Getting Unstuck: Changing with Intentionality – an Interview with Mark O'Brien
“Most often the need for change that organizations perceive is to grow additional “revenue.” Most organizations don’t undertake a meaningful assessment of change or what it means to be ready to change.”
Why do some complex changes stick, while others fail miserably – up to 70% according to the Gallop organization. How much of change failure is the lack of attention paid to planning, resources, and other technicalities of change, and how much responsibility falls on the shoulders of people leading or implementing the change? Listen in as marketing communications expert, Mark O’Brien – who has witnessed the good and the bad when it comes to change – gives his perspective.
Mark, communications director by day, children’s author by night, speaking to a group of students about one of his books.
Listen for:
• Descriptions of the three phases of change in our A.R.C. change model: Assess, Ready, Change.
• Why organizations that profess a desire for change are often the least likely to change.
• In case study #1: How the leadership of the organization provided a textbook study in the failure to assess the need and conditions for change.
• Why a new leader coming in from outside the organization must walk a delicate balancing.
• In case study #2: How the leadership’s behavior of only telling versus demonstrating the desired change underscored a lack of real readiness to change.
• How real shifting rest so much on the psychological.
“If you give people the opportunity to be confused, they’ll take it. But if you give your employees the opportunity relate to and attach themselves to the vision for your brand, they will find a way.”
After listening to the episode:
Mark offered that organizations – and we’ll say its people – need to worry less about things being perfect and just take the first step when attempting change, the theory being they can reassess as the change progresses and make corrections at Step 2. Why might that be a sound way to proceed with change.
How do you feel about Mark’s comment, “Thinking of change, if you don’t start with your people, good luck.”