WHAT MAKES A TRANSFORMATION SUCCESSFUL?

1. TOP MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT – NICE TO HAVE 

Top management commitment is often first on the list of success factors for a transformation. But how critical is it, really? Might it possibly be no more than a requirement developed through habit, which in the end is not actually that decisive? Our experience suggests that it depends entirely on the company and how management defines itself.

Top management can see itself as a corrective figure for overzealous change-makers at the same time as it encourages and supports them in proposing and driving change. If that truly is its role and everyone is aware of their role, then it is a possible option, maybe even an especially smart one. However, it does require the ability to delegate, to let go. That's the only way to ensure responsibility for the future can be handed over to employees, and that will at least boost their commitment to the transformation. Plus, achieving broad commitment throughout the workforce is the real success factor.

If the rank and file show no allegiance to the company then even the best top management commitment won't help. Quite the opposite, in fact. There is a risk of "valve solutions" where top management turns its back on large sections of the workforce and builds new worlds parallel to the core business. This can be a powerful option, but only as long as everything is supported by the idea of a test lab and concepts are developed over time to transfer any lessons learned to the rest of the organization. Otherwise, standalone solutions can be an indication that top management does not believe in its ability to transform the company as a whole.

2. MOTIVATED, CAPABLE, AND EMPOWERED WORKERS – MUST HAVE 

If commitment on the part of the workforce is the real success factor, then it's worthwhile looking at factors that foster and inhibit commitment.

Given that a transformation is a fundamental change, long-term success typically requires a change in the mindsets and behaviors of managers and employees alike. The will to change our own behaviors grows

• when we understand the need for or the value of change.
• the more people change their behavior.
• when conditions are such that it is easier to modify behaviors.
• as we begin to trust that we can survive in the new world.

In other words, it's all about motivation.

Why is motivation so important? That's easy. Because attempts to drive change by issuing orders and commanding obedience will be less and less likely to succeed in future. This is partly down to changes in society's values, as well as growing complexity that management alone is no longer able to keep in check. As such it is essential to turn as many employees as possible into transformation champions.

But real commitment takes more than motivation. Unless people are granted the ability to help shape the transformation, or are at least reassured that they will be able to make a contribution in the new world, all the motivation in the world will come to nothing. We need a workforce that is both motivated and capable.

Last but not least comes empowerment. Motivation and capability are of no use whatsoever if someone has no power to realize change. So it makes perfect sense to invest in all three factors simultaneously.

WHAT ACTIONS ARE HELPFUL DURING A TRANSFORMATION?

Below we propose four actions that are mutually reinforcing.

1. TELL A GOOD STORY

Everything starts with a good story.2 Regardless of whether the content relates to agenda-setting or is "just" a compelling story, the aim is to give purpose to changes beyond targets and performance metrics. The idea is to tell a story that is true, motivating, and plausible without being trivial.

Marketing experts will be familiar with another element of successful communication, which they call "reason to believe". Employees are not always going to blindly trust in management. So it's advisable to establish facts early on that are tangible and reinforce the credibility of that good story. This often starts with role models and consistent behaviors. To that end:

2. CHALLENGE PARADIGMS AND ADAPT

Every company has its own principles, rules, and value systems that shape behaviors and decisions. Some of these paradigms are explicit while others are unspoken and unconscious. Typical examples include statements such as "Compliance with planning is mandatory", "The boss is always right", "Machines have to be fully utilized", "The client wants it that way", etc.

Existing paradigms can sometimes be helpful in a transformation, but they can also stand in its way. What is important is that we explicitly confront paradigms and manage them in the context of our specific objectives. There are two basic approaches here: we can try to modify the paradigms in people's minds and change the rules later on. This is the usual approach if a consensus or majority infers that change is imminent.

The alternative is to change the rules first so as to reward desired behaviors, thus creating incentives for sustainable behavior change. Much in keeping with the motto "Tell me how you measure me and I'll tell you how I will behave".

Both methods have pros and cons, and a mix of the two is likely to prove the most useful.

3. PROMOTE CHANGE COMPETENCY 

Change competency includes the ability to recognize the need and opportunity for change, to develop objectives and excite people about those objectives, and to derive and implement actions. There is also something called passive change competency. This refers to the ability to adapt to change.

A successful transformation calls for active and passive change competency. It's important to identify which people in a company require which mix of these competencies and who, given appropriate support, will be in a position to make a positive contribution to the transformation. We can then move on to build actual competencies. Here we recommend scheduling not just trainings but also parallel exercises in applying the competencies plus appropriate coaching. After all, it's not enough to just know about something, we also need to understand it and how to apply it.

That last point, about application, brings us to our final point:

4. ADAPT ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP MODELS 

All the personal motivation and competencies in the world will be of no use if the general circumstances do not support behavioral change, or even hinder it in some way. If bottlenecks arise due to missing or outdated information, or to decisions made too late or not at all, frustration will build and there will be a price to pay, mainly in terms of speed. Given that we expect change to happen fast enough that no startup can overtake us, rapid information and decision-making paths are absolutely vital.

It remains to be seen whether organizational models such as Holacracy will take root in future. Yet it is already clear that conventional, often hierarchical, models will be unable to satisfy market and employee requirements in the long term. As such we need to investigate early on whether our respective organizational model actually supports the factors critical to a successful transformation.

And finally, there is one more change mentioned in our initial table: the evolution of leadership. Instead of a boss we will need coaches who are able to support employees in getting better over time.

Actively introducing this role change, which we know of from lean leadership, is almost guaranteed to pay off in the end.

CONCLUSION

The faster and more drastically general circumstances change, and there is a lot pointing to that happening already, the more important it becomes to fundamentally change our own business model. Speed plays a vital role. To put it another way:

• More of the same is not enough for a transformation
• The success of a transformation depends on managers and employees being motivated, capable, and empowered.

Take heed of the first point, and secure the second by allowing change activities to develop their full potential and lead you to success.