Caution!...If you’ve arrived at this place expecting to see a 3-8 step model for Organizational Change Management (OCM) you will be disappointed. LWOC research has shown that these resources are ubiquitous and easy to access (thus, don’t need to be repeated here). We encourage the use of the OCM discipline and related tools, but have found that it is not the buying, building, or promoting of a model (and related process consulting) that makes for sustainable change. In fact, the application of these processes often introduces complexity that distracts leaders and derails change.
Do a brief google® or amazon® search on change management. The results will looks a bit like the self-help industry—with as many methods and claims of smarter solutions. Easy access and a million varieties, then, define OCM as a commodity…not a secret ingredient (and these models and tools are, in fact, less unique and proprietary than they promise).
So…in the Mining of Change Riches, Where is the Gold?
Our discovery that empowering Change Leaders with simple choices and simple tools is what leads to sustainable change has been translated into some radically simple things that help Change Leaders connect change and execution; these include:
Understanding that a few key choices influence change leadership success and using LWOC’s 4 Simple Questions as a guide to generating the leadership that makes a difference throughout the life of a change initiative. Read more about 4SQ on this site.
The process of getting unstuck (whether that means gaining the support of a skeptical organization in the early stages of change or re-igniting change when things are de-railing or “change fatigue” sets in during a long, complex initiative). There is actually a robust, teachable process that can be used to re-ignite change and even recover a failing business transformation project. Our LWOC Case Study—Re-igniting Change to Save Millions outlines how this process was used to save a failing initiative and millions of dollars for a Fortune 50 financial services company.
There is a strong focus on measurement and metrics in any business project today. LWOC research on successful vs. failed change has revealed that there is one fundamental flaw in the measurement tool-kit for change leaders—all popular measures are either indirect, “activity” measures or “lag” measures—both types are too-far-removed from actual results and their pre-conditions. In 2007, LWOC’s founder, Todd A. VanNest was awarded a U.S. Copyright for the only research-based set of Leading Indicators of Change Management Success®. Every participant at an LWOC event learns how to determine that she/he is having the necessary impact at any given stage of a change initiative to move forward KNOWING she/he will achieve the desired project results. Any of our website visitors here can also learn more about this critical tool by requesting a FREE Assessment on the Transformation Works! Indicator (TWXi)©.
More Tools: Finally, as illustrated on this LWOC website (see LWOC Services), there are speaking offers, leadership events, change leader coaching, and strategy/project consulting that empowers client leaders with simple tools for making sustainable change and achieving strategic objectives.
Subscribe to the LWOC Blog to join our community of change leaders in a regular dialogue about finding that place where change meets execution!
