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Even change has changed. Change is no longer the bridge between what was and what will be — it is the roadway. Embracing change as your constant is a pathway to competitive advantage. Building a bias for change into your culture, as a natural way of working, is a key to sustained advantage.

The Business of Change
A study of 130 successful transformations (large-scale change implementations) found the central issue impacting effective change efforts was not strategy, structure, culture or systems. While all these elements and others are important (and are) the core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people.

Behavioral change happens in highly successful situations where people's feelings are addressed, their emotions are influenced, and "business as usual" is challenged.

Effectively managing transition and transformation establishes a critical capability that positions a rare few organizations to not only have a competitive advantage but to sustain this advantage and apply it repeatedly with growing success and confidence.

At KL Martzall we take the mystery out of "How People Change Their Organizations."

• Create a sense of urgency that is believable and challenging. Shake up the "business as normal" perspective on the emotional level. Make the need visible.
• Form a guiding team charged with leadership, positioned with accountability and resources for change implementation.
• Set a clear vision and strategy for the change effort and targeted outcomes.
• Communicate — sharing the vision and roll out so others see it, feel it, and buy into their involvement in it.
• Empower action so most feel able to act, and do act on the vision. It's behavior change time.
• Recognize and celebrate short-term wins as you build momentum, challenge resistance and begin achieving targeted points along the pathway to lasting change.
• Don't let up. Regression and a return to the comfort of the past are never far away. Support and reinforce those championing and living the change in their everyday interaction and way of working.
• Make change stick by implementing behavior, process and technology change as a planned, simultaneous approach. Establish your new Way of Working.
• Continue to remove barriers, coach for new behavior and celebrate progress.
• At the same time, challenge the status quo and build in consequences for changed and for unchanged behavior.
• Keep everyone in the loop. Use effective communication, planned and situational, as your glue.

Imagine your organization for a change. Ready for the journey?