.
– Confirm the key leader of the group responsible for reporting back to CEO/Board (should CEO be on the team? Note: the CEO has a vested interest in the outcome as so not be a leader in this; more a participant.)
– Make sure all stay on message/know their roles.
3. Develop the program and timeline
– Board input to ensure best compliance and governance
– Ditto for input from regulators
– Factor in extra time to develop advocates at all levels of the organisation
– Some change must happen fast; some takes longer.
4. Internal communications as our first priority
– We can expect that our employees feel vulnerable/anxious/angry in the post crisis period and feel threatened by change. Some staff may have contemplated leaving.
– Immediately, we need to communicate to staff a core message of recognition of a problem, desire to change, as well as a commitment for support
– Later, enlist staff as advocates. Form teams. Ask for feedback with locally designed plans. Be responsive. Look for opportunities to boost morale.
– Assume that all comms internally will leak.
5. Communicate rest of stakeholders
– Across the business it is important that we identify key stakeholders that will form part of the rebuild strategy
– Immediately, report key messages of recognition of a problem and need to change
– Later, enlist groups as advocates. Form teams. Ask for feedback with locally designed plans. Be responsive. Look for opportunities to boost morale
6. Measurement
– Immediately work out how to measure success
– Later, a survey of key audiences within stakeholders to be used as reputation benchmarking.
