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People change when the case for change becomes a personal matter. Too many
change initiatives are naively based on the premise that changes in employee behavior
will occur "for the good of the enterprise". This is extremely
unlikely. An employee will change his or her behavior when management
honestly promises to make things better, and communicates persuasively
that the forthcoming change program is part of the solution for that individual.
The values in play are financial rewards, self-esteem, recognition, job
satisfaction, career growth, pride and numerous other personal tangibles
and intangibles. It's only human; when we cannot see what is in it for
us, we are unlikely to change. |
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For any Maintenance change project, therefore, it is vital to consider
each of the stakeholder individuals and groups from which support for the
change is essential, and ask the question - what is in it for them? If
the answer is "nothing", then think again, because your Change project
is unlikely to be successful. If you think again and the answer is still
"nothing", then you had better create something that will be in it for
them. Once you have identified the potential benefits for those involved
in the change, then emphasize these frequently. One word of warning, however.
Be careful not to build up expectations to an unreasonably high level,
only to find that you cannot deliver at the end of the day. For more on
this topic, see Managing Stakeholder Communications. |