Change is inevitable not only in life but in business too. As long as the people and the technology are progressing, so should the businesses around them. Hughes defined change as “any alteration in the status quo”. It is the start of a revolution, may it be small or not. If they do not adapt to their environment, the competitive edge they offer to their customers would likely be gone.
The importance of adapting to change in business should be noted by owners. They should know what changes need to happen so that they can still provide a great experience for their consumers. Benefits of change in business can be seen in easy situations like how technology is adopted by most of them.
As we evolve, so do the way we do our work. Before we mail our things through the post but now we use email. That simple task had made it easier to communicate within the company and outside of it. That same simple task has improved the working environment for many.
Another example is the online world. As people are getting more preoccupied with other things, many of them do not go to physical stores but shop online. Because of this, many brands and businesses have adapted to it and made accounts in different social media and created their own website. As a result, those who adapted well to it have increased their revenue by far better than those who still have not.
Different Theories Of Change Movement
The first theory is Lewin’s model. It is simply about the act of changing one static state to another.
Meanwhile, Beer’s Model is far more complex with its process. The in-depth development it goes through has six stages:
1. Mobilize commitment to change through joint diagnosis.
2. Develop a shared vision of how to organize.
3. Foster consensus, competence and commitment to a shared vision.
4. Spread the word about the change.
5. Institutionalize the change through formal policies
6. Monitor and adjust in response to problems
On the other hand, Kotter’s Model is even more detailed than Beer’s. It has eight critical steps wherein after being conducted would guarantee success for the company.
1. Establish a sense of urgency
2. Form a powerful, guiding coalition
3. Create a vision
4. Communicate the vision
5. Empower others to act on the vision
6. Plan and create short term wins
7. Consolidate improvements and produce still more change
8. Institutionalising New Approaches
These three models are the foundation as to how business should proceed with changes. But how would a company know that they should start changing their mission, vision, and goals?
First would be, of course, sales and revenue. If they are dismal for continuous months, you need to do something about it. Second would be the lack of enthusiasm by their employees. If employees are not happy with their work or how things are being run in the company, managers and owners should look into it and start implementing some changes.
Everybody should embrace change in their organization. If not, there will be a negative implication. Businesses that do not adapt to their environment tend to slow down and ultimately die or shutdown.
