Do you struggle with the fact your well-crafted change initiatives continue to meet with resistance, despite all your best efforts?
Given the volumes of literature on the subject of Change Management, it is clear you are not alone. And, because of those great volumes of information (that require hours of study to digest), we were especially happy to see a very succinct post on the McKinsey Leadership & Organization Blog entitled Change Management Lessons from Japan.
This post describes the approach to change management used by a new CEO at a Japanese consumer products company. It is noted that, in Japan, consensus building is a strong part of the culture and a driving force behind the approach taken. The four practical ways to drive change are described as:
- Define the end state in detail and provide a roadmap much earlier.
- Engage the front line very early and create opportunities to endorse change.
- Map the organizational network and tackle change blockers.
- Expose top management extensively, broadly and directly.
The beauty of blog posts is that they are usually short and to the point, giving you food for thought and often inspiring you to dig a little deeper. The concepts presented here apply equally well in all cultures and all types of organizations – it’s well worth a read.
