We have the business plan, the strategic plan, the tactical plan and the plans for every major aspect of our business. Failure to adequately think through and address these questions will ultimately compromise the effectiveness of the change process and the ability to implement strategic plans. Organizational change carries with it an element of uncertainty and threat for each individual. This raises issues of personal trust, loyalty, value and leadership. Failure to address the Me Factor at all organizational levels results in conscious or subconscious resistance to change.
Some effects are obvious.
We have seen productivity drop, loss of team spirit and pivotal personnel picked off by the competition or taking the early retirement package. Other devastating effects are buried deep in the process. We have seen at least one senior leadership team initiate change from the top, only to have certain members of the team sabotage the efforts when they realized that the change would cost them power. At its base, we are talking about managing any real or perceived threat to me. This is a process of leadership in conflict management.