The two concepts, whilst complementary, have very different perspectives.
As a member of the authoring team for the Business Resilience Framework, I have been asked about the difference between Business Resilience and Change Management. The focus for each is different and, in a word, this difference is progress.
Business Resilience is about enabling organizations to continue to make progress, whatever VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) conditions they face. Progress can be to bounce back from an event, bounce along to maintain a position during challenges, or to bounce forward despite challenges.
Change management is designed to help organizations and their people manage the impact of change and provide techniques to effectively plan and implement successful change initiatives. It enables:
- Unlocking resistance to change
- Providing effective support and motivation to individuals and teams to embrace change
- Managing and informing key stakeholders throughout the change process
- Speeding up the implementation of change initiatives.
The need for change management is not disputed and is a part of successful business resilience strategies. Rarely discussed is the fact that changes may be successfully implemented but might not provide the organization with the ability to make progress. Indeed, some changes mean that an organization will go backwards!
Business Resilience looks at the definition of progress for the organization, given the current circumstances, and what is needed to achieve progress. Progress will be defined differently in different situations. If a global pandemic starts or war breaks out, progress might simply be survival. On the other hand, if conditions have a lower VUCA level then progress is likely to be improvement to one or multiple aspects of the organization, as measured in the KPIs (bouncing forward).
Business Resilience starts (or should start!) well before any crisis hits. Resilience foundations are put in place to provide the underlying strength the organization requires to face any events which arise.
‘Business Resilience - A practical guide to sustained progress delivered at pace’ offers a framework to address working in VUCA environments. At the heart of the framework is PACE culture (Purposeful mindset; Application of tools; Capability and skills; Elevating energy). A PACE culture enables an organization’s people to give of their best with a common, purposeful approach to moving the organization forward. The supporting Progress Cycle filters and implements the initiatives which are realistic in the current situation for the organization to progress.
Business resilience and change management are complementary. Business resilience requires changes to be made; these can be either new or amended products, services, processes or practices to be implemented. Effective change management ensures this is done smoothly. It is vital, however, that the right changes are made and that these build on solid foundations.
The Business Resilience publication also details Resilience Foundations; these provide the solid basis on which to build and make progress. A PACE culture will help to ensure that people in the organization have sufficient energy to face the changes and welcome the updated vision, while the Progress Cycle will support the changes being implemented efficiently and effectively, including change management.
Summary
In conclusion, change management focuses on implementing changes successfully, whilst business resilience looks at ensuring a good foundation for changes to succeed, empowering and energizing the people and ensuring the changes result in progress to make the organization more resilient.
Find out more about Business Resilience at ResilienceProfessionals.com. Click here for details of Business Resilience Fundamentals training and certification.
About the author
Sheila Roberts is one of the authors of ‘Business Resilience - A practical guide to sustained progress delivered at pace’ and a Director of Resilience Professionals Ltd. She has a background as a best practice consultant and trainer advising organizations on portfolio, programme and project management and supporting approaches. She has spent the last few decades observing organizations which have succeeded, faced difficulties and failed. Her experience enables her to advise organizations on business resilience to make progress.
