Finding the right place to start change

When implementing an organization-wide transformation, focus your efforts on the most connected employees to help generate momentum and accelerate impact.

NOVEMBER 2011 • Marco Gardini, Giovanni Giuliani, and Marco Marricchi

https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Organization/Change_Management/Finding_the_right_place_to_start_change_2890

A very insightful article to a major challenge—how to change an organization of any size in the direction the leaders want.

Changing an entire large organization is never easy; only about a third of all such transformations succeed. One problem many organizations run into as they implement a change program is faltering momentum because employees just don’t change the way they work. Sometimes they don’t want to, and sometimes the reason is a poorly structured plan that makes change harder. Our recent experience at a European retail bank shows the benefits of starting to implement change by focusing on the employees who have the most influence over the daily work that needs to change. This approach can ensure that a successful transformation happens faster and that employees remain engaged in the long term…..
….Who were those people? ….. look at three criteria:
 ·         Which roles have a direct, substantial impact on the desired business results?
·         Which roles are connected with a large number of different subgroups in the organization?
·         Which roles can decide how people get the relevant things done?