Change Leadership The Essential Ingredient in Transforming Customer Service

Transcription

1 Change Leadership The Essential Ingredient in Transforming Customer Service Guiding change may be the ultimate test of a leader no organization survives over the long term if it can t reinvent itself. But, human nature being what it is, fundamental change is often resisted mightily by the people it most affects: those in the trenches of the organization. Thus, leading change is both absolutely essential and incredibly difficult Source: Kotter, J. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review, 2007, January.

2 Introduction Leading change the ultimate thrill ride are you ready? 2

3 Agenda Thinking About Change Context Open forum Why bold moves often fail Barriers to Change Vital signs Implications What you can do Break 40 minutes 40 minutes 15 minutes Leadership Strategies 40 minutes 3

4 Thoughts on Change External Change New political agenda New tools New boss New organization New policies Internal Transition Perform busy work Idealize the good old days Blame others for problems See possible solutions Accept responsibility Customer Transition Anger I ll go elsewhere Fear loss of service Don t care, just deliver Empathy and patience Inspiration Once a change is made a transition will happen... they both go hand-in-hand. Making the change is easy; managing people through the transition is more difficult. Leading Change 4

5 Thoughts on Change Differences across industry lines The For Profit Organization Customer acquisition and loyalty Brand Functions, features, and usability Speed Differentiation The Public Service Organization The political agenda Access - reach, volume Compliance - accuracy, quality and safety Consistency, equality, fairness Cost and performance 5

6 Equilibrium is a precursor to death. When a living system is in a state of equilibrium, it is less responsive to changes occurring around it. This places it at maximum risk. - Pascale, Surfing the Edge of Chaos

7 Thoughts on Change Dateline: 2011 your playground? Troubling Results Unplanned Mergers Public Policy Loss of customers Downsizing What pressures are you seeing? What is your biggest threat? What are your customers thinking? What is your brand? 7

8 Thoughts on Change The response? What bold steps have you taken to deal these pressures? What have you seen others do? What bold steps are your customers taking? 8

9 Thoughts on Change Why bold moves often fail Inadequate planning Shifting priorities Fear of failure Lack of sponsorship Unclear business problem Inconsistent decision making Employee resistance Inadequate communication Short term disruptions to customer service Leadership turn-over The election cycle Nearly 2/3 of all projects fail Standish Nearly 70% of all change efforts fail - Standish 9

10 Thoughts on Change No magic bullet just hard work Business Objective Cost reduction imperative in a highly competitive environment Challenges Semi-autonomous regions Disputed ownership Big change to workflow Novel solution Unexpected impact to jobs Unexpected impact to customers Contractual implications 10

11 Barriers to Change Think about your hardest endeavors what were your toughest barriers to change? Title mm/dd/yyyy 11

12 Common Barriers to Change Some common barriers to change Executive engagement Organizational myopia Organizational politics Culture Operational readiness The link to customer service Alignment between vision and customers desires Organizational clarity on changes Front line commitment and adoption of the change Consistency in how customers will or will not experience the change Readiness to address issues as they arise 12

13 Executive Engagement What is it The executive team s shared vision, commitment and courage to move the project forward Why is it important Clarity of vision Broad-based empowerment Momentum and ownership Predictable, values-based governance Vital Signs Consistency of decision making values, method, style Presence on the floor Ability to lead stakeholders and staff to agreement Demonstrated understanding of business impact 13

14 Organizational Myopia What is it The inability to see the big picture, embody the customer, and inability to envision the future Why is it important Organizational agility for changing conditions Customer service responsiveness Relevancy Vital Signs Leaders ability to describe the strategic context and customer impact Customer s voice in decision making Business planning horizon 14

15 Organizational Politics What is it The uniformity of values, interests, and agendas of stakeholders and staff supporting the change Why is it important Organizational clarity Front-line adoption Consistency in how customers will experience the change Leaders ability to drive change Vital Signs Stakeholder and team cohesiveness Governance effectiveness and efficiency The robustness of the leaders social network in the organization 15

16 Culture What is it The values and traditions that define the customers experience and how the organization works Why is it important Front line adoption of the change The impact to the customers relationship to the organization Vital Signs Distinctiveness of the project s culture Impact of project life on key cultural activities and traditions Executive dialog on cultural impact Staff attitudes on whether the project will enhance or subtract from their organizational loyalty 16

17 Operational Readiness What is it The science of preparing processes, staff and the customer for a new way of doing business Why is it important Clarity on who will be affected and how Advance expectation setting, preparation and training for what the new world will look like An advance warning on whether the customer and organization is ready for the change Vital Signs Existence of customer impact assessment Existence of operational readiness assessment, criteria and progress Core staff attitudes towards level of preparedness 17

18 Be the change you want to see in the world Gandhi

19 The role of Change Leadership in Overcoming barriers to change Considerations Developing a Change Leadership Strategy Executive behaviors establish the clarity of vision, values, and tone for the change initiative Change leadership practices develop the enablers for change the right people talking about the right challenges and taking the right steps Foundational methods and tools to drive progress along the change curve communications, engagement, training, etc. Executive Behaviors Right sizing the vision Adapting to changing conditions Nurturing culture Fostering creativity Aligning individual and project goals Being present and predictable Allocating resources to drive change Change Leadership Strategies Foundational Methods and Tools Customer-centric design Designing governance around change with an eye for clarity Mastering political capital Developing an operational blueprint Assessing and shaping readiness Clear and frequent broadcasting Change curve Org design Communication plan Training plan Stakeholder plan Workflows Role desc & job aids 19

20 Change Leadership Strategies Go to the balcony Goal check out to gain additional perspective; check in to shape your team s thinking Considerations Your agenda Your personal loyalties Competing needs Timing Tactics Outside perspective Frameworks: STEEPLE, SWOT Case studies Role play 20

21 Change Leadership Strategies Design change around customer needs Goal change the focus from what do we need to do to what do our customers need us to do Considerations Unity of the customer base Competing providers Competing needs Speed Tactics Frameworks: STEEPLE, 5 Forces, etc. Voice of the customer research Direct observation the front line Quarterly benefits reviews 21

22 Change Leadership Strategies Design governance around change Goal build ownership through opening the governance table to those who are most affected by the change Considerations Change catalysts How decisions will be made Executive exposure, impact, experience and decision making patterns Healthy tension Tactics Organizational impact assessment Decision making models The customer advocate Decision criteria 22

23 Change Leadership Strategies Master political capital to strengthen shared interest Goal use the project s social network to build political capital. Spend political capital to strengthen shared interest and commitment across the organization Considerations Brokers, influencers, and decision makers Interests, agendas and influence Strengthen of the project s network Your own political capital Tactics Advanced stakeholder mapping The role of change agents The political balance sheet 23

24 Change Leadership Strategies Envision the operational blueprint Goal Blueprint how the organization will change early in project the processes, the people and roles they play and the customers experience Considerations A 360 degree, integrated view on the potential impact The customer s experience The continuum of success and failure The organization s value drivers Tactics Scenario planning Customer lifecycle walk through Operational readiness plan 24

25 Change Leadership Strategies Assess and shape operational readiness Goal Set clear expectations and decision criteria around what constitutes being operationally ready. Prioritize issues and actions based on criteria Considerations Minimum standard required to Go Live Alignment of readiness criteria to customer impact and organizational culture Consistency and rhythm in application Tactics Go/No Go Simulations Scenario planning Operations readiness assessment and scorecard 25

26 Wrap-up Transforming customer service requires A shared vision of where we are going and why Listening for and interpreting the impact to the customers experience and relationship Building momentum to get there 26