Preparing for Change

Abstract

Fundamental organisational change is a major undertaking, not to be taken lightly. The first questions should always be ‘Do we need to change?’ and ‘Are we equipped to succeed?’. The purpose of asking the questions is not to make a go/no go decision, but to understand the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses and thus be better prepared to take on the change. The most important issue is an organisation’s ability to change. It is a paradox that the very capabilities that define a dynamic organisation are also the capabilities needed to drive the sort of change envisaged. Every organisation has some of these capabilities but to a greater or lesser degree. This first step therefore seeks to understand how well the organisation is currently operating. Jumping into fundamental change without this background information is to invite failure.