It is possible to involve the organisation’s managers and employees early in the change project — even when the strategies for the way forward are still only at the development stage.
What is Real Time Strategic Change?
Real Time Strategic Change is a conference format developed to process and fine-tune a proposed vision or strategy from the management team into a finished final proposal, with a high degree of involvement.
As in Future Search, a representative, larger subset of the company’s different levels and parts is gathered to review, reflect, discuss and further develop — in small groups and then in the full group. The difference from Future Search is that Real Time Strategic Change starts from a proposal put forward by the management team.
The change formula as a foundation
The conference format is built on the relationship:
Change = Dissatisfaction × Vision × First step > Resistance
Change is only possible when dissatisfaction with the present, the vision of the new and the first step towards the new are together greater than the resistance to the change. All three components must be in place in order to overcome the resistance — and Real Time Strategic Change is designed to support exactly this.
Real Time Strategic Change should only be used if the management team genuinely wants high involvement from the organisation — but it can then be an important part of a well-planned involvement effort.
When does the model fit?
Suitable for:
- Involvement when management wants to anchor a new strategic direction and get relevant feedback from those who work closest to customers and suppliers
Less suitable for:
- Rationalisation projects — cuts often stir up strong emotions that make involvement work harder
- Mergers or projects where strategic choices cannot be shared with a larger group
Keep in mind:
- Before Real Time Strategic Change, the change project’s platform needs to be developed
- Once the strategy is set, an involvement phase should precede implementation
- Implementation should be planned so that the new strategy is genuinely realised
- After implementation, new ways of working, roles and processes should be incorporated into existing governing documents