organizational change

Principles of Information Technology 5 of 5

Has your organization ever experienced the agony of a software implementation -- after the previous one didn't go so well? Do you ever feel like your company is in a vicious circle of software implementation after software implementation?

The fifth principle of Business Information Technology Deployment deals directly with this issue. In this video blog, Martin Ramsay discusses how information systems must be constructed in such a way that they can grow and change, just as our organizations grow and change. Easier said than done, but an important facet of building technology that will not automatically become obsolete.



Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries. And be sure and sign up to receive notifications when a new video is released. Fill out the Sign Me Up! box and you'll never miss another video.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Force Field Analysis

The Force Field Analysis tool is a simple yet powerful technique for analyzing the forces for and against a change. When beginning any change journey, it is wise to look at all the forces that will help you implement the change, and all those forces that are arrayed agains it. In this blog, Martin Ramsay shows us how to construct a Force Field Analysis and discusses some of the ways to use the analysis for making change.



Other video blogs that discuss change and the tools for change include Do People Resist Change?, The Merlin Technique, and The Factory on a Desk-Top™.

Be sure and check out other blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

The Merlin Technique

Which is harder: to imagine the future you hope to create, or to figure out the path to get there?

You'll have to watch this video blog to find out, but here's a hint: the Merlin Technique is a clever way to help yourself and others figure out the path to a desired future. Along the way, you might even find yourself being motivated to get started on moving toward that vision of the future right now. Martin Ramsay discusses how to use the Merlin Technique as a way to describe that winding path that leads to where you want to go.



Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Developing Your Consulting Instinct

Martin Ramsay suggests that everyone, regardless of their job title, should think of themselves as a consultant. A consultant's job is to look at an organization, its vision, systems and people, and to figure out ways to improve them. Consultants should always be about making things better.

In this video, Martin uses the common advertisements for flu vaccines as an example of how consultants might develop their consulting instincts. When something seems a bit out of line or over the top, a consultant's instincts will say, "Find out more. Look deeper. Find out what's behind the scenes." The ubiquity of flu vaccine advertising suggests there's more to this than just an opportunity to get vaccinated against the flu.



What seems a bit out of line, over the top, or not quite right at your organization? What do your consulting instincts tell you about finding out more. Perhaps you'll discover the key that unlocks a new level of productivity and effectiveness for your team!

Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Mental Models

Martin Ramsay discusses the importance of "mental models." Mental models are the models, the ways of thinking about things, that people carry around inside their heads. The way they view reality, through the filter of their mental model, greatly affects behavior and the way people are able to interact and get work done. Working hard to understand people's mental models is an important thing to do. People are often not aware of their own mental models and often end up talking past each other as a result. The role of a consultant, either internal or external, it to work to bring these mental models out into the open to increase understanding.



This video blog focuses on the use of mental models in organizational change and the importance of describing a mental model for the future, for where the organization is going. The result is often called a mission statement or a vision statement; at their heart, mission and vision statements are mental models made public.

Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

The Change Journey

Martin Ramsay continues the important theme of "change" begun in Blog 7. He emphasizes that knowing where you're going and having a vision for the future are vital if change is to be positive and successful. Today's blog talks about the change journey with focus on the end goal.



Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Do People Resist Change?

Do people resist change? We often say they do.

Yet politicians often campaign simply on the idea of change. How do we reconcile that politicians can appeal to our desire for change, while simultaneously resisting change?

Martin Ramsay probes deeper, exploring what people really do resist, why simply calling for change isn't good enough, what how change can be used to move organizations forward.



Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Visions, Systems and People

In this Blog, Martin Ramsay lays out CEATH Company's undergirding operating philosophy about organizational change. To improve an organization, to make it more effective, one must focus on three things at the same time: vision, systems and people.

Organizational change requires a vision. Without a vision, any activity will suffice since any action will produce some kind of result. Just not the ones we want. To move toward that vision, there must be integrity between the organizational systems and processes work. Finally, it is critical that people are skilled, have congruent motivation, and are able to help move the organization forward toward the vision.

Without simultaneously working on all three, and without all three being in alignment, organizational improvement is unlikely to be successful.



Sponsored by CEATH Company.