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Humans have changed very little over the past few thousand years.
e biology and genetics of our ancestors hundreds of generations
in the past differ very little from our makeup today. However, our
institutions, technology, and environment have no such anchor to
biology. Constant change and the embracing of technology have
required our 10,000-year-old minds to act differently and become more nimble than
ever before. To this challenge, we apply the discipline of change management.
Change management is a term that refers to
any approach to transitioning individuals, teams,
and organizations using methods intended
to redirect the use of resources, business
processes, budget allocations, or other modes of
operation that significantly reshape a company
or organization, according to Wikipedia. ese
types of changes often make headlines, such as
when a company introduces a new enterprise
resource planning system or revises reporting
relationships. However, most changes are on a
smaller scale but are just as impactful if done
well—or poorly.
Change management as a discipline focuses
on how people and teams are affected by an
organizational transition. It deals with many
different functions, from behavioral and social
sciences to information technology and business
solutions. In a project management context,
change management may refer to the change
control process wherein changes to the scope of
a project are formally introduced and approved.
e international bestselling book Leading
Change by Dr. John Paul Kotter has been
I N D U S T R Y I N S I G H T / J O E I A F I G L I O L A
Utilizing the research and practical applications of the change-management
discipline can streamline new policy implementation for field services
companies staying in step with the ever-evolving mortgage industry.
CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
