Re: Downsizing and Outsourcing LO3686

Willard Jule (75272.3452@compuserve.com)
12 Nov 95 19:34:37 EST

Replying to LO3664 --

Hank Heath wrote

"The five step change without chaos process

1. Developing a personal felt need to change

2. Determining what the future will look like

3. Determining the current situation

4. Developing a plan to create the future

5. Implementing the plan and evaluating the results

What kind of time frames do you attach to these steps? I have found that
*lasting* change requires at least a six month period between steps 4 and
5. Short of that, we stretch people out of shape for a short amount of
time, lose interest in the task, and they revert to old behaviors when no
one is looking? Does this agree with other folks' observations?"

Answer. I think that each step will take a different amount of time for
each organization based on its history. Depending on size, the first four
steps can be completed in as little as a few weeks (The first step can be
achieved for a single group in a few hours. Depending on the
organizational size and the rollout method it can be done even in very
large organizations in a few weeks.)

I suggest that we not lock ourselves into the mindset that the interval
between step 4 and 5 needs to be six months or any other specific length
of time. If an organization is used to dealing with change, then the
people in it don't need a long adaptation period. If the people are not
used to change, it may take them longer than 6 months.

I have just begun using an Aerobics Exercise game with mangers to a;;ow
them to experience what it akes to be successful in a rapidly,
continuously changing environemnt. Namely, they are more likely to be
successful in this envrionment if they are agile in mind and body. Also,
they will be more successful if they learn by doing, making mistakes, and
soing some more. One of the major keys to success is how they define
success at the outset. I suggest that if they are doing something they
have never done before that they define success as doing. Also, to enable
this that they agree that it is OK for everyone to make mistakes and in
particular that each person give him or herself permission to make
mistakes.

I think that it is very important to success in our changing world that we
help execs, managers, and employees get comfortable with changes between
steps 4 and 5 on a very short timescale. In some industries the product
lifecycle has already passed twice in a six month period. These
organizations do not have the luxury of waiting 6 months between steps 4
and 5.

--
Willard Jule
75272.3452@compuserve.com