In change, a number of questions must be answered first

It is not unlikely that people will prefer an imperfect situation to an unknown and uncertain future.

This is regardless of whether we paint rosy pictures of that future. It is still unknown and, therefore, threatening. Others are reluctant to deal with unpopular issues. They try to avoid unpleasant reality and unpopular interventions. This is despite the fact that they realise they will not be able to avoid this reality forever. It is still appealing to stay in your comfort zone.

We also tend to fear our inadequacies and failures. We worry about our ability to adjust to change, to improve and maintain our performance in a new situation. We may feel insecure and doubt our ability to make a special effort to learn new skills and attain new performance levels.

This is not made any better by disturbed practices, habits, and relations. Change disturbs well-established and fully mastered practices and work habits that may now become obsolete. Familiar relationships may be altered or totally destroyed if we embrace change. This can lead to considerable frustration and unhappiness.

When we lack respect for and trust in the person promoting change, we are likely to become suspicious about the proposed shift. Where an external person proposes the change, we resist because his or her competence and motives are not known or understood.

During a fundamental change process, therefore, it helps to answer some typical questions in the planning and choice of the strategies. The questions may include — but are not limited to — what changes are generally occurring in the environment? What will be their implications for our organisation? What changes should we foresee in order to improve our performance and achieve our development objectives?

Others are, what are the likely consequences if we do not take timely change action? What sort of change, or how much are we able to manage? What sort of change and how much change will our people absorb and how could we support them? Should we implement it in stages? What will be the relations between the various changes that we intend to make and how will they be coordinated?

Where and how should the change process be initiated? How should we manage change? Do we need a consultant? What would be this consultant’s role? What should be our time horizon and timetable for implementing change? In all this, you need to reflect with others. Even if you are “only” making staff changes, sit down with the affected people and discuss it with them first. Do not just spring surprise letters and circulars on them. They will threaten your people and cause resentment and resistance.

Finally, remember to align the proposed changes to the tasks to be done and, more important, to your strategic organisational missionary and visionary goals. Good luck.

Mr Muturi is the executive director, Kenya Institute of Management.