Change Management Just Doesn’t Work (Robin A Speculand / Bridges International)

Below is a description of the eight elements of the Implementation Compass and key questions to consider before embarking on your implementation journey.

Eight Critical Components

1. People                    
It is not leadership that implements strategy but people         

Questions to consider: Do you have the right caliber of people? Do they have the competencies to execute the new strategy? Are they motivated to do so?

2. Biz Case                  
The emotional and numerical rational for adopting the strategy

Questions to consider: Why is the strategy center stage? Do your staff members know what to do differently on the Monday morning after implementation is announced? Do they have the right tools and techniques to implement the strategy?

3. Communication      
People can only adopt a strategy if they know about it and understand it

Questions to consider: Do all your staff know what the new strategy is and why it has been adopted? Is the strategy communicated in a way that it comes alive?

4. Measurement          
“You must inspect what you expect.” Have the right measures in place

Questions to consider: Do you have the right measures for the new strategy? Are the measures being leveraged to guide the implementation?

5. Culture        
You must change the day-to-day activities of your staff members and have a culture that support and fosters change

Questions to consider: What needs to change in the fundamental way you are working so as to encourage the adoption of the new culture? Are we using the language of the new strategy?

6. Process       
There must be congruence between what you say you are going to do (strategy implementation) and what you are doing (the process)      

Questions to consider: Do your processes support or hinder the new strategy? Where can you redesign the process so it is more supportive and effective?

7. Reinforcement        
You must reinforce the expected behaviors so that they are continuously repeated

Questions to consider: When staff members step in to the unknown and demonstrate the new behaviors, are they recognized and rewarded? Does the reinforcement encourage them to continue to demonstrate the desired new behaviors?

8. Review        
The weakest of the eight points among leaders – you must constantly review to make sure the right actions are being taken to deliver the right results       

Questions to consider: Do you know if the actions being taken are producing the right results? Do you know what has been learned from the implementation in the last 90 days? Do you know what you need to start doing differently from today?

By paying attention to all of these areas and assessing the organization’s strengths and weaknesses against each one, the organization can prepare itself with a realistic perspective of the challenge ahead and leaders can identify the actions to take to deliver the new strategy’s anticipated results.

Article by Robin Speculand / Bridges Consultancy International © 2005 
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www.bridgesconsultancy.com

Robin Speculand is the CEO of Bridges Business Consultancy Int, which specialises in making strategy come alive. Before founding Bridges, he was Asia Pacific Regional Vice President for Citigroup. He has lived and worked in the UK, US and Australia and has operated in Asia since 1989.

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