In a professional practice it is easy to associate change with some form of major reorganisation. For example, I recall discussions as a partner in private practice about mergers with perhaps an American firm. I was in a law practice that split up with my area joining another firm.
Everybody recognised that these events represent significant change which will impact on the working lives of the professionals involved and will need careful management. The same is true in a reorganisation which creates a different management and reporting structure within a function.
As this PWC report suggests Long-term structural transformation is characterized by scale — it affects all or most of the organization; by magnitude — it involves significant alterations from the status quo; by duration — the change program lasts for months if not years; and by its strategic importance.
These major changes have to be managed at an organisational and a people level. See this useful article 10 Principles of Change Management commenting that “companies will reap the rewards only when change occurs at the level of the individual employee”.
However, as I have come to realise and as a colleague commented recently change does not just relate to these big events. They may be seminal but actually change of some sort is happening around us all of the time – constantly. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said around 500 BC The only constant in life is change.
It may be that technology is increasing the pace of change. See this Forbes article Workplace Changes Are Accelerating: Why And What Millennials Should Do About It which says Change is to be expected, unfolding at a constant rate as new generations replace old generations, and as old ideas become obsolete. But here’s the thing; in today’s world, change isn’t unfolding at a constant rate—it’s unfolding at a faster and faster rate.
Change is always there and like it or not is a factor in our working lives. Once understood this makes life easier because change can be embraced and welcomed. See this Gallup article How to Adapt to Constant Change: Create It which suggests As leaders well know, constant change is the new normal in today's workplacesand comments To prepare their people to help lead change, leaders need a workplace culture that lives and breathes adaptability -- a culture with agility in its DNA advising Leaders must fundamentally alter their approach to change management to create an adaptable work culture. Modern change realities require modern change strategies that prioritize the human capacity to thrive in a state of continuous change.
Once this principle is grasped I suggest it makes day to day and month by month management and performance at work much easier as managers and employees alike recognise that they are operating in a constantly shifting environment to which they need to adapt.
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Benjamin Franklin said “In a progressive country change is constant; change is inevitable”.
How we adapt to and address business change defines our ability to succeed. Returning to ancient times another Greek philosopher Socrates advised “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Everybody recognised that these events represent significant change which will impact on the working lives of the professionals involved and will need careful management. The same is true in a reorganisation which creates a different management and reporting structure within a function.
As this PWC report suggests Long-term structural transformation is characterized by scale — it affects all or most of the organization; by magnitude — it involves significant alterations from the status quo; by duration — the change program lasts for months if not years; and by its strategic importance.
These major changes have to be managed at an organisational and a people level. See this useful article 10 Principles of Change Management commenting that “companies will reap the rewards only when change occurs at the level of the individual employee”.
However, as I have come to realise and as a colleague commented recently change does not just relate to these big events. They may be seminal but actually change of some sort is happening around us all of the time – constantly. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said around 500 BC The only constant in life is change.
It may be that technology is increasing the pace of change. See this Forbes article Workplace Changes Are Accelerating: Why And What Millennials Should Do About It which says Change is to be expected, unfolding at a constant rate as new generations replace old generations, and as old ideas become obsolete. But here’s the thing; in today’s world, change isn’t unfolding at a constant rate—it’s unfolding at a faster and faster rate.
Change is always there and like it or not is a factor in our working lives. Once understood this makes life easier because change can be embraced and welcomed. See this Gallup article How to Adapt to Constant Change: Create It which suggests As leaders well know, constant change is the new normal in today's workplacesand comments To prepare their people to help lead change, leaders need a workplace culture that lives and breathes adaptability -- a culture with agility in its DNA advising Leaders must fundamentally alter their approach to change management to create an adaptable work culture. Modern change realities require modern change strategies that prioritize the human capacity to thrive in a state of continuous change.
Once this principle is grasped I suggest it makes day to day and month by month management and performance at work much easier as managers and employees alike recognise that they are operating in a constantly shifting environment to which they need to adapt.
.
Benjamin Franklin said “In a progressive country change is constant; change is inevitable”.
How we adapt to and address business change defines our ability to succeed. Returning to ancient times another Greek philosopher Socrates advised “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
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