Lean Quote: To Improve is to Change, To be Perfect is to Change Often

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often."   —  Winston Churchill

People commonly resist change for a variety of reasons.  Although you intend for the change to result in a positive outcome, change is often viewed as negative.  Before you can overcome the resistance it is wise to be aware of why the resistance exists. Usually, it is a result of one of the following causes…

People not agreeing with or understanding the value / benefits of the innovation.

Fear of the unknown.

People have had no opportunity to provide input in the planning or implementation of the change.

Little or no reward / benefits to the people impacted by the idea.

Increased effort from people required as a result of implementing the idea.

Fear that the change will result in job cuts.

Personality clashes between the people affected by the idea and the ideas inventor.

No trust of the people who have been mandated to implement the change

Belief that the change is unnecessary or will make the situation worse

A belief that the idea is inferior to another idea.

A feeling that the change will result in a loss of security, status, money or friends.

Bad experiences from similar changes that had been or been attempted to be implemented in the past.

Being aware of the causes mentioned above and being able to specifically identify which ones may be relevant to our particular business greatly increases your chances of overcoming the resistance to change.

Dr. John Kotter, Harvard professor, author, and leadership consultant, shares that as leaders we must motivate our teams by communicating our strategy and vision for all changes, and he provides an 8-step process for implementing change:

1.Create a sense of urgency

Present an opportunity that helps the team see the need for change

2.Build a guiding coalition

Get a group of diverse, early adopters that will help communicate and guide the change

3.Form a strategic vision and initiatives

Provide a visual of what the change will look like and the direction you’re headed

4.Enlist volunteers

Continually obtain buy-in to keep the momentum and purpose moving forward

5.Enable action by removing barriers

Keep apprised of the challenges being faced and ensure strong communication and new processes are in place

6.Generate short-term wins

Reward and recognize successes as they occur

7.Sustain acceleration

Use the successes as a springboard to continually move forward

8.Institute change

Share how the changes, processes, and initiatives contribute to the organization’s overall success

It’s up to us as leaders to minimize the fear of change by communicating the value of each change, ultimately reducing resistance and obtaining success.