Stephen Heidari-Robinson & Suzanne Heywood, Harvard Business Review Press, £21.99/£14.24 e-book
We’ve got a problem, it seems, with change. In tumultuous times like these, it’s a near-perpetual state rather than a once-in-a-lifetime event. Conversely, however, we’re not getting any better at it: as Reorg’s authors explain, only 16 per cent of change projects bring the value they are supposed to deliver, and 9 per cent actively damage the business.
Change, you could say, is changing – as McKinsey consultants, the authors have the intellectual rigour, robust metrics and forensic methodology to help. In their view, a change (or ‘reorg’) is a series of careful, incremental and meticulously planned steps, with the way you do things more important in the long run than what you actually change.
The number one challenge? Unsurprisingly for HR professionals, employee resistance comes in ahead of resource, process or leadership. Communicate better, be clear about how your changes will impact at ‘role level’ (not just among leaders), get your senior people talking constantly and openly – and you might just have a chance of being part of that 16 per cent.
Through it all, the common denominator is strong and active HR. Heidari-Robinson and Heywood believe HR professionals are best placed to lead the reorg and, crucially, to ensure the business learns from its past changes when it changes again.
Reorg, then, is a very human take on a potentially complex subject, which recognises people make or break businesses and never skimps on the detail. There’s insight from HR professionals and executives at firms such as DHL and EY, and a refreshing lack of pointless to-do lists or over-elaborate theories.
A few anecdotes might have lightened the mood, it’s true – but perhaps, when you’re dealing with a topic this important, it’s best to get straight down to business. Everyone interested in change will surely learn something here.