Past experience in your organization may have shown that attempts to change a particu-
lar process have been met with resistance, often even scuttled. Using this tool, a team or work-
group can draw an interacting systems map, then use the map to improve the original change
proposal. They can then modify the change and action plans to deal with incompatibilities
and conflicts among interacting systems. The interacting systems map can ultimately be used
as part of a successful change presentation.
Place the proposed change in the center of a large sheet of paper or display board. Then
place all the other systems that interlink with the change around the center. Draw arrows to
illustrate connections. Next, consider each interacting system, and ask: “Will this interacting
system support or hinder the proposed changes?”
? For systems that are supportive of the change, ask: “How can we enhance or use this
support to ensure successful change?”
? For systems that are barriers to the change, ask: “How can we reduce this barrier to
minimize its disruption to the proposed change?” or “How can we redesign our change
proposal to minimize the negative effect of this barrier?”
? For systems whose impact on the proposed change is unknown, ask: “How can we get
information about this system, to ensure it does not get in the way of our proposed
change?”HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“More than 95 percent of your organization’s problems derive from your systems, processes, and methods, not
from your individual workers. Your people are doing their best, but their best efforts cannot compensate for your
inadequate and dysfunctional systems.”
—Peter Scholtes, THE LEADER’S HANDBOOK- On the worksheet provided, identify the systems that are likely to interact with your
change proposal.
? Which systems will support the proposed change?
? Which systems will inhibit or be barriers to the recommended change?
? What can you do to reduce, eliminate, or turn around these barriers? - A tool such as this works best if it is adapted to each change task force’s unique needs.
For example, consider the following steps:- Post sheets of flip chart paper to produce a large square.
- Place the recommended change in the middle box.
− Diagram all the subsystems that will interact with the recommended change.
− Draw lines to show interrelationships.
− Circle the supporting subsystems in green.
− Circle the unknown impact subsystems in yellow.
− Circle the subsystems that conflict or that you are concerned about in red.
− Write action plans next to each subsystem.
154 SECTION 5 TOOLS FORLEADINGCHANGE