Change Management again!

Change management, two words often used on management level. They imply what top management wants to hear: the transformation from an actual state to a desired future state. Change has become the epitome for the right thing to do – even though it not always is. Often the desired future state is nothing more than a product of a manager’s preferences or way of thinking in general. It doesn’t necessarily reflect reality. The problem occurs, when this particular manager is in charge and puts too much belief in his own imagination.

Definitely change management is a good thing and change is essential in organizations – but not per se. Only when achieving improvement, change is justified. If the actual state can be described as dysfunctional meaning hindering the organization, change should be considered. When doing so, two things are crucial to know:

Based on facts, the actual state has to be proven dysfunctional.
The future state has to stand for significant improvement.

Both the actual and the future state need to be based on solid analyses and not only on ideas and/or personal perception.

Functional versus dysfunctional

Change is always required when a current state is dysfunctional. Different tools have been developed to measure and enhance change. Only very few of them have been proven effective. Therefore, FeedbackDialog trusts the Hofstede Model which is based on solid research done by Geert Hofstede and has kept its promises in hundreds of organizations.

The Hofstede Model measures the actual and the future organizational state. Based on scientific research it can show black on white whether change is necessary. If the conclusion is yes, concrete change levers are suggested by the tool – based on the actual and future state. But what one maybe doesn’t want to hear, the tool also indicates, if change is not necessary.

This tool is based on research and twenty years of application by culture gurus Geert Hofstede and Bob Waisfisz in hundreds of organizations during two decades in several countries. Geert Hofstede has by now become the scholar who scores highest among social scientists, dead or alive, on the social citation index, including e.g. economy and psychology.

Step beyond employee satisfaction and into the heart of your organization with the Hofstede Model.