Change management is the process of managing and implementing changes in an organization, both internally and externally.
Law firms in Tanzania, as well as those in any other part of the world, may encounter business challenges that necessitate changes to achieve recovery or long-term success. These changes often require interventions to put the firm back on the path to stability.
A change management plan can assist in ensuring a smooth transition and providing guidance for employees throughout the change process. Unfortunately, many change initiatives fail due to negative employee attitudes and poor management tactics, with statistics showing that around 70% of such initiatives fall short of success.
The process of change comprises a series of actions, decisions, and events that are linked together in a sequence (Hayes 2014). Each event is influenced by those that came before it and also contributes to shaping future events. There are various approaches to managing change, and many of them have been developed by leaders and experts in change management, such as John Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School, who is a well-known expert in this field.
Steps that law firms may take, among others, to achieve the desired change outcomes
Step 1: Create an Urgency
Creating a sense of urgency within the law firm is crucial for change to take place, this can be attained by highlighting the need for change. Developing a sense of urgency helps to initiate the motivation needed to start the change process. Creating this urgency is not just about presenting poor sales figures or discussing increased competition, but rather fostering an open and sincere conversation about the current state of the marketplace and the law firm's competition. As the conversation about the proposed change spreads within the law firm, the sense of urgency will increase, and this will help to drive the change forward.
Step 2: Form a Powerful Coalition
Persuading people that change is necessary often requires strong leadership and support from key individuals within the law firm. Simply managing change is not enough, partners in law firms must actively lead it. Identifying effective change leaders throughout law firms, regardless of their traditional hierarchical position, is important. Bringing together a team of individuals with diverse influences, such as job title, status, expertise, and political importance, is necessary to lead change successfully. Once assembled, the "change coalition" team needs to work together to maintain a sense of urgency and drive the need for change forward.
Step 3: Create a Vision for Change
When initially considering change, many ideas and solutions may surface. It is essential to connect these concepts to a clear and easily understandable overall vision. Having a clear vision can help everyone understand the purpose behind the change and what is being asked of them. When people can see the end goal, it makes the directives and actions being taken to achieve it more coherent and sensible.
Step 4: Communicate the Vision
The success of a vision depends on how well it is communicated and implemented after it has been created. The vision's message can face competition from other daily communications within law firms, making it crucial to communicate it frequently, effectively, and embed it in all aspects of law firms. Instead of only communicating the vision during special meetings, it should be mentioned at every opportunity possible, and it should be used as a basis for daily decision-making and problem-solving. By keeping the vision present in the minds of everyone, it will be remembered and embraced more readily.
Step 5: Remove Obstacles
It is important to identify and address any resistance to change and any processes or structures that may be hindering progress. A structure to support change should be put in place and regularly evaluated for any obstacles. Removing any barriers to change can empower the individuals responsible for implementing the vision and promoting progress.
Step 6: Create Short-Term Wins
Success is the greatest motivator, it is important to provide law firms with early successes during the change process. This can be achieved through "quick wins" which can be visible within a short period of time, the duration of which would depend on the type of change. This will prevent critics and negative thinkers from hindering progress and help drive forward the change initiatives.
Step 7: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture
To ensure that changes are permanent and not temporary, they must be fully integrated into the core of law firms. The corporate culture plays a significant role in determining the success of change initiatives. Therefore, the values behind the vision must be reflected in day-to-day operations. It's crucial to make consistent efforts to ensure that change is apparent in every aspect of law firms, this will help to embed the change in law firms’ culture. Additionally, for the change to be sustainable, partners must continue to support it, both the current staff and any new partner/associate that may be brought in. Without the support of these individuals, law firms may find themselves back in their initial position.
Note: This is not a legal opinion and the contents hereof are not meant to be relied upon by any recipient unless our written consent is sought and explicitly obtained in writing.
