“Where do you want to go today?”

“Where do you want to go today?” "Embrace, extend, and extinguish"
Is your business people ready

A few catchy slogans of Microsoft in the last few years; testament to the importance of change management and learning organization. The success stories are endless…the reasons...embrace risk, encourage employees to make mistake, learn from those mistake (“do not repeat”). As proverbial saying goes…Edison learnt 1000 ways of how not to make a bulb. Compliment innovation and invention; result a win-win situation for everyone.

Organizational culture…defined as a set of values, beliefs, and understanding shared by the organization and its people. How does it take an organization to higher levels of competitiveness and success is critical when we analyze the implications of it. Does it help promote the shared values among employees or does it create rifts (due to culture shock/indifferences/self denial). Only those companies which have a learning and adaptive culture remain competitive in the long run. Whether it’s 7 Ss or APRIL, high performance, results, and returns are the factor that determines the success.

Also, cultural assumptions stifle and advocate management propaganda and ideology. Complexities and nuances of cultures often overlap.

Why change management or to say organizational change fails? Because management ignores the early warning signs of discomfort, inadequate communication, and often a top-down approach of decision making which leaves a very little room for negotiation.

Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y popularized Human Relations approach and lead the foundation of many other management schools of thoughts. However, depending on circumstance and both internal/external forces, an employee who is X could become a Y employee.

But often the companies who operate in an uncertain environment, it becomes difficult to adopt the best practices and thereby stay tuned. Companies like 3M’s Post-It pads gives credence to the idea champion who are harbinger of creativity and innovation, but surely there would have been numerous such inventions which never reach to the production line. Dichotomy of assessment and goals, resistance to change, and often overlooking any force that affects organizational goals explain why change management fails.

The ugly face of the organization, whether by design or default, leaves a huge negative impact on the individual and society. Take Pyramid of Egypt or use of cheap foreign labor by Wal-Mart, both are examples of organizational domination and exploitation. However,; whistleblowers (Face of the year: Enron, Sharon Watkins) are nowadays recognized and suitably awarded for their courage and stand.