The Root of all Evil
In my previously blogs I outlined some of the root causes that drive the failure of change initiatives. These root causes can be addressed by applying the so called CORE Solution(Cycle of Results) (1). If CORE is implemented correctly and used as an ongoing process, it helps significantly in reducing or removing these root causes.
CORE is a process for selling change that addresses the root causes by building trust in the change initiative over time. If CORE is combined with the best-in-class solution components it results in successful and long-lasting implementations.
Have a look at following table to see which steps of the CORE Solution tackle which root cause.
| Root causes of change initiative failure | CORE Solution |
|---|---|
| Lack of urgency | 1. Learn and analyze to find or create the shared Urgency. |
| Unwillingness to set clear expectations of value | 2. Define and communicate Expectations using a common vision. |
| Lack of ownership in the solution | 3. Build Commitment through planning. |
An inadequate solution, including:
|
4. Create Value through the implementation. |
| Inability to communicate value | 5. Validate the results through measurements. |
| — | 6. Continue the cycle into the future |
| Changes in the business environment | Fact of doing business. No solution available. |
The root cause ‘changes in the business environment’ looks like an inevitable result of doing business. However, it has a couple of important implications.
In the midst of a change effort, management should be careful about the additional changes it can control.
Often, new change initiatives have been taken on before old ones have been assimilated.
Key personnel is being moved around without regard to the impact on initiatives. Management should minimize these changes.
The inevitability of changes in the business world implies that there is a finite window for any implementation to take hold. If you cannot set up the appropriate processes before the next earthquake, your initiative will eventually be in trouble.
In my next blog I am going to explain the CORE Solution in more detail. Online available from Jan. 7th on.
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(1) developed by ProChain Solutions
Rob Newbold, Making Change Stick, from the book Cox III, James F., and Schleier Jr., John G.,eds. Theory of constraints handbook. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2010. p. 120