Outline of a Change Strategy

Below is an outline of a change strategy from an organization preparing itselffor e-commerce through the realignment of its product groupings, the upgradeof its information management systems, and expansion of its ability to cross-sellproducts between its dispersed companies.

Umbrella Outcome: To become a preeminent e-business that sells customizedfamilies of products

Positioning: Top Priority

Bold Actions

• Conduct large group employee meetings(100-1,000 people) in every market worldwide to generate input to the casefor change and vision.

• Realign executive incentive programto motivate e-commerce support and lavishly reward cross-company selling.

• Create a high-powered video thatdramatizes the vision of worldwide inter-company selling over the Internet.

• Retire Product X.

Strategic Levers

• Incorporate e-commerce strategiesin every business.

• Reorganize to consolidate interdependentproducts and services.

• Realign worldwide information technologysystems to enable cross-selling.

• Reposition our image in the marketplaceas a one-stop shop.

• Reorganize customer point of contactfor ease and expansion of sales.

• Replace all of Europe’s informationmanagement systems.

• Executive level breakthrough trainingprocess for top 2,000 leaders to address obsolete mindset, leadership styles,and behaviors.

Participation Strategies

• Worldwide information managementdesign input conference.

• Cross-company task forces.

• International best practices studytour.

• Change advocates identified fromevery product and service line.

• Customer Advisory Council.

Change Infrastructure

• Top executive change sponsor.

• All company presidents on the changeleadership team.

• Information technology change processleader

• All companies appoint top-level changeprocess leaders, linked to worldwide change process leader.

• Senior-level change consultants,with consulting support staff in every company.

• Open-door network of change advocatesfor design and impact analysis.

• Published conditions for success.

• Worldwide, interactive communicationplan.

• Electronic input of new informationto e-commerce change process Web site.

Milestone Events

• January, Year 1: Kick off with interactivevideo; rollout of leadership breakthrough process.

• January-March, Year 1: Team-basedcommunications about case for change, vision, and change strategy worldwide.

• March, Year 1: Information technologycompatibility assessment; change readiness assessment in every company;sales education process.

• September, Year 1: Retire ProductX; initiate design process.

• January, Year 2: Turn key date forEurope’s new information management systems; worldwide impact analysis.

• February, Year 2: Develop implementationmaster plan for pilot test in Asia.

• March, Year 2: Pilot inter-companyelectronic selling in Asia with Products A, B, and C.

• September, Year 2: Evaluate pilotand integrate learnings into organization-wide implementation plans.

• December, Year 2: Worldwide promotionof e-commerce availability and benefits.

• January, Year 3: Worldwide rollout.

Timeline

1. Year One: Assessment.

2. Year Two: Design and pilot.

3. Years Three/Four: Marketing of thee-commerce brand and rollout of the new business.

Reprinted withpermission from TheChange Leader’s Roadmap, by Linda Ackerman Andersonand Dean Anderson, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 2001.