In a previous article Coaching Organizational Change: A Complex Challenge, a brief overview was provided on the concept of coaching organizational change, contrasting it with individual change. The article concluded with a key insight: “Effective organizational change must be both top-down and bottom-up.” This dual approach presents one of the most significant challenges in coaching, training, consulting, and facilitating change within organizations.
The Root of the Problem: Poor Planning
Organizational change initiatives often fail due to inadequate planning and poor framing at the outset. Success requires more than a rousing presentation to the HR department or the Board. While such presentations may generate initial excitement, they rarely provide the foundation needed for meaningful and lasting change.
Statistically, the outcomes of organizational change efforts are discouraging. Research shows that only 20 to 30% of “change initiatives” within organizations are successful. This means nearly 80% of these efforts fail. [Taking Charge of Change, Douglas Smith, 1996].
A History of Change Initiatives
Over the years, organizations have experimented with numerous change initiatives, including:
- Reengineering
- Total Quality Management (TQM)
- Management by Objectives (MBO)
- Core Competencies
- Matrix Management
- Teamwork
- Downsizing
- Flattening the Organization
- Empowerment
- Six Sigma
- Continuous Improvement
- Just-in-Time Inventory
- Vision and Mission Development
These programs, while conceptually sound, often fall short because they address only parts of the organization. Many are introduced as quick fixes, which fail to resolve deeper systemic issues and, in some cases, exacerbate existing problems.
Beyond Behavior: Targeting the Core of Change
The training manual, Organizational Change: Coaching Organizations for Lasting Change, by L. Michael Hall (Ph.D. Executive Director, ISNS), emphasizes that many change programs focus solely on altering behavior. While behavior change is the ultimate objective, this approach is insufficient for achieving long-term success. Instead, the manual advocates for addressing the core of the issue—what Neuro-Semantics refers to as the “heart of things,” which involves the understandings and meanings that individuals hold in their minds.
Behavioral changes alone are insufficient for long-term success. Although behavioral change is the ultimate goal, it cannot serve as the starting point. Sustainable change requires addressing the underlying meanings and understandings that people hold. In Neuro-Semantics, this is referred to as focusing on the “heart of things.”
True organizational change targets how people think, believe, interact, and feel—because organizations are, fundamentally, their people. Leaders, employees, suppliers, and customers all contribute to the system. For new strategies to succeed, research indicates that 65% of front-line employees must make significant changes.
The Human Element: A Leadership Challenge
“If you’re leading people, you are probably trying to get them to do something different. When you execute a strategy that requires a lasting change in behavior, you are facing one of the greatest leadership challenges you will ever meet.”
[The 4 Disciplines of Execution, 2012, p. 3].
External changes—such as new procedures, rules, or management structures—rarely result in true transformation. Real change occurs internally. If employees responsible for executing the change:
- Remain uncertain about it,
- Lack clarity on the goals,
- Are not committed to the process,
- Do not believe in the change,
- Or fail to see personal value in the effort,
The change simply will not happen. Without widespread personal involvement and alignment across all levels of the organization, meaningful transformation becomes impossible.
The Inside-Out Approach: A Paradigm Shift
Addressing this hidden, human element of change requires a paradigm shift. Leaders must adopt an inside-out approach that engages every individual within the organization.
This type of change is not a quick fix. It cannot be achieved through a weekend workshop or even a six-month training program. Instead, organizations must view meaningful change as a 3-to-5-year commitment.
The Long Game of Organizational Change
Organizational change remains one of the most challenging tasks leaders face. It requires careful planning, commitment from all levels, and a focus on internal transformation. Although the process demands time and effort, the rewards of achieving sustainable, impactful change make it an endeavor worth pursuing.
Curated by Danielle Tan.
Reference:
- [Certified_meta-coach] 2024 Morpheus #50 THE CHALLENGE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE by L. Michael Hall, Ph.D. Executive Director, ISNS.
