Haris Ahmed of Chicago on Organizational Change: Internal and External Factors


Haris Ahmed Chicago Consultant on External and Internal Factors that Signal Change

Haris Ahmed of Chicago-based Pragmatium Consulting, Inc. has seen a number of organizations fail because they were adverse to change. The thing about change is that the exact same premises for it, as well as its unique components, only happen once. You do not get the same “change essence” twice. It may look similar but upon closer inspection, you will find that there are differences in the details—and more often than not, the details can reveal opportunities for your organization and your employees. In this post, Haris Ahmed shares some of the most common factors that signal it might be time for a change in the workplace.

Whenever I get approached by organizations that need help, the first thing that I check is employee performance; because most of the time, it’s their performance that affects the organization’s performance and productivity.

There are also instances where I get approached for help with implementing a specific change influenced by external factors. What I’m saying here is that organizational change can be caused by different factors, internally and externally. To explain further, below are the common internal and external factors that signal change:

Internal Factors

Delays in processes affect overall operations; and when this happens, you could be certain that your consumers will be affected. Ineffective operations could mean production delays, compromised quality, delivery delays, and overall poor organizational performance. In situations like this, change is critical.

The above is an example of an internal factor that signals change is the only thing that can save the organization; with the factor being, compromised operations. In this regard, the change needed provides a solution to operational problems—to streamline operations and processes in order to meet deadlines, deliver quality products and services, and more importantly, satisfy consumer demand.

Other internal factors include employee growth, underperforming departments, and new policies that need to be implemented.

External Factors

In all my years as an organizational change expert and business consultant, I have seen organizations react differently to external factors. Some ignore them or deny their capacity to affect the business landscape, while others jump on the bandwagon too quickly only to get burned in the end.

What we all must understand is that change requires us to bide our time. It’s not a now-or-never, do-or-die situation, regardless of how many times this belief has been forced on us. Take for instance the entry of a new player in the industry. Naturally, you want to maintain your lead and anyone who threatens this lead should be ‘eliminated’. But in your haste to address the situation, you may miss a few important details, or develop a plan that isn’t as sound and solid as you thought it was. Haste makes waste, remember? Bide your time. See how consumers react to the new player, and see where the competition is headed. Gather enough data and information before making your move.

Change may be inevitable; but it doesn’t mean you’ll have to walk through every open door. Sometimes, you just have to wait and see.

Do you have comments on this post? Please feel free to leave Haris Ahmed of Chicago a message below. Kindly stay tuned to this page for more posts on organizational change.

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