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It is obvious that Cavemen do not like change. It took years for them to use new tools and new ways for surviving. Most only learnt these skills when they faced a life or death situation. Modern day Cavemen are exactly the same, you can hear them muttering "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Companies and businesses need change to survive. How long would a modern organisation be able to keep up with the competition, if they don't embrace new skills, or technology? Where would they be without it? Change management is a system of identifying the need for change and the transition of old to new. Change is largely due to exterior innovations and influences rather than identifying an internal need. When Companies embrace change quickly, it creates a competitive advantage, whilst companies that refuse to change are left behind. Organisational change affects every department of a business, every employee from the lowest level employee to the highest paid, most senior manager. |
Why do modern day cavemen not like change? Most Cavemen do not like to admit that they are wrong, as it has always worked in the past why won't it work tomorrow? Recognising the need for change in working practices, means that the Caveman has to understand and admit that what they are doing is out of date or more simplistically 'wrong'. Now we see resistance, as no Caveman wants to loose face and admit this.
How many people set 'New Years' resolutions, believing that this year is different from the countless others? They reset old promises, wanting change in their lives, to loss weight or spend more time at the gym to get fit or even stop smoking but what have they changed to make this new promise a proper success?
Modern day Cavemen do not understand change and believe that will power alone will be enough to make their life changing event happen. When will-power alone fails, they succumb to the urge to have a packet of crisps, a night on the sofa or just one 'last' cigarette. Once the promise has been broken, all is lost and they give up on their life improving change.
Companies need change but it needs to be managed correctly. Whether it is the introduction of new technology, new processes, new products or even a change of service priorities, it is a delicate process to introduce this to the Cavemen who need to embrace it. Organisational change can create turmoil and upset amongst staff and even among customers, causing stress and initiating the 'Fight or Flight' reflex.
Change management can be a simple process, if businesses know the rules of change and understand why our Caveman dislikes it. Knowing how people deal with change can make the process a more acceptable transformation, turning unwilling, resisting, vocal staff into willing supporters of change when it is handled correctly.
How many people set 'New Years' resolutions, believing that this year is different from the countless others? They reset old promises, wanting change in their lives, to loss weight or spend more time at the gym to get fit or even stop smoking but what have they changed to make this new promise a proper success?
Modern day Cavemen do not understand change and believe that will power alone will be enough to make their life changing event happen. When will-power alone fails, they succumb to the urge to have a packet of crisps, a night on the sofa or just one 'last' cigarette. Once the promise has been broken, all is lost and they give up on their life improving change.
Companies need change but it needs to be managed correctly. Whether it is the introduction of new technology, new processes, new products or even a change of service priorities, it is a delicate process to introduce this to the Cavemen who need to embrace it. Organisational change can create turmoil and upset amongst staff and even among customers, causing stress and initiating the 'Fight or Flight' reflex.
Change management can be a simple process, if businesses know the rules of change and understand why our Caveman dislikes it. Knowing how people deal with change can make the process a more acceptable transformation, turning unwilling, resisting, vocal staff into willing supporters of change when it is handled correctly.
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A person has to fully accept why there needs to be change, in their head and their heart before they become a willing participant. The human brain has two sides, the left and the right. The 'thinker' side (known as the head) and the 'doer' side (known as the heart). The thinker side is the analytical side which can be reasoned with, the doer side is the emotional link, which is the harder side of the brain to convince when change is needed.
The thinker needs to be convinced of why change is needed. Then the thinker steers the doer side into action. The thinker side is the caveman in our brain, not willing to change until he understands why he absolutely has to. Once he embraces the reason, then he will try and steer the Doer side to a new destination. The Doer side is the Mammoth in our heads, strong, determined and does exactly what it wants to do. The Mammoth links into your feelings and emotions and when it gets bored it does what it is comfortable doing. Just like plain old simple Will power, the big problem is that the Mammoth is a lot stronger and much bigger than the Caveman. The Caveman can pull and push the Mammoth down a new unfamiliar path for only so long before he runs out of strength. The Mammoth is then free to return to the comfortable, well travelled path not accepting the change, becoming angry and upset when it all fails. |
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This is why companies find change hard to implement, especially when it is not managed or communicated correctly. Following some simple rules, identifying triggers for change, speaking to the Caveman and then giving an emotional reason for the Mammoth to want to travel a new path, making changes will become a more pleasant experience for everyone.
Communicating change, using our managing change process, will win support and create success.
Communicating change, using our managing change process, will win support and create success.