Back in 2016, Mark Zuckerberg observed that Entrepreneurship is about creating change and not creating companies. Business imperatives are in constant flux and change is what differentiates you from the rest.
Organizational systems and processes need to be overhauled and refreshed periodically because change is not encoded in the DNA of the organization. Change can only be implemented in an organization by a visionary leader or entrepreneur who can set into motion the desired sequence of events.
Renowned Harvard professor and author of, John P Kotter remarked that ‘successful change is 70-90% leadership and 10-30% management’. The leader serves as the fulcrum between the change agency or team and the organization.
These three elements interact with each bearing an assigned role. The leader comes up with the statement, concept and procedures of implementation. Because a single individual cannot expect to bring transformation on her own, she must get together a team specially configured to fulfill this purpose and headed by her. To sell the plan for change, one must convey how the plan can benefit the individual and the organization. A committed and sustained focus is required to put the plan into practice along with a great strategy and the team should act as one.
Disruptive changes in technology, attitude and behavior of consumers and competitors have now become ubiquitous variables in the management equation. The 8 steps to bring change are: creating a sense of urgency, forming a powerful guiding coalition, creating an unambiguous vision, communicating it, allowing people to work on it, planning short term wins, consolidating improvements and additions and institutionalizing the new approaches.
Change agents are those dissatisfied by current state of affairs while Change leaders are people mobilizers and continuously set challenging goals. The author’s personal experience in leaving a cushy job when required to go overseas and rediscovering his entrepreneurial side is a case study for change in itself.
By TAPAS GUPTA Founder & MD BEI Confluence Communication Ltd. (Formerly President & CEO of a McCann-Erickson agency)
