Mark Lindley (CAHRI. MCIPD)

Under-cooking your capabilities is as damaging to your opportunities as over-cooking them. Think what you are good at, both in calm and tough times. This may push the boundaries, however understanding this will increase your market horizon.

Changing Culture is not a single cyclic process, it will evolve and not everything you have planned for, will come off. Be open to this as if you are not, along the journey you may miss something of great value that you did not think of in the early days.

Within Change I have led and been part of, I always look at gaining a cross section of representation within the business, to be involved. Often those who complain the most, resist the strongest can still add great value to the Change process, don't overlook them just because they are not onboard day one. Most importantly foster ideas, no matter how outside the box they are, empowerment is about letting those involved in Change, have a go at steering the ship.

I always believe that you sense Culture before you see it, so true of many organizations I have walked into. Even top performing Companies who possess extraordinary Culture within their business and teams look at ways to Change and continually evolve. In leading Change big and small, it's reviewing what is not working, what could be done better and what we are doing well; how can we do more of.

There is a really good saying regarding Change; one needs to be part of the Change for Change to happen. engagement is core to the success of any Change Managment and often just because someone does not put their hand up first, don't write them off. They may just need more information, time or clarity. Where I see Change fail i where leadership want to control every step down to the most minute. Empower those involved give them the confidence to make decisions and take forward what needs to be achieved. Most importantly celebrate the wins and 'learn' from the mistakes.

I have led large and small scale transformations and communication is key... as evident as that may sound. Transformation in most cases is a marathon and one needs to ensure every communication is clear, concise and touches everyone involved. Of course, that is hard work, however it is even harder work to control and guide a transformation when many are unclear and unsure of 'where are we going and why?'