The Key Ingredients In Making Change
Change is talked about and written about a lot. Yet as we all know there is a big difference between talking about and actually delivering change.
So what in my experience are some of the key ingredients in making any kind of change? 
Clarity
A lot of leaders talk about the need to change. Fewer are able to provide clarity on what the organisation is changing to. Take the public sector as an example.
How many times have we heard it needs to change? Hundreds if not thousands of times.
Yet if we asked what that change would be like in some level of detail, it is much more difficult to articulate.
Without that clarity resources are wasted trying to figure out what the change is rather than making it happen.
Courage
Most of us spend most of the time in our comfort zone if we are totally honest. While we might moan, complain and even get frustrated with where we are now, the vast majority will not have the courage to take the risk.
Leaders and managers can just be as guilty as anyone else in my experience.
Focus
It’s easy to get drawn towards the next big thing or to jump from one thing to the other.
Those who are serious about change realise that it requires a lot of focus over what is sometimes a fairly long period of time.
Measurement
No change process is ever a one-step success. It usually consists of a series of small steps and key milestones.
For that reason it is vital to have measurement to determine whether you are on or off track and also to keep motivation through the highs and lows.
People Skills
You might well have the best processes, plans and structures in the world.
On the other hand you cannot ever hope to make change if you cannot win the support of people. This sounds easy in theory but in practice it is one of the biggest challenges that leaders and managers face.
In truth making change is tough and there are more examples of failings than success when it comes to making organisational change.
Duncan Brodie helps professionals like accountants and doctors to become highly successful leaders and managers. Learn more here.
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.