SBDC for Enterprise Excellence

Business as UNusual.

Business as Unusual:  The Handbook for Managing and Supervising Organizational Change, is an interesting and informative read.  The authors provide 27 guidelines on how to manage change instead of letting it manage you.

Dr Wright J Lassister, Chancellor of the Dallas Community College District penned this summary of the book which I received via my North Texas SBDC region director.  I won’t give away all 27 guidelines… but will wet your whistle with some of the ideas presented.  A great topic to consider as we start the New Year out with our individual Big Plans and many Forced Changes beyond our control!

By following the guidelines the authors make the case that you can discover how to:
- Be a change agent.
- Rebuild morale.
- Pass out “psychological paychecks.”
- Re-recruit your good people.
- Take care of the “me” issues.
- Ride “close herd” on transition and change.

Before listing the guidelines, ponder these observations of the authors:

• “Change is stressful.  Times like these can get on your nerves.  But it’s during the tough times that you have a chance to really grow.”
• “The company really needs you now.  And you will find that times of transition and change provide an opening for you to do some remarkable things with your part of the organization.”
• Usually change is under-managed.  People up and down the chain of command are frequently too resistive, too reactive, and too closely tied to their old management habits.”

I will offer you the first 5 guidelines today. In the coming weeks, I will elaborate on these five guidelines and provide some expansion on the authors’ overall themes throughout the book!
1. Be a change agent.
2. Don’t give away your power.
3. Keep a positive attitude.
4. Give your troops clear-cut marching orders.
5. Focus on short-range objectives

Change doesn’t just happen effectively.  It needs guidance and needs to be nurtured along the way.  Make 2009 the Year of Effectively Managed Change for you an your organization!