The magnitude, pace and frequency of change facing organizations today has drastically increased. While a great deal of thought goes into what the change is – designing a new strategy, choosing a new CEO, cutting headcount – most organizations fail to effectively plan for and manage the change process. As a result, productivity and morale are adversely affected; organizations may never realize the full benefits of the change.

Nancy Raulston & Associates begins during the early stages of the decision process to assist clients in identifying and planning to effectively manage the issues that may arise during a change. We help our clients understand that individuals, groups and organizations go through a process of building acceptance of the change and that acceptance depends on effective communication – providing information and listening to responses.

A clear vision provides a guiding light for organizations, helping people understand where they are going and the future shape of the organization. Management should explain specifically why the organization can no longer be successful the old way. Senior leadership must clearly identify and communicate priorities and timelines so that people know how to contribute to the organization’s success. Each entity (work group, functional unit, individual) should understand specifically what to do – and what to stop doing.

Aligning the members of the organization behind a clear vision helps them understand and prepare for the concrete change to come. In order to achieve the new vision, restructuring may become necessary, so that roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships change. Goals and reward structures are affected; people may need to focus on different aspects of their jobs. Significant changes – mergers, changes in strategy, changes in leadership – also involve a change in culture, the “soft” side of the organization. Not only must employees do something different, but how they work may also need to change.Aspects of the company’s culture may not support the new definition of success. Particularly in a downsizing effort, aspects of the change may clearly violate previously held norms or values. People will notice the conflict and use it as a reason to resist the change, unless senior management clearly acknowledges and explains the change. We have created a process and tools to help organizations plan for and effectively manage both the “hard” and “soft” sides of change.