Make Change Happen Without Disrupting Your Organization
Change happens. Because culture, media, trends, and styles change, we need to be able to respond to those changes. Besides, as new information and research gives us more insight into management, leadership, motivation, sales, and more, we need to create organizations that allow growth to happen. For some, it’s the transition to a second generation leader, for others it’s moving from a publically known or famous leader to an unknown leader, and for others, it’s simply the desire to re-brand. Whatever transition you face, it’s important that you pull off the change without interrupting or disrupting your organization. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind:
1) Listen to employees. The best strategies come from the bottom up, not the top down. Far too many churches, ministries, and non-profits are managed from the top down, and that limits creativity, innovation, and experience. Listen to the people on the front lines and learn what’s working and what isn’t. Dr. Samuel Chand taught me that “culture is more important than vision.” Create a listening culture in your organization and you’ll be amazed at what you’ll discover.
2) Consider making changes to management. Different stages of a turnaround require different skill sets. In the non-profit and religious world, too many organizations are paralyzed because of the wrong management team. In this case, “wrong” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad” or “incompetent” but it means “wrong skill set.” Typically, first generation management teams are great at executing, because the first generation leaders were driven, opinionated leaders. But send generation leaders are more team oriented, listen better, and understand technology. So you need to surround them with a management team that compliments that style. Remember Jim Collins in “Good to Great?” It’s not just getting the right people on the bus, it’s getting them in the right seats. The management team that got you here, may not be the team that takes you to the next level.
3) Remember the past. Don’t get stuck in the past, but play to and upgrade your company’s historic strengths. What core business are you in? How did you get here? In my book “Branding Faith” I talk about the critical importance of understanding your founding story, and making it a key part of the company mythology. People love the story of how companies got started. For instance with Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church in Houston was started by his father John in an abandoned feed store on Mother’s Day 1959. We built a model of that original feed store and set it in the lobby of Lakewood for years, reminding people of their humble beginning. We also re-created scenes from that original Sunday service on film and used it over and over again in video presentations and TV programming. It has always been an inspiration for the congregation.
4) Harness the future. A CEO must make hard decisions that protect the company. Keep the big picture in mind. Change sometimes hurts, but it’s better to keep the organization healthy than to limp along trying to make everybody happy. Don’t be afraid to make the tough decisions.
5) Keep your eyes on the prize. There will be bumps along the way; stay focused on the big picture. Perhaps you’ve rebranded and income is taking a dip. Perhaps you’ve changed your fundraising strategy and you’re not getting results. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the years is that change takes time to set. Changes in your media outreach, fundraising strategy, branding, or operations take time to lock into your audience or donor’s minds. I once had a client that refused to stick with something long enough for it to work. Over and over again he’d get nervous and go back to the original way of doing things. As a result, his ministry has limped along for decades, always struggling. Change takes time, so make a good decision, commit to it, and stay the course long enough for it to work.
Could any of these tips apply to your organization?
Pingback: organization