In this video Melanie shares stories from her consulting work that inspired her to develop solutions for building change capability for all managers and teams, not just those who have a special interest in change and transformation. Key learning points from this video are:
- Importance of Change Capability: Developing skills to cope with change is essential for reducing stress at work and enabling organizations to implement new ideas and innovate.
- Dual Roles in Job Descriptions: Successful organizations incorporate both performing and improving one’s job into their roles. This dual focus ensures that employees not only complete their tasks but also continuously seek ways to enhance their processes and outputs.
- Cultural Transformation: Effective change often requires a cultural shift within the organization, as demonstrated by a European regulatory body that shifted from a policing function to a partnership and innovation role.
- Role of Performance Management: By embedding improvement into role descriptions and performance management, employees are encouraged to focus on both doing their job and enhancing it, as what gets measured is what gets attention.
- Leadership Vision: Effective leaders, like the Vice Chancellor in the story, understand the importance of change and ensure that every role, regardless of its nature, includes an element of improvement. This mindset should be encouraged across all levels of the organization.
- Hiring for Change: Organizations benefit from hiring individuals who are open to change. This approach not only brings in diverse perspectives but also fosters a culture of questioning and challenging the status quo, which is crucial for continuous improvement.
- Broadening Talent Pool: By prioritizing change-readiness over specialized knowledge, organizations can tap into a wider talent pool, bringing in individuals from various sectors who can contribute fresh ideas and approaches.
- Sustained Commitment: Implementing these changes requires a long-term commitment, as evidenced by the university’s multi-year journey to embed a culture of change and improvement.
Overall, this video underscores the importance of integrating change management skills into all roles, fostering a culture that values improvement, and strategically hiring and developing employees who are enthusiastic about change.
