|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| —PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE—
Leading During Times of Change
the very foundation of any organization. Therefore, managing change should be addressed either as a separate plan or part of your overall strategy. A number of articles and books have been written on this subject, but from my experience the following are six key tenets in helping lead your people through change. Ensure commitment and involvement from top leadership. Leaders must be involved in developing the plan and be committed to its implementation at every level of the organization. People want to hear it from the top and know the “why” and “how.” They do not want to hear from a committee or working group. They want leaders who can listen and have the resources and authority to adjust the plan if necessary—and the leaders must be accountable. Top leadership involvement should be of utmost priority and not just a monthly, quarterly, or part-time event or briefing. Establish and maintain a sense of purpose and urgency. Change is not easy for anyone, and it is especially hard for organizations. It will not happen on its own. Without a solid understanding of “why” and “why now,” people will resist change and organizations will not transform. In today’s environment, it is not hard for people to understand why action is necessary, but they need to hear how the change will impact their jobs and how it will help improve mission effectiveness. Create vision. Leaders must understand and develop the vision/plan that clearly outlines where they want the organization to go. The plan should help define the new future and explain how your organization will get there. People do not expect leaders to have a perfect plan, but they do expect to be involved in its development as they will have to implement the plan. “Doing more with less” or “salami-slicing cuts across the board” are not plans or a vision of the future. In my view, they indicate a failure of vision by leadership. Communicate. This is a critical aspect of dealing with change. People must be part of the process and be kept informed. Everyone is a stakeholder. The more people understand the vision and need for change, the faster change can take place and people can adapt. Use every medium available to you—newsletters, briefings, articles, video, Twitter, Facebook, emails, and so forth. Empower people. When addressing significant organizational change, make sure you challenge the status quo when evaluating what people can do with the right training and resources. The answer is not always more people or more money. Make sure you align organizations so there are clear lines of responsibility and look for overlap or duplication. Said another way, “Are the checkers checking the checkers?” Look at career paths to ensure you have upward mobility and systems to reward performance that tie directly to the mission. Lastly, reward your best and brightest but also have the courage to deal head on with those in the organization who do not perform. Make it last. Leaders must also ensure that changes are institutionalized. If not, organizations will drift back to the old ways of doing business and will be doing more with less. Change must be codified in policies, regulations, metrics, performance plans, training plans, and so on. Without this step, true change and transformation will not happen at every level of your organization. As housing professionals, we will all be impacted by the difficult choices ahead, but it will be up to us to help our people deal with the changes ahead. The six elements above are not all-inclusive but should be part of your overall strategy. Involve your people in the challenge. Given opportunity and support, people will amaze you with their dedication, initiative, and results. God bless.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
© 2004-2012 by Professional Housing Management Association. All rights reserved.
|