The Change Dude’s Blog

Lead Change by Creating It

We’ve been at this recession thing for over 18 months now and it appears that most business executives have found their profitable operating levels.  Some organizations have continuing plans to trim and right size but to all indications the chaos has subsided.

Organizational transformations that a few months ago were primarily slash and burn tactics have become implementations for a 2010 path of stability.  The primary indicator of this, from my perspective, is that many of the projects my clients and I discussed in late 2009 are resurfacing 12 months today.  This interesting development tells me that over the last year not a great deal of effort has been placed on business improvement.  Much of the activity in 2009 focused on survival.

As a former fighter pilot I often use the world of flying as a metaphor for dealing with change. When a fast moving aircraft occupied by one person runs into an unknown challenge (on-board fire, loss of engine or any other important piece of the aircraft required for sustained flight) the rules of action are simple:

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

Businesses were beset by some major problems in 2009, hence the pilot of those businesses focused on Aviate – keeping the aircraft/business flying.  The most critical action of the triad – stay aloft and away from things that will destroy the business.  Cut costs, divest drag inducing business units and keep the wings as level as possible.  Aviators, like executives, tend to focus on the whole aviate process pretty intently keeping any other distractions in the background.

Executives are ready to Navigate.  Determine where they are and quickly decide the best direction to head that will offer the highest chance of success.  Plans are being developed, orchestrated changes being planned and goals being established.  Outstanding news for Wall Street and Main Street.  The business is under control and going somewhere.  My experience tells me that we will see many businesses with an achievable set of goals and plans for 2010. 

Aircraft under control, direction established.  Now we must Communicate.  Executives must begin to bring the organization into the conversation, just as pilots talk to controllers about their plans, so that appropriate support can be rendered.  Here’s the challenge for 2010, aligning associates thoughts and actions with the plan.  Not as easy as it sounds.  Most organizations aren’t the point and shoot places they were 18 months ago.  Staffs are reduced to minimal operating levels, everyone has multiple roles serving multiple goal sets.  Trust in leadership is weak and the economy as a whole even weaker. 

Communicating the new direction and programs that are needed to keep the business flying will fall short unless a concerted effort is put in place to bring the “crew” back together.

Change Leadership skills are mandatory for every executive.

One cannot manage change. One can only be ahead of it.  In a period of upheavals, such as the one we are living in, change is the norm.  To be sure, it is painful and risky, and above all it requires a great deal of very hard work.  But unless it is seen as the task of the organization to lead change, the organization will not survive.  In a period of rapid structural change, the only ones who survive are the change leaders.

Peter Drucker,Management Challenges for the 21st Century:

November 2, 2009 - Posted by thechangedude | Thinking About Associates, Thinking About Change