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A joint venture between forward thinking inc and Herman Miller
forward thinking inc
indigo house
holbrooke place
richmond
surrey
TW10 6UD
t: +44(0) 208 939 2330
f: +44(0) 208 939 2331
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Managing change
It is fashionable today to undertake 'change management' but it seems an odd thing for a client to pay for, per se. Every organisation is involved in a constant evolution to match their unique competencies with the changing needs of their customers and are therefore involved in an almost constant process of change. Sometimes an acquisition or another shock to the corporate system can bring with it particular concerns requiring management to bring their employees with them, demonstrate sensitivity and concern for human issues, provide strong leadership and a clear sense of direction and purpose.
At forward thinking inc we are increasingly asked to support senior management teams in navigating periods of extreme change. The principles we follow are always the same, even though the changes involved are often entirely different in terms of their scope and character. We firstly encourage management to articulate the new direction and the logic behind it as clearly and concisely as possible. How does the future look, and what needs to happen differently to make it a reality? What are the leadership team doing to take responsibility for bringing about that change on a personal and collective level?
Once direction and commitment are clear, we take a broad sounding amongst employees to understand the organisational context. What are the issues, opportunities and particular challenges? We are seeking to understand how this context may influence successful implementation of the change programme.
The key to success is to then positively confront any major issue areas early on, encouraging the management team to explain their decisions clearly and forthrightly. We help resolve any issues through a period of sustained engagement and help employees to map their own progress toward achieving the changes which will see their business successful in the long term.
People need to 'own' the change and feel a strong sense of self determination. As with every business challenge, no rocket science is required but integrity, honesty and bravery from the leadership team are paramount, as is the willingness to lead from the front.
It is important that employees are continuously engaged throughout the change programme, without being constantly 'bombarded' with information that might deaden enthusiasm.
Ultimately, the secret to steering a successful course through a period of change lies in clarity of focus, integrity of behaviour, openness, effective planning and the disciplined but sensitive execution of the plan. As is the case in making any relationship work, effective communication is paramount, not always easy to achieve but almost always rewarding in the long run.
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The missing link
The link between business strategy, brand, culture, operational performance and corporate value is confusing to some. Here we explain, very simply, how it works as we see it.
The start point for strategy development is an understanding of what a company offers which is unique and attractive. This is sometimes called the value proposition or point of difference. A strategy is a plan to leverage that point of difference to deliver the long-term goals of the business, (usually a combination of on target operational performance and long term value growth).
The proposition offers clients something of value to them which they can't get in quite the same way from someone else (which gives them a reason to buy). Aligning every part of your organisation to reinforce and support your proposition ensures that the business can consistently deliver on it. If it doesn't deliver, the wheels come off.
At the heart of a good corporate brand sits the proposition. Brands are built by consistently dramatising the proposition. Historically perceived to be the preserve of the marketing department, in fact every person in the organisation has responsibility for communicating the proposition - through their actions.
When an investor values a company, he places a value on the turnover, the cash thrown off and the margin generated. He also values the assets. Arguably, a company's brand is its most valuable asset, though most would argue that it's the people or Human Capital. People and their behaviours are an integral part of the brand, so the two are interdependent in any event.
In this context, the company's value proposition can best be viewed as the 'organising intelligence' behind both strategic and operational action plans - designed to deliver sustained growth in both performance and value.
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