Posts Tagged ‘public sector change’

Change is just part and parcel of business these days. No organisation, no matter in what industry or sector it operates, can rest on its laurels and take its foot off the gas.

Often when it comes to change initiatives, all of the attention is on the structures, processes and tools.

The trouble is that while this is important to take care of, it is really people who make change happen.

Sometimes organisations assume that because people are highly skilled in a particular field that they will somehow just know how to make change.

When I worked in the NHS I was surrounded by highly talented people. The flipside was however that many of them had no specific experiences to draw on from outside their own area of expertise or training on how to deal with major scale change.

As a result many initiatives fell by the wayside, not because of lack of effort but often because people had never been equipped to deal with major scale change.

So if you are serious about delivering major scale change, don’t just pay attention to the tools and processes. Focus on equipping and enabling people to make the change a reality.

The Bottom Line: Remember that people in organisations are really a huge asset. The question is, do you want to maximise the return on the investment you make in your people assets?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to become highly effective leaders and managers. He invites you to take advantage of his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

With the massive gap in public finances, the public sector is facing up to the period of expenditure reductions. This will without doubt require many changes to be made if the economy is to get into a solid footing again. So what lessons should leaders in the public sector bear in mind when it comes to making change?

1. Others don’t see it as important

   It is fine for those at the top of the organisation to talk about the challenges and possible actions. Yet, if they are to happen, sufficient numbers at different levels need to see the importance of making change.

2. People are not equipped to deal with change

   When I worked in the public sector, either as an employee or as a consultant, I came across many people who cared passionately about what they did. They were great within their area but had never received any training in the area of change. If you are going to deliver success through a change initiative, you need to equip people to make it happen.

3. They don’t paint a picture

   I don’t mean this literally but, if you want to get people to buy in to any sort of change, you need to clearly show what’s going to be different from the present.

4. They fix things but don’t change hearts and minds

   Changes to processes and practices might require some effort but essentially they can be done. Changing hearts and minds so that people accept the new way rather than harping back about the good old days is the real challenge.

The Bottom Line

Change brings with it fear, anxiety and a desire to hold on to things even if they are not great. The challenge for the leader is to make the change compelling enough to people who can make it happen.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here