I was thinking over Easter, perhaps appropriately in terms of its religious connotations, about the importance of recognising and then managing transition, those periods of our professional life when things are changing or evolving. This could be at a transactional level – for example, concluding a commercial or corporate transaction you have been dedicated to working on for six months or more, or settling a litigation after two years of argument (I recall one insurance dispute that went on for 7 years). Or they could be even more profound: promotion or a change of role (say commercial to business executive); moving from university to a first job; changing jobs; evolving your career after a long time in one role. In my case I moved from industry to private practice – and then back again to an in-house job!
The common feature in all of these changes is that they have a material and sometimes profound impact on our working and indeed personal lives. There will inevitably be some sort of loss as the dedicated team you have been a crucial part of or even led is disbanded, or you leave long term colleagues behind as you move to a new role or organisation. I suggest that the first and most important thing in these situations is actually recognising and acknowledging that the change is happening and its inevitable impact on and consequences for our personal and professional lives. Then we can take steps to mitigate, manage and indeed take advantage of the transition.
These changes are inevitable in our working lives so it also really helps to anticipate and have a back up plan to deal with them – see my blog Have a Plan B. They are also opportunities – this book Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges suggests that “the actual situational shifts are often not as difficult for employees and managers to work through as the psychological components that accompany them” and “successful organizational change takes place when employees have a clear purpose, a plan for, and a part to play in their changing surroundings.” The same author has developed an interesting Transitional Model which proposes that there is a difference between “change” (“the external event or situation that takes place”) and “transition” (“the inner psychological process that people go through as they internalize and come to terms with the new situation that the change brings about”). It then identifies three stages of transition:
This external network is also in my experience vital if you are facing a transition. It is easy when you have a busy and fulfilling role to focus on your internal network. But if things change then a third party view is invaluable to provide perspective. Some years ago I was facing some internal challenges and reached out to a former colleague and mentor. Over a number of breakfast meetings they encouraged a more constructive attitude and provided me with ways to approach the potential crises and some alternatives to consider. This all got sorted out eventually, but it really helped me to look at things from a different angle and change my mindset form one of concern to looking for opportunities in the situation.
So far I have been considering more personal professional changes. But transition and the need to manage it also applies at a corporate level when the impact on individual workers can be profound and should equally be managed. See this Harvard Business School article 5 Tips For Managing Change In The Workplace which says “companies need to embrace change” but this does not always work. It cites a Gartner report which “indicates that just 34 percent of all organizational change initiatives are considered a “clear success,” while 50 percent are deemed to be “clear failures.” A further 16 percent yield “mixed results.”.” The article defines organizational change as “the process by which a business alters key components of its strategy or operations.” It then proposes five useful tips and strategies to better manage change.
1.Understand the Process of Change – change management involves Preparation, implementation, and follow-through.
2.Understand the Forces of Change – what factors make the organizational change necessary.
3.Create a Plan - outline the reasons for change, define its scope, outline key stakeholders, establish a team, and provide a detailed roadmap.
4.Communicate – to team and stakeholders.
5.Prepare for Roadblocks – anticipate and encourage employees to deal with obstacles.
I also found this article from The Economic Times, Navigating Organizational Transitions Smoothly: A COO's Guide to Effective Change Management, interesting in this context. Its recommendations include:
As my Tai Chi teacher said in a class today, the secret of all moves is in the transition.
The writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson observed “Not in his goals but in his transitions man is great.”
While the American business man and writer Jack Welch advised “Change before you have to.”
And to go back to ancient times “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new” – Socrates.
The common feature in all of these changes is that they have a material and sometimes profound impact on our working and indeed personal lives. There will inevitably be some sort of loss as the dedicated team you have been a crucial part of or even led is disbanded, or you leave long term colleagues behind as you move to a new role or organisation. I suggest that the first and most important thing in these situations is actually recognising and acknowledging that the change is happening and its inevitable impact on and consequences for our personal and professional lives. Then we can take steps to mitigate, manage and indeed take advantage of the transition.
These changes are inevitable in our working lives so it also really helps to anticipate and have a back up plan to deal with them – see my blog Have a Plan B. They are also opportunities – this book Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges suggests that “the actual situational shifts are often not as difficult for employees and managers to work through as the psychological components that accompany them” and “successful organizational change takes place when employees have a clear purpose, a plan for, and a part to play in their changing surroundings.” The same author has developed an interesting Transitional Model which proposes that there is a difference between “change” (“the external event or situation that takes place”) and “transition” (“the inner psychological process that people go through as they internalize and come to terms with the new situation that the change brings about”). It then identifies three stages of transition:
- Endings - when people identify what they are losing and learn how to manage these losses.
- Neutral Zone - an in-between time when the old is gone but the new isn’t fully operational.
- New Beginnings - new understandings, values and attitudes.
This external network is also in my experience vital if you are facing a transition. It is easy when you have a busy and fulfilling role to focus on your internal network. But if things change then a third party view is invaluable to provide perspective. Some years ago I was facing some internal challenges and reached out to a former colleague and mentor. Over a number of breakfast meetings they encouraged a more constructive attitude and provided me with ways to approach the potential crises and some alternatives to consider. This all got sorted out eventually, but it really helped me to look at things from a different angle and change my mindset form one of concern to looking for opportunities in the situation.
So far I have been considering more personal professional changes. But transition and the need to manage it also applies at a corporate level when the impact on individual workers can be profound and should equally be managed. See this Harvard Business School article 5 Tips For Managing Change In The Workplace which says “companies need to embrace change” but this does not always work. It cites a Gartner report which “indicates that just 34 percent of all organizational change initiatives are considered a “clear success,” while 50 percent are deemed to be “clear failures.” A further 16 percent yield “mixed results.”.” The article defines organizational change as “the process by which a business alters key components of its strategy or operations.” It then proposes five useful tips and strategies to better manage change.
1.Understand the Process of Change – change management involves Preparation, implementation, and follow-through.
2.Understand the Forces of Change – what factors make the organizational change necessary.
3.Create a Plan - outline the reasons for change, define its scope, outline key stakeholders, establish a team, and provide a detailed roadmap.
4.Communicate – to team and stakeholders.
5.Prepare for Roadblocks – anticipate and encourage employees to deal with obstacles.
I also found this article from The Economic Times, Navigating Organizational Transitions Smoothly: A COO's Guide to Effective Change Management, interesting in this context. Its recommendations include:
- Embrace a Strategic Approach - adopt a strategic mindset.
- Build a Strong Change Management Team – have a dedicated professional team who understand organizational transitions.
- Involve Employees from the Start - employees often have valuable insights and suggestions.
- Celebrate Achievements – acknowledge and celebrate milestones.
- Learn from Experience – conduct post transitional evaluations.
As my Tai Chi teacher said in a class today, the secret of all moves is in the transition.
The writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson observed “Not in his goals but in his transitions man is great.”
While the American business man and writer Jack Welch advised “Change before you have to.”
And to go back to ancient times “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new” – Socrates.
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