Continuous Improvement v. Radical Change

Question 1

Continuous Improvement v. Radical Change

Answer 1

In the perpetual battle between the proponents of continuous improvement, for example through Kaizen, and radical change: there is no clear winner.

• Combination of both approaches leads to success stories.
• The traditional western style based on innovation and control does not appear to have paid the dividends that have has been made from the process of continuous small improvements practised by the Japanese.

Question 2

Why change fails?

Answer 2

• misunderstanding of what change is: change is a journey not an event and some view it as a single event.
• lack of planning & preparation: management may suffer from tunnel vision - only looking at the result at the end rather than the steps needed to get there.
• poor communication: giving information gradually is risky - he grapevine may get there before you.
• fear of failure: managers wonder whether business will suffer short-term. Will spare price plummet? Will workforce morale wane? will we be blamed?

employee resistance: for example inertia from middle managers with 15 years tenure and 2 ranks to go.

Change programme has no clear vision: if you don’t know where you’re going, how can you expect to get there?

Goals to far into the future: employee enthusiasm may be low if their is no recognisable short-term wins.

ill-prepared employees: failure to provide the training or necessary skills to clear the hurdles that have been raised by change.

Question 3

The Change Challenge

Answer 3

few basic principles that can ensure that change is not doomed to failure:

• be clear on what kind of change is required: major change vs. moderate process improvement, slows vs. rapid roll-out, decide which is best from a customer, competitive & corporate viewpoint.
• plan, plan, plan: setting out clearly defined objectives & responsibilities, focus on the detail.
• prepare employees: tackle training & development prior to initiating the change programme to give the staff confidence and ability to clear hurdles.
• set short-term goals: the war will only be won by winning the battles along the way, reward wins, and if goals aren’t met, focus on improvement.
• pre-exempt resistance: managers need to respond to resistance; hook into what people have to gain or lose by changing.
• communicate: ensure communication is 2 way by establishing feedback sessions, suggestion slips, open dialogue. Divulge how information can be cascaded.
• all hands on deck: recognise that people are much more inclined to support they help create and resist what is forced upon them.
• prepare for the unpredictable: continued adaptation is a necessity; an organisation prepared for uncertainty is better placed to optimise opportunity created by change.