I am speaking this
week at the Projects to the Point (P2P) conference in Cairo, Egypt. The focus
of the conference is the book "How Successful Organizations Implement
Change" and the speakers (myself included) each wrote one of the chapters
of the book by the same title.
We have an
interesting approach for implementing change where I'm working, a technique
call Nemawashi. It's a Japanese term that literally translates to "digging
around the roots" but the meaning is much more than that. Nemawashi is
laying the groundwork for a change.
The work starts
before any formal meeting is conducted. Ideally, the person proposing the
change will have already worked on building the relationships with the people
who's support is needed. They will know the formal and informal organizational
structure so when it comes time to start informal discussions, they know who to
speak to.
When it comes time
for a change, the change agent determines who the key stakeholders are. The
change agent has informal discussions about the proposed change. It may be a
quick talk over coffee accompanied by a drawing on a napkin. The discussion may
include a history of the proposed change, others that have been consulted, and
options. The discussions are a way to solicit feedback and adjust the plan
before moving forward. In some cases, they may need to move backwards, having
follow-on discussions with stakeholders they've already talked to as the plan
evolves.
When it does come
time for a formal meeting, all the key stakeholders have already heard the idea
and provided their input. The formal meeting should just be a formality. If
someone hasn't been included in the nemawashi process, they may reject the
proposal just because they feel they were ignored.
This form of
consensus building may not be the fastest way to introduce a change but like
the meaning of the word, it will ensure that a new change gets to the roots to
improve the chance it will take hold.