Change Starts with Systems: A Smarter Approach to Organizational Transformation

If your job is to *change the organization*, don't overlook this critical requirement:

The key to changing an organization is starting with a *systems perspective*

If you don't take a systems perspective, you'll overlook things that impact viability of change

A systems perspective is what it sounds like - considering a whole working system and all it's component parts

When you look at everything influencing the system, you can evaluate it's impact on your proposed changes and make plans to manage and even leverage their influence

Here is a list of some of the things to consider when taking a systems perspective and designing, leading, and managing change:

• Functions

• Teams

• Units

• Geography

• Product

• Innovation

• Branding

• Culture

• Processes

• Practices

• Employees

• Managers

• Executives

• Markets

• Governments

• Competition

• Every other thing that plays a role in your success or failure

If you are not thinking about the interconnectedness of your system, then your change plans will fail

Taking a systems perspective gives you leverage - by accounting for and strategically including all component parts

Pair the above approach with good communication, stakeholder involvement, and iterative learning - you're on your way to successful change