Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 03

36 / Canadian Government Executive // May/June 2018 MIDDLE MANAGEMENT K otter International proffers, “Wins are the molecules of re- sults. They must be collected, categorized and communicated – early and often – to track progress and energize your volunteers to drive change.” Short-term wins are significant milestones that the entire team agrees contribute to fruition of the change vision. Wins accrue over time and lead to tangible results. Wins are proof of progress and – wheth- er big or small – they motivate. Successful teams capture and share wins intention- ally as part of core work. They generate and discover wins, in the process reduc- ing resistance to change. They thrive on culture where people are excited to show up, communicate successes, and celebrate their collective impact. Change visions take a long time to ma- ture. Organizations that generate and cel- ebrate wins know what ‘aha’ moments look like, why initiatives work, how successes are shared and recognized, and what their motivational effect is. Winning strategies Many change efforts begin with good in- tentions but produce marginal results. As frustration and blame spread in the after- math of failed initiatives, change stake- holders are left with the burning question: What happened? There are many reasons for poor out- comes during large-scale change. Noth- ing dooms momentum more than the lack of evident progress after a period of sustained organizational effort. It is easy for stakeholders to believe that change is only wishful thinking. Early successes help avoid discouragement with the slow pace of change and counter cynics and self-in- terested resisters of change. Short-term wins are organizational im- provements that can be implemented in six to 18 months. They are not gimmicks. Success must be unambiguous, visible throughout the organization, and clearly related to changes. Results are measured in terms of cost savings, increased rev- enues, streamlined procedures, robust technologies, or better services. Change agents may not fully realize the impact their daily efforts have on achiev- ing the change vision. Communications must consistently identify, recognize and reward short-term wins that are on track or meet benchmarks. Emails, phones, meetings, or even office parties are plat- forms used to carry messages without causing too much disruption. Celebrating short-term wins motivates momentum along the change path. De- creasing resistance from critics minimizes negativity and increases buy-in. Accep- tance helps remove barriers, increase ur- gency, and support change. Recognition rewards efforts made to achieve mile- stones and influence initiative. Positive reinforcement sets the stage for sustaining progress in subsequent phases. Managing for success Purposeful, coordinated execution of the vision is about monitoring and communi- cating impact. While organizational trans- formation takes time, most people want to know that their efforts are working. Short-term wins help maintain employee motivation to stay involved in the change process. But managers cannot just hope that wins materialize. For example, a public institution might plan on producing a highly visible new program shortly after the start of an orga- nizational renewal initiative. The program might be selected because it is considered doable. It might also convey positive feed- back that stimulates a sense of urgency and motivation. Senior leaders need to allocate organi- zational resources to support short-term wins. Managers and key staff are allocated to plan, organize and implement wins ef- fectively. Middle managers tend to team- work and categorize stakeholder needs by importance and ease of implementation. Short-term results provide useful infor- mation that helps shape the direction and feasibility of change initiatives. Promoting and celebrating short-term wins is advantageous when success is: • Measurable – select wins that show spe- cific, convincing improvements • Visible – validate progress in the change effort with real evidence • Timely – present partial or progressive results within a 90-day timeframe • Relevant to stakeholders – ensure im- provements are valuable to major inter- ests • Relevant to the situation – learn from testing the change plan against real con- ditions Managers need to be alert to opportuni- ties for quick victories to sustain momen- tum early in the change process. However, preoccupation with harvesting the low- hanging fruit can distract from the main mission of charting the course of organiza- tional change. Managers must also main- tain a strategic bent in all endeavours. J ohn W ilkins is Executive in Residence: Public Management at York University. He was a career public servant and diplomat. (jwilkins@schulich.yorku.ca ) Generating short-term wins By John Wilkins It takes about six years of hard work to become an overnight success. – SETH GODIN