In today’s digitally driven industries change initiatives are commonplace, but how should you go about ensuring they’re implemented correctly?
Well, a great place to start is by considering how change will be managed, where it’s helpful to get an external perspective which is free from bias. This is where organizational development consulting comes into play, specifically during periods when change is most prominent.
Before we get to the broader picture of how change is managed, let’s start by addressing organizational development consulting:
What is Organizational Development Consulting?
When companies undergo dramatic change, they need help to identify goals, clarify their current position, and learn how to sustain the energy necessary to develop.
This is where the role of the organizational development consultant comes into play, who can apply expertise in various contexts. They can leverage their skills to help organizations navigate through new horizons, and most importantly thrive.
Consultants will apply aspects of behavioral science, psychology, and other disciplines to understand human motivation. They’ll help organizations meet the needs of stakeholders, while facilitating a smooth transitional procedure.
What Are The Components of Organizational Development Consulting?
Change Management
Companies must constantly evolve to stay relevant, and by embracing a continuous improvement philosophy can grow in accordance with market demands.
Because it’s difficult knowing how to implement change in a structured fashion, to maximum impact and reduce the destruction caused, organizational development consulting offers support for an otherwise uncertain process.
This level of understanding is crucial during times of growth, where organizations can healthily grow with less complications.
Conflict Management
It’s critical to embrace differences rather than reject them, especially when you’re working through conflicts. Conflicts are natural when change is imminent, and it’s your organization’s ability to resolve conflicts that will define its character.
This is where organizational development consultants pay dividends, through their ability to not only view differences as conflicts that need resolution, but as the very foundation which creates stepping stones to new beginnings. They can help organizations effectively manage conflicts, with an outside perspective that’s useful for mediation purposes.
Emotional Intelligence
Social and emotional factors drive organizational performance, so it’s crucial staff are emotionally tuned in. With sufficient emotional reasoning, companies will benefit considerably, with special regards to developing pivotal interpersonal relationships.
Consultants can assess the emotional intelligence of employees, while identifying areas for growth and the coaching they can offer to support this. They understand the importance of having a high EQ, and can measure emotional factors to address current competencies.
Team Building
With a cohesive team in place, you company will be united towards meeting common change goals. Consultants can help organizations develop a culture of trust, where staff feel comfortable expressing their true feelings about important work considerations.
When staff are unified, the rate of organizational growth accelerates tenfold, especially when decision making processes incorporate staff opinions. Organizational development consulting is a great opportunity for engaging in staff workshops, meets, and ultimately facilitate organizational growth.
How Do You Manage Change Effectively?
Remember, managing change isn’t enough, engaging your team is important too. Why not try one of these great exercises to do so!
To help you navigate through organizational change, let’s looks at a few tips which will facilitate change processes:
Define Change and Align It With Business Goals
Organizations commonly rush into change initiatives when their hands are forced, but they often miss out a critical step. This involves establishing a clear definition of change, performing a critical review against organizational objectives. This will ensure change is implemented in alignment with performance goals, so your business can progress in the right financial, strategic, and ethical direction.
Clearly defining change and aligning it with your business goals will help you understand the value involved, while understanding where to invest. By fully appreciating exactly what needs changing, and why the change is necessary, you’ll build a solid foundation for success.
Who Will Be Affected?
With a firm understanding of what you’re trying to achieve, you can start to think about who your change processes will impact the most. There is bound to be a ripple effect felt through the organization, and this should be mitigated to safeguard against undesirable consequences.
Look at how change will impact different organizational levels, and how this will influence the individuals responsible for critical business functions. It is this level of analysis that will help you form a blueprint for training and development, while understanding the target areas which need support.
Throughout this stage, you should consider who change will affect the most, the impacts of change, and how it will be received organization-wide.
Communication Strategy
Without proper communication, your change process might fall on deaf ears. Once you’ve worked out who change will affect the most, you can determine the best way of communicating objectives to ensure you receive full sponsorship from your team.
Your communication strategy should function to get everyone on board, with a timeline for how change will be communicated, and the different mediums you intend to use to achieve your purpose.
If you want to learn more about change management, check out these great tools and techniques!
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WalkMe Team
WalkMe spearheaded the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for associations to use the maximum capacity of their advanced resources. Utilizing man-made consciousness, AI, and context-oriented direction, WalkMe adds a powerful UI layer to raise the computerized proficiency, everything being equal.