The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

136 / LEADING THROUGH CHALLENGES

Strategic

Business Plan

Setting the pace

When orchestrating strategic change

within an organization, you need to give

careful consideration to timing. If the

rate of change is too slow, the process

may simply run out of momentum;

if it is too fast, you risk creating

stress and burnout.

Aim for a sustainably fast pace

at which your major initiatives will

have started to produce measurable

results within a year—even if the

whole process is scheduled to take

much longer. Steering significant

organizational change is hard work:

OPEN CHANNELS

Keep listening to everyone you are

connected to; share ideas, and keep

open channels of communication

that are needed now and may be

needed in the future.

Tip

Connected organizational plans

typically, there is a trough in visible

results just at the point where you

need the most effort and commitment

from all stakeholders. Investors, in

particular, may lose heart in this trough

period, so need to be reminded regularly

of the benefits to come. Plan in “quick

wins” throughout the process of

change—achievements that have

high visibility but require little

effort. Celebrate and publicize these

successes, and drip-feed messages

about how project milestones and

results achieved so far are bringing

the vision nearer to reality.

Aim for a sustainably

fast pace at which your

major initiatives

will have started to

produce measurable

results within a year

US_136-137_Focusing_on_the_future.indd 136 30/05/16 3:02 pm