HR & Technology: Developing a Winning Approach to Change

Professor Adrian Furnham Department of Psychology University College London

a.furnham@ucl.ac.uk

Optimist or Pessimist How many psychologists do you need to change a light-bulb? Just the one will do…..but the light-bulb needs to want to be changed

•  CYNICAL PESSIMIST? What you see (in early adulthood) is what you get. People change very little over time. Accept it, live with it. That is the reality. Depressive realism?

•  DITHERER? With the right help (coaching, therapy,training) and sufficient motivation people can be taught new skills and behaviours. But it takes effort, resources and often pain

•  NAÏVE OPTIMIST: Personality, even abilities,can change if you adopt the right mindset and behaviour pattern. It is comparatively easy. Deluded optimism…but good for you. The nun’s story…optimism and longevity

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Change on various levels

•  To what extent, through specific interventions (training, therapy, coaching) can and do individuals change

•  To what extent one can change group/team functioning

•  What are the best methods to introduce and maintain adaptive & desired organisational change

Plastic or Plaster

•  James (1890/ 1960) hypotheses’ on personality change: –  Plasticity Hypothesis – Personality is changeable,

like plastic –  Plaster Hypothesis – Personality is enduring, like

plaster

•  Costa & McCrae (1994; 1997): first large, longitudinal studies find no meaningful changes in personality after the age of 30 years

•  Plaster hypothesis widely accepted, but more recently the pendulum has moved to plasticity

Change Can Be:

•  Revolutionary vs. Evolutionary •  Discontinuous vs. Continuous

•  Strategic vs. Operational

•  Total System vs. Local Option

The  Four  Major  Entry  Points  for  Change  in  Organisa8onal  

Tasks    

People  

Structure  

Technology  

Change targets

Purpose Clarify or create mission and objectives

People Update recruiting and selection practices; improve training and development

Structure Update organisational design and coordination mechanisms

Strategy Clarify or create strategic and operational plans

Tasks Update job designs for individuals and groups

Culture Clarify or create core beliefs and values

Objectives Set or modify specific performance targets

Technology Improve equipment, facilities and work flows

Organisational targets for planned change

People in Transition

1.  Ending and Letting Go

-  Stop identifying with the ‘old organisation’-title, role, position

& language.

2. Experience the neutral zone

-  Experience ambiguity, confusion, despair and

meaninglessness

3. Make a new beginning

-  Learn new skills, make new relationships, build a

new vision

CURRENT STATE

+

-

P E R L F E O V R E M L A N C E

FUTURE STATE

Surprise What?

Rejection I don’t believe you

Grudging acceptance I don’t like it, but… Rejection

Told you it wouldn’t work!

Acceptance Let’s give it a fair try

Commitment It is going to work

Haste I want it now

Control Steady improvement

Achievement

Transition Process

Phases of Planned Change

1.  Development of a need for change (unfreezing) 2.  Establishment of a change relationship between the

change agent (consultant, usually external to the organisation or perhaps an internal organisational member who is championing and leading the change effort) and the client organisation

3.  Working toward change (moving) 4.  Generalisation and stabilisation of change

(refreezing) 5.  Achieving a termination in the relationships, that is,

ending the “change contract” between the consultant-change agent and the client organisations

•  The prelaunch phase: –  Leader self-examination –  Gathering information from the external environment –  Establishing a need for change –  Providing clarity regarding vision and direction

•  The launch phase: –  Communication of the need for change –  Initiating key activities –  Dealing with resistance

•  Post-launch phase of further implementation: –  Multiple leverage –  Taking the heat –  Consistency –  Repeating the message

•  Sustaining the change –  Dealing with unanticipated consequences –  Momentum –  Choosing successors –  Launching yet again new initiatives

Change at Work

•  Changes in the workforce in terms of cultural diversity, skill, experience and expectations, which probably differ significantly from one country to another.

•  Changes in customer expectations, which normally means a rise in the quality and reliability of products, and the excellence of service demanded.

•  Changes in the size, structure and international focus, and the managers needed to run them. Economics, legal, social and competitive forces mean that companies have to adapt, reinvent themselves, and re-engineer simply to survive, let alone prosper.

•  Changes in economic conditions governed by new inventions (the electronic revolution), raw material (the exhaustion of certain assets), and political co-operation and competition.

What has Changed I

1. The way we think about: –  Ourselves at work –  Our boss, colleagues –  Our customers –  Our shareholders

2.  The expectations of customers. 3.  The speed, openness, and cheapness of

communication.

What has Changed II

4.  The cost, shelf-life, size and portability of technology.

5.  Our use of time. 6.  The working life in a time of greater longevity.

7.  Globalization of work-force and markets.

HR change is driven by:

•  Technology •  Legislation/regulation

•  Global/economic trends •  Demographics

•  Social change

•  New models/methods of business, as well as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, alliances.

•  Know how, innovation, business intelligence

Current Responses to Current Problems

1.  Continual reorganization of various divisions.

2.  Subcontracting non-core services and operations.

3.  Developing good relationships with key players.

4.  Streamlining and rationalizing processes.

5.  Subscribing to continuous improvement of processes.

6.  Creating flatter structures.

7.  Creating more teamwork.

8.  Developing core competencies.

9.  Recognizing workforce diversity.

10.  Creating a flexible workforce.

11.  Acknowledging the end of the era.

12.  ‘Empowering’ people at work.

13.  Promoting the concept of the manager as a facilitator and coordinator.

14.  Recognizing a need for employees to continually update their knowledge and skills.

Pressures and challenges facing individuals

•  No more jobs for life

•  Change of emphasis From being employed to being employable

•  Job security based on performance Individuals need to take responsibility for their own learning

If HR does not change, it will face:

•  Internal marginalisation as ‘people advocates’.

•  Downgrading as finance/administration/line assume transactional responsibilities.

•  Outsourced sections of HR, or the entire function

•  Reductions in headcount and resources

•  Loss of authority and influence.

Type of Change

  Love psychological, human resource programmes aimed at changing attitudes, beliefs, behaviour & values

  Love changing “systems”, be they organisational charts, structure, process or gadgets

  Hate attempting to change others (and probably themselves)

  Against “rocking the boat” in any way whatsoever

People

Things

“Chango-philes” “Chango-phobes”

Individuals don’t change by themselves They are changed by others. They tend to be more accepting of change when:

  it is understood

  it does not threaten security

  those affected have helped create it

  it follows other successful changes

  it genuinely reduces a work burden

  the outcome is reasonably certain

  the implementation has been mutually planned

  top management support is strongly evident

Change Strategies

Confrontational strategy

Engineering strategy

Academic strategy

Economic strategy

Political strategy

Military strategy

Fellowship strategy

Fellowship Strategy

•  Seminars, dinners, discussions: warm & fuzzy

•  Everyone can and should have a say BUT. . .

•  Conflict Averse •  Time wasting

•  People get frustrated and leave

Political Strategy

•  Identify targets & influence official leaders •  Flatter, bargain & compromise with those with

large constituencies BUT. . .

•  This strategy can destabilise the organisation •  The strategy is devious and often precisely the

opposite of the values espoused for the new culture

Economic Strategy

•  “Homo Economicus” Buy people out, use money to induce BUT. . .

•  Can be costly with only short term effects •  Strategy ignores emotional issues •  Strategy at odds with new, desirable cultural

values

Military/Confrontational Strategy •  Use of brute force and mobilization of anger •  Forces people to confront things they would rather

not BUT. . .

•  Anger and conflict polarise people and may cause a backlash

•  Change enforcers cannot relax •  Often too much attention is on the problem not the

solution

Academic Strategy •  People are rational: present the evidence and they

will change •  Commission studies from consultancy experts and

employees BUT…. •  Analysis paralysis and difficult to get mobilized •  Many people feel left out of the process •  Reports rarely specify who should do what, when

and how.

Engineering Strategy

•  Change how people do their jobs: place, time, technology

•  Reengineering the whole process BUT. . .

•  Many people feel uncommitted and do not understand how and why new methods work

•  It breaks up happy and efficient teams

Group Responses to Organisational Change

•  Fight back mustering every fact, guilt-inducing behaviour and rationale to survive.

•  Close Ranks; circle the wagons. Resist divide and conquer.

•  Change allegiances or ownership. Stay together by being spun off into a separate unit.

•  Demand new leadership.

Responses to Organisation Change According to Organisational Level

Organisa(onal  Level   Resistance   Coping  with  Change  

Individual   •  Has  to  do  with  losing  something  of  value  to  the  person  

•  Forms:  blind,  poli8cal  and  ideological    

•  Apathy  is  worse:  with  resistance,  there  is  energy  and  the  person  cares  about  something  

•  Transi8oning:  ending  and  leHng  go,  going  through  the  neutral  zone,  making  a  new  beginning  

•  Achieving  closure:  dealing  with  unfinished  business  

•  Par8cipa8on:  helping  to  make  the  change  work  

Group   •  “Turf”  protec8on  and  compe88on  

•  Closing  ranks:  “circle  the  wagons”  

•  Changing  allegiances  and/or  ownership  

•  Demand  for  new  leadership  

•  The  sense  for  individuals  as  listed  above  •  Conduc8ng  a  closure  ceremony  (e.g.  

funeral)  •  Conduc8ng  group  problem-­‐solving  

sessions,  preferably  off-­‐site  •  Recompose  the  membership  of  groups  

Coopera8ve  Apathe8c    Slowing    Making  inten8onal          learning      mistakes  

Acceptance  Indifference  Passive    Ac8ve          resistance  resistance  

Enthusiasm            Passive  Doing  only            Protes8ng    Taking              Deliberate                  resigna8on  what  is        8me  off          sabotage        ordered      job  

Greenberg  &  Baron,  2003.  

No End to Change

•  HR is in the midst of a changing business and the business of change.

•  Change & Adaptation is a joint journey not a destination

•  HR must champion change & be exemplars of it.

Mastering Politics

•  Change is about getting people on side •  It is about knowing who, and when,

and how to do things

•  It means being “Savvy”

Beliefs About Organisation Politics

•  Manipulation •  “I’ll scratch your back if

you scratch mine” •  Looking out for #1 •  Destructiveness •  The Organization’s Soap

Opera •  Covert Under-The-Table

Deals •  Backstabbing •  One-Upmanship •  Deceitfulness •  Turf Battles •  Petty Personal Squabbles

•  Back-Room Decisions •  Power Plays •  Natural Human Behaviour •  Behind-The-Scenes

Manoeuvring •  Brownnosing •  Clever Operators •  Influence Attempts •  Hidden Agendas •  Dirty Tricks

When you think of “organisational politics”, what

words come to mind? •  Backstabbing •  Brown-nosing •  Bootlicking •  Style over substance •  Manipulative •  Hidden agendas •  Old boy networks •  Deals under the table •  Turf struggles •  Testosterone overload

Why are some organizations more political?

Organizations at the high end of the scale (and probably the ones with problems in this area) are likely to be those where some or all of the following apply: •  Excessive competition at the top; •  Ambiguous goals; •  Complex structures; •  No clear definition of performance; •  High (or very low) level of change; •  Refusal by powerful people to change; •  Punishment culture; •  Limited resources; •  Jobs at risk.

Four styles of Political Behaviour

Clever Wise

Inept Innocent

POLITICAL UNAWARENESS

POLITICAL AWARENESS

Plays Games

Acts with Integrity

Baddeley & James, 1987

Savvy Checklist Part 1

•  Are you confident that, if you identify negative behaviours in the workplace – evidence of Machiavellians, Barbarians or even Naïves – you have the tools and the energy to deal with them?

•  Do you possess a full portfolio of influencing techniques, and the interpersonal skills to pull them off?

•  When conflict arises, do you tackle it – at the right time, appropriately and usually effectively?

•  Do you build and maintain robust working relationships with a wide range of different people as a normal part of your working life?

•  When these relationships break down, do you know what to do – both when you’re personally involved and when the rift involves others?

Savvy Checklist Part 2

•  Are you skilful when it comes to managing up the line: your boss, your boss’s boss and maybe even beyond?

•  Can you spot bullying behaviours, and more importantly address them?

•  Are you confident that, given your objectives, your network is sufficiently robust – and you have the skills to maintain and expand it?

•  Does your reputation in your business reflect how you want to be perceived?

Characteristics of a Politically Savvy Individual

•  Chooses to become an active, ethical, effective player

•  Puts the organisation (not themselves) first •  Believes in, and really cares about, the issue at

hand •  Sees a career as an outcome rather than a goal •  Plays above board •  Legitimises the task: avoids the political blind

spot

Political Savvy is ethically building a critical mass of support for an idea you care about

What distinguishes savvy players?

•  Puts the company first

•  Keeps career as an outcome versus goal

•  Plays above board

•  Legitimises the task

•  Practices ethical influence

Can we measure political astuteness

•  What are the dimensions •  Can and will people respond honestly

•  What is the evidence of these measures

1. Social Astuteness

•  This is about being perceptive, insightful, attuned to all the vagaries and nuances of everyday interactions.

•  It is about being psychologically minded. •  Picking up the clues and cues. Reading

between the lines; the subtexts. •  Seeing the meaning in things. •  Aware of self and others: how you are

“coming across”; what they are really saying.

2. Interpersonal Influence

•  This is about being persuasive in different contexts.

•  It inevitably means being adaptable and flexible. •  Bi-or tri-lingual in the languages (visual, vocal,

verbal) of persuasion. •  It is about monitoring self and others sufficiently

to be able to charm, cajole and persuade. •  And it’s about knowing about and practicing

those famous six influencing principles like using reciprocity norms, emphasising similarity etc.

3. Networking Ability

•  This is more than having a good address book or being vivacious at dinner parties.

•  It is understanding the usefulness of, and more importantly to be able to establish, a range of alliances, coalitions and friendship networks.

•  This involves the serious skills of deal making, conflict management and negotiation.

•  People are helpful (useful) for different reasons and at different times.

•  They can be assets that need to established and then “tapped” from time to time.

•  They “come in handy” at different times and for different reasons.

4. “Apparent” Sincerity

•  Ah yes, that great oxymoron. It is about being able to look authentic and genuine on all occasions irrespective of what you really think or feel.

•  Call it emotional labour or good acting, it is the ability not to show coerciveness, manipulativeness, or that one has ulterior motives.

•  What you see is not what you get. •  Sincerity is showmanship: it’s good acting

and really understanding emotions.

Six Secrets of Politically Savvy People

1. Partner with your boss

•  Unless you have unique and irreplaceable knowledge or skills (or are related to the CEO), your boss has more power than you do.

•  Your manager also has greater access to key decision-makers.

•  So it’s better to have your boss as a cheerleader than an adversary.

•  Politically savvy people know how to “manage up”.

2. Be a 360° team player

•  With a wide network of relationships, you will have more information about what’s going on.

•  And if people are willing to cooperate and collaborate with you, you will produce better results.

•  Politically savvy people develop positive relationships in all directions – with management, peers, and employees.

3. Understand the “power map”

•  Organisations are power hierarchies. And from time to time, that power shifts.

•  To succeed, you need to know where the leverage lies – who has influence (formal/informal), who doesn’t, and how much you have yourself.

•  Politically savvy people always understand the leverage equation and recognise when it may be changing.

4. Practise subtle self-promotion

•  No-one can appreciate you if they don’t know what you’re doing. But that doesn’t mean you should become an insufferable braggart.

•  Find natural ways to mention achievements and challenges, like sending regular progress reports to your boss or chatting about your projects at lunch.

•  Politically savvy people share information without being obnoxious.

5. Connect with the power people

•  The big decisions about your career will be made (or endorsed) by people above your boss, so you need to make sure they know who you are.

•  Since you may have limited access, look for interaction opportunities and be ready with a question to ask or information to share.

•  Politically savvy people enjoy talking to those who have power (which is not the same as sucking up).

6. Commit to the business

•  An indifferent, apathetic attitude never impressed anyone.

•  If you want decision-makers to think well of you, you need to be interested in and excited about the business, because you can bet they are.

•  Politically savvy people choose a career that they find interesting and energising.

•  You can’t fake enthusiasm for too long.

Savvy strategy 1

When building support for a new idea, a politically savvy person would:

a)  Set up meetings with as many people as possible in order to build widespread support

b)  Set up official meetings with key decision makers to get their attention and ensure s/he is seen as working above board (i.e. not manipulating)

c)  Work informally with peers and formally with superiors

d)  Plan to discuss it informally with those who will influence the decision

Savvy strategy 2

You’ve proposed a radical new idea for the business, and your boss is intrigued by it. He says he is going to meet with his superiors within the next 2 days to make a decision on it. A politically savvy person would:

a)  Seize the opportunity and focus on preparing a great presentation

b)  Try to postpone the meeting until s/he is more sure of the data and the quality of the idea

c)  Try to get the meeting delayed to think about how best to proceed

d)  Grab the opportunity if s/he can make sure the boss will be there to support it

Savvy strategy 3

A key meeting to decide on an important project is coming up in two weeks. The first action a politically savvy person would take would be to:

a)  Work hard on the presentation to make sure it communicates in a professional way

b)  Lobby the values of the project informally to those with influence prior to the meeting

c)  Learn the interests and concerns of others that will be at the meeting

d)  Make sure the presentation goes beyond the technical merits and emphasises the financial and other benefits to the business

Savvy strategy 4

When implementing a strategy to influence others, a politically savvy person will start with:

a) One who trusts him or her

b) The person who has the most influence

c)  The person who is the major obstacle

d) Those who are good listeners