Change Starts with Systems: A Smarter Approach to Organizational Transformation
Consider:
“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.”
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.
Want help taking a systems-perspective? Explore change options:
