Failure stalks organizations that cannot learn and change quickly,” warns Rapid Change Technologies in its literature. Rapid Change is the consulting firm that led Calgon Carbon Corp. through its effort to transform its corporate culture and prepare to confront change.
“New organizational cultures must produce quick learners who can speed away from danger and toward new opportunities without undue stress,” it continues.
Here are the five things that Rapid Change Technologies Inc. says organizations must do to prepare for change:
1. Relieve business stress by creating emotional safety first. Safe environments for individuals and groups are essential for making change. Frightened people resist even positive change.
2. Correct problems by fostering powerful teams and valuing people. Poor relationships and communication cause or compound most business problems. Improving relationships at all levels, from the work force to senior management, can significantly speed change.
3. Stimulate interest in continuous growth and learning. People can learn and grow dramatically faster with new technologies gleaned from brain and educational research. When learning becomes more interesting, people grow faster.
4. Develop breakthrough visions that inspire and challenge. Inspiration helps people accept challenges. Fresh thinking and broad ownership of visions are critical in times of rapid change.
5. Take action and engage in continuous improvement. If the goals and strategies are clear, if the group has the knowledge that it needs, and if the first four steps have been followed, then the energy generated from those steps will accelerate movement from information to insight and beyond to behavior and systems change. Source: “Five Steps to Rapid Change,” Rapid Change Technologies Inc.
