DISCUSSION SESSION

Qn – So, what really triggers organizational 

change?

A man working on an oil platform in the North Sea awakened suddenly one night by an explosion. Amidst the chaos, he made his way to the edge of the platform. As a plume of fire billowed behind him, he decided to jump from the burning platform even though jumping is a risky option for the following reasons: It was a 150‐foot drop from the platform to the water. There is debris and burning oil on the surface of the water. If the jump into the 40°F water did not kill him, he would die of exposure within 15 minutes. Luckily, the man survived the jump and hauled aboard a rescue boat shortly thereafter. When asked why he jumped, he replied, “Better probable death than certain death.” The point is the literally “burning” platform caused the radical change in his behavior.

The Burning Platform

Organizational Purpose

Mission Strategic objectives

STRATEGY & GOALS

Leadership Management Employees

VALUES & CULTURE

Business processes Risk and Compliance Technology Infrastructure

PROCESSES & CONTROLS

PEOPLE & SKILLS Skills and Capabilities Performance

management Rewards and

Compensation Learning and

Development

RELATIONSHIPS & STRUCTURE Organization Design Accountabilities External stakeholders

Relationships & structure

Values& Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

What needs to be re‐thought/re‐ordered to make change happen?

Lewin’s ‘3 STEP’ linear model for organizational change

• Acknowledge feelings and empathise.

• Give people as much information about the change as possible.

• Say what will not change.

• Treat the past with respect.

• Help others see the gap.

STEP 1: Unfreezing(Creating motivation and readiness to change)

• Provide focus and direction.

• Strengthen people’s connections to one another.

• Provide the individual with a specific role in the change process.

• Provide leadership and tenacity.

STEP 2: Change and movement(Guiding through the transition)

• Implement quick requests and highlight successes.

• Ensure the individuals and leaders reinforce the new behaviour.

• Build feedback mechanisms.

• Celebrate.

STEP 3: Re-freezing(Integrating the new point of view)

AS‐IS Organization

TO‐BE Organization

Relationships & structure

Values & Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

Relationships & structure

Values & Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

Relationships & structure

Values & Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

Relationships & structure

Values & Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

Relationships & structure

Values & Culture

Processes &controls

People & Skills

Strategy & goals

Unfreeze

Freeze

Create readiness for change –1. Question old ways 2. Build a climate for change 

Expect uncertainty, searching and conflict

Continually challenge individual behavioursFoster Creativity and  Innovation as normative 

Lewin refined: non-linear “fitness landscapes”

Long Term Sporting and Business success is ‐

• Paved with small achievements

• Built off strong internal competition

• Informed by scheduled and adhered to decision‐making audits

Dr Veronica Burke [2013] Cranfield University

KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPONENTS OF CHANGE

Rational

Emotional Political

“Is change right analytically”

“Is change acceptable to all constituencies”

“Is change supported pyschologically in the organization”

S Robbins, 2003, Harvard Business Review, “Leading Change - Why Transformation Efforts Fail”

TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS FAIL...

• Sense of urgency not established  and no powerful ‘guiding coalitions’ created

• Failure to involve and educate 

• Little systematic planning for ‘short term wins’

• Declaration of change ‘victory’ too soon

• Change not anchored in a new corporate culture and lack of ‘measures’ to justify change

SO, PROACTIVELY DRIVE CHANGE

• Over communicate ‐ promote Q&A  and two‐way feedback 

• Build Leader stability – via sincerity and honesty

• Explain  ‐ continually send message of why change/evolve

• Involve key people [distribute  leadership)

• Set standards and targets – clarity, rewards, standards

• Identify [benefits] and measure [outcomes]

Treadwell, 2013

Richard Branson ‘Sport to Business’ Logic* 

1. Teamwork is paramount

2. Mentorship matters

3. Be resilient and determined

4. Have Pride and Purpose

5. Delegate wherever possible

*Linkedin comments [3.5 million followers!]