Developing the Change Management Mindset:
3 Critical Ways of Thinking to Bring About Change
“Change Management Mindset” is a term that has been thrown around in the workplace for years, but what does it really entail? For change to be successful, an individual must adopt a change management mindset. This article will provide 3 critical ways of thinking that can help bring about change and develop a change management mindset.
1. You’ve got to break the pattern of thinking that you don’t have time for improvement.
It’s hard to change your habits because it usually means you’re breaking the pattern of thinking that you don’t have time for improvement. Most people feel they are too busy with work and family obligations but often find themselves in a situation where change is necessary due to stagnating or declining performance. Businesses are exactly the same. People feel busy, overworked and additional tasks are a burden. It can be difficult not only to create change when needed but also change efficiently.
Breaking this mindset requires challenging one’s own beliefs and that of the company. We have to recognise that if do not make time for improvement nothing will ever change. It is the same for individuals and for businesses. Recognizing what needs changing before a negative outcome occurs; otherwise, you risk taking on an attitude of “I told myself we would do better next year.” When individuals and businesses take action now—even if just making small changes–they will see their productivity and their business results begin to skyrocket as a result.
2. In the beginning, improvement is in addition to daily work.
Eventually (as the organisation matures), it becomes part of daily work.
An individual must change their mindset from “I don’t have time for improvement” to “It’s important”. Businesses must do the the same.
To change our habits, we need not only willpower but also a willingness to change across the business and it will cause a little pain in the short term. We need an open mind and be willing to step outside of what is comfortable or normal and do that little bit extra to make time for improvements. One way that colleagues can begin improving process in addition to daily work is by setting up small timeslots on their calendar each day. Even just a 15-30 mins timeslot to work on an improvement.
This helps break down the hurdle of getting started with change into smaller manageable steps without turning it into yet another task on your already crowded schedule. These activities then return benefits and those benefits make more time available for bigger improvements.
But also be critical about what you do work on. A small fire does not need to be put out immediately, so don’t overreact to everything that goes wrong. It’s ok to let something burn a little and simmer away as the fire often goes out itself.
Your job is to become aware of the “noise” that businesses make when people, departments and entire businesses are crazily busy but adding no value. In these instances, try to not get caught in the noise and stay focused on creating value.
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
3. Switch your addiction.
Become addicted to improvement results instead of the chaos of the current state.
The change management mindset requires a change in thinking. It’s not about the change, it is about changing your mind so you can change what needs to be changed. This doesn’t mean working extra hours of overtime or taking on more tasks; instead, this means looking for opportunities to do things better and smarter–even if just incrementally–in order to increase performance and productivity from both individuals and businesses at a higher level than before.
Too many of us are addicted to being “busy” but the real challenge is learning to be forever addicted to making improvements.
What is a Mindset?
A mindset is a pattern of thought that allows us to approach change in a certain way. Although change is inevitable, it does not mean that change will be easy to manage and implement. In order to achieve desired results, employees must have the appropriate mindset for change management or performance improvement.
What is Change Management?
Change management (or performance improvement) refers to systematic processes of managing change in organizations by understanding what needs changing before negative outcomes occur or to stop more negative outcomes from occurring again and again.
A change in one’s thinking.
It is important to change our mindset so we can change what needs changing, such as a change management mindset and the performance management mindset. Change requires the challenge of personal beliefs and those held by an organization about itself – this includes recognizing that if you do not make time for improvement nothing will ever change, which means individuals need to change their mindsets from “I don’t have time for improvement” to “It’s important.” Businesses must also adopt this way of thinking with open minds willing to step outside of what feels comfortable or normal but just incrementally
