To me organisational change is all about these 3 things. Any framework or approach is about embedding these ideals into the organisation at every level.
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
- Doing the right work, at the right time, in the right way
Enterprise level change depends on these skills being built into everyone’s way of thinking and way of working.
Clearly identify the Problem, making sure that you are solving the right problem at the right level and then use metrics and measures to ensure that the problem has been solved. Building the attitude of continuous improvement and problem solving means that every impediment that team members find becomes solvable and surmountable.
Decision making is about ensuring that each team member understands the value of progress and does not fear making a decision. Decision making is de-emoted and there is an understanding that the only way to validate a decision is to make one! Its only after it has been made that it can be assessed for correctness. Incorrect decisions need to be treated as learning opportunities and a chance to improve. Building the “safe to fail” environment is key to empowered, frequent decision making.
Doing the right work is vital and this can only be done by understanding what is “right” in the context of time and place. Getting deep understanding of what work is needed, when it is needed and how best to do it is all about understanding the “why” of the work. This is where assumptions can be made and then challenged, teams can be built and unbuilt on demand and the status quo can be broken.
Embedding these three approaches into the enterprise takes time, but done right it will change the way the organisation works and will develop a culture of progress, empowerment and personal responsibility.
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