A Change is Gonna Come

Listen up, friends. Sam Cooke sang it “A Change is Gonna Come.” And you’re about to be part of it whether you like it or not.

That thought came flying into my head when I read John Sumser’s “HRXformation” post at HR Examiner. Here’s the core of his message.

“It looks like there are several kinds of transformation in HR: things that improve the delivery of HR Services as currently conceived; Projects that dramatically change one aspect of the enterprise; Ways of operating HR that transform the very idea of HR.

A quick review of online literature on HR Transformation is almost exclusively focused on the first category. So called ’shared services’ approaches are really a new twist on the long standing questions about centralization and decentralization that characterize all fads in organizational thinking.

There is simply nothing serious out there about HR as an intentionally transformative function.”

I’ve got news, friends. A change is gonna come.

Look around you. Is your workplace different than it was even five years ago?

What do you think it will be like ten years from now? Demographic, economic, social, and technological forces are transforming the workplace even as you read this.

You won’t have to wait. Earlier this month, the Corporate Executive Board announced that 81 percent of the companies it surveyed reported “major redesign initiatives” in the last twelve months.

People initiatives should be at the core of workplace transformation. According to Booz Allen: “Executives believe that making people initiatives a higher priority is essential to successful transformation programs, but feel they often fall short on execution.”

I know that’s true. But when I read John Sumser’s post, I began to wonder how this is all going to play out.

Change is gonna come. It’s going to happen.

Change is gonna come. It’s going to happen with you or without you.

Change is gonna come. If you’re waiting for an invitation, it’s too late. If you expect that coveted “seat at the table” before you act, you’ll miss the revolution.

Change is gonna come. You’ve got a decision to make. Will you be proactive and help drive the change in good ways. Or will you be reactive and let it all wash over you.

Wally Bock

Wally Bock is a coach, a writer and President of Three Star Leadership.