April 2008
Sharon's Desk:
Organizational Change and Risk
As I watch the snow melt outside my office window and nurture my flower and vegetable seedlings in anticipation of the greening to come, I think about the parallels these springtime changes have to organizations.
Two factors that are reliable predictors of an organization’s ultimate success or failure are its internal response to change and its tolerance for risk. Is the organization flexible and opportunity-driven? Is it encumbered with bureaucracy and territorialism that makes change difficult and painful? These company ‘personalities’ speak loudly about an organization’s health and ability to adapt its goals to take advantage of the changing environment around it.
“Change is inevitable”– we all know that, at least in our heads. Carrying that belief all the way through to positively affect our actions and attitudes is another matter, however. If you groan inwardly when you see yet another change on the horizon for your organization, you’re missing some important facts.
The two Chinese characters that translate into the English word ‘crisis’ stand for ‘danger’ and ‘opportunity’. Change and risk are potential crises for your business – both are actions with inherent potential for both good and bad. How you view impending changes will set the stage for how you respond.
If you see change as an opportunity and work to position your company to enhance the potential good that can come from it, you’ll likely weather the change well and successfully turn it into a step of growth for your organization. If you retreat into denial or view the impending change with suspicion or hostility, you give changes the opportunity to injure or cripple your organization.
So as you greet the changes that we anticipate and welcome with the coming spring, bring that same anticipation and positive planning to your organization. Its’ health and success depend on it!
