Change management, organizational transformation – whichever term one prefers, the need for organizations to do business differently is constant: to stay ahead of changing markets, economic conditions, government regulations, customer expectations and competitors who are continually transforming.

A recent survey of executives from around the world found that even though organizational transformation is a priority, only a third of them believe they are successful with it. Other research indicates only 30 percent of change programs succeed.

Why do some change programs work while most do not? IRI’s research indicates change initiatives succeed when:

• Individuals see, hear and feel a compelling reason to change
• Individuals know they are not alone in change and see their leaders leading it
• All organizational systems are in alignment with and reinforce the behaviors associated with the change
• Groups and individuals have the knowledge, skills and abilities to make the change happen as intended
  
  

How IRI Helps Organizations Change

IRI enables organizations to transform themselves by designing, developing and implementing specific solutions to address the critical change factors noted above.

We consider the culture of each organization: what has been successful in the past and what continues to be a challenge. Working in partnership with clients, we assess the extent to which:

• A case for change, including the vision for the future, has been established and agreed on by all who will have to lead and model the change
• The most appropriate formal and informal training and learning experiences are provided to transfer knowledge, develop skills and motivate stakeholders to make the change work as envisioned
• Financial and non-financial incentives have been assessed and reinforced or modified as needed to ensure that people are rewarded for making the change successful
• Resources, both tangible and intangible, have been identified and allocated as needed to fully support the change and overcome normal resistance
• An action plan for change has been created that considers the people side of change with the same amount of focus as the technical side

This assessment provides the foundation for such deliverables as a communication strategy in support of the change; the design, development and delivery of skill training courses, either on-line or in the classroom; recommendations how best to restructure compensation, reward and recognition systems; and implementation of a revised or new performance management system.

Overview of Transformational Training Courses

IRI’s transformational training courses focus on three target populations:

• Employees, who need to cope with and support change
• Managers and supervisors, who need to lead and be agents of change
• Senior leaders who need to launch, sponsor and champion transformation initiatives

Each course imparts skills that reinforce the behaviors required from each of these three stakeholder groups. Below are two sample skill areas covered in the training:

Communication

• Employees: Asking for the information they need
• Leaders: Giving the information others need
• Sponsors: Creating and implementing a communication plan

Group and Team Skills

• Employees: Being a supportive member of the group/team affected by change
• Leaders: Leading a group/team through change
• Sponsors: Removing barriers and providing resources for the group/team

IRI tailors its transformation training courses to meet the specific needs of the client and the type of change that is being implemented. Courses can be industry-specific and include role-play and case-study modules tailored to client issues and concerns. The result is content that is realistic and relevant to the participants, and serves as a vehicle to support the specific change being undertaken.

Experienced IRI facilitators can conduct scheduled sessions or one of our master facilitators can train client facilitators to conduct sessions.

For more information about Helping Organizations Change, contact IRI Consultants at info@iriconsultants.com or by calling (313) 965-0350.

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