How to manage change in a business

Kate Mavor took over as CEO of English Heritage in 2015, which is responsible for the preservation and maintenance of more than 400 historical monuments, buildings and sites across the country – a defining moment for the institution. Her role was to oversee the split of the former government quango into two arms, with one, Historic England, remaining in public ownership and the other, retaining the English Heritage name, becoming a not-for-profit entity under Mavor’s leadership .

“It’s really quite a challenge to get a whole group of people who were civil servants at the time into a field where we had to make our own living, generate our own revenues and manage our own finances – but that’s what drew me to it Job irritated,” she explains.

This content is imported from Instagram. You may find the same content in a different format or more information on their website.

An Oxford University graduate in Modern Languages, whose career has spanned book publishing, language school management and marketing, Mavor is no stranger to organizational change, having previously led both Project Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland through difficult financial times Has. Her approach at English Heritage was to treat the transition as ‘a culture change proposition – to get people to think differently about the importance of being efficient and finding new sources of money’. What could have been deeply troubling turned out to be “very energizing for people because now we don’t always look to the minister, we take charge of our own destiny.”

Here, Mavor shares her advice for navigating business change smoothly…

1/ Changing corporate culture is about the heart, not the mind

“You can try to rationalize a decision and explain to people why they need to do something, but most people find change difficult. Instead, you need to envision how brilliant it will be to achieve something together. You also need to describe the downsides – what will happen if you don’t change. In our case, it was about discussing the danger of losing the freedoms we would like to have.”

2/ Be transparent about the challenges and opportunities

“What I have done at English Heritage is to ensure that the way our finances work is communicated clearly to everyone at all levels. I started a roadshow across the country to talk to people about why we wouldn’t reach our goals if we didn’t make the necessary savings, and I was honest about the difficulties. Most people understand the idea of ​​gain and loss if you state it clearly.”

This content is imported from Instagram. You may find the same content in a different format or more information on their website.

3/ Assemble the right team

“When you take on a role, the first thing you have to do is assess the team and get the right people around the table. Set aside plenty of time to allow this team to bond: let them spend time together, discuss things, chew the fat. Get under the skin of what drives each person because that will lead you to success. If you have a great team, they can basically run the business and give you a chance as a leader to put your head up a little, manage stakeholders and work on partnerships and bigger things with the organization.”

4/ Build motivation

“Find out what people care about and then capitalize on that passion. At English Heritage, it was about showing staff that the more money they raised – be it a Yorkshire castle, the protection of a Rembrandt – the better they could protect the buildings, monuments and artifacts they hold dear The painting or the protection of every single Roman coin we have found is preserved so that it does not rust or decay. It’s a virtuous cycle: when people see what money can do, they’re hungry for more and better fundraising.”

5/ Celebrate successes

“Be sure to highlight good examples of the new way of doing things so people have a sense of accomplishment. Nominate yourself for awards and make sure everyone is positive about the new world.”

This content is imported from Instagram. You may find the same content in a different format or more information on their website.