FOCUS TRAINING & SKILLS
35th Anniversary Achieving the power of the positive We could all see how this would affect
There is immense potential for positive change - it just relies on getting leaders, managers and the whole employee team on board
Gary Wyles, managing director of Festo Training & Consulting, explains how to manage change in the workplace, ensuring that all those involved see the positive aspects of the project
I
t is always the negative aspects of change that are communicated. It’s
common to hear that 75% of change projects fail, but there is immense power and potential for positive change. In today’s climate, the most successful organisations are those that constantly adapt to the market, alter their offer, update their equipment to deliver a more effective and efficient manufacturing environment. There are two different types of change. Evolutionary changes are smaller, carefully considered projects delivered over a long period. Revolutionary change initiatives are short and fast. They are critical, whether turning around a failing business or quickly upgrading facilities in response to an urgent need.
Below are four typical questions that you will need to respond to and clarify when communicating about a change project. This doesn’t mean just preparing a fancy business plan or PowerPoint presentation. It means talking to your team as individuals. 1. Why do we need to change? This is always a really interesting question. For those who are involved at the sharp end of the business, speaking and talking to your customers or out in the market, they will know (or they should know) what needs to change. Let’s presume you’re a team manager of a fictional business. The business has recently had issues with concerns from customers over product quality. The sales team has been telling your leadership team that they’ve had to handle difficult
John. Whether he felt guilty, was angry, misunderstood or had a host of other emotions, one thing is for certain: John is now isolated. Perhaps you’ve missed out the numerous times that John had brought up issues with the machinery and voiced his concerns. Perhaps you didn’t listen to him. John’s peers will likely breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn’t them who were singled out. They could feel a sense of outrage on his behalf. They’ll definitely feel no obligation to help the business go forward. An alternative response could be: Do you remember when Mike said that one x customer was dissatisfied with y product? Well, this got us thinking that perhaps some of our machinery wasn’t quite up to scratch. So we talked to other customers and found out that our standards were behind our competitors. We want to have the best products. We
Gary Wyles suggests four typical questions that you will need to respond to and clarify when communicating a change project to your team
‘Be clear on what you’d like individuals to do, their role and how they could contribute. Make them feel a vital part of the process’
Both types of change projects must be carefully managed and proactive. Otherwise your people will see this as evidence of poor planning, lack of market knowledge and that you’ve failed to take heed of their customer or employee concerns. Harnessing the positive power of change lies in getting your people onside. Change is never delivered solely from the top of the business. It needs leaders, managers and the whole employee team on-board. To do this, you need to consider the change from the viewpoint of your people.
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questions and weren’t too sure of the response. It has been decided that one particular line of machinery was at fault. You are talking to the operative engineer - let’s call him John - who looks after that line. Now you could say that customers have been complaining. The fault was found to be the machinery that John looked after. It was his responsibility to ensure that product quality controls were kept up to scratch but because faulty products had gone out, the business now had no choice but to replace the line – at huge cost and expense.
want to have the best service. We want our customers to be happy and we want you to be proud of what we offer. That’s why we need to change and we need your help. 2. When will this be happening? Every business has a choice about when to speak to their people. We always recommend it’s best to do this as early as possible. When Festo improves efficiency for a lean manufacturing project, we always get people involved who are operating or maintaining the equipment early on. They need to be comfortable with the choice of new equipment. Often, they have good ideas about small changes that can make a big difference. 3. How am I involved? Be clear on what you’d like individuals to do, their role and how they could contribute. Make them feel a vital part of the process and they’ll feel recognised and rewarded. 4. What’s in it for me? It’s easy to think that people are just after a monetary reward. That’s not always the case. Perhaps your people would like to work with the latest equipment. Perhaps they’d be proud to be involved. Perhaps they’d like to learn and be involved in something new. Think carefully about your responses to your people’s individual concerns. Question them fully to make sure you understand what they’re asking. That’s what will get them ready to deliver your change project and make a success of it.
Festo Training & Consulting T: 0800 626 422
www.festo.co.uk
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