TABLE OF CONTENTS Deploying a strategic change initiative without the evaluation component is like sending a sports team out onto the field of play blindfolded. The players may pick up on some cues the cheering of the fans, the sounds made by the other players but the quality of their play will be diminished by the lack of visual information. The point here is that evaluation provides more than just the score; it provides information that enables greater performance, and greater performance during deployment translates into a bigger impact on the bottom line.
Bottom-line OD makes three significant contributions to successfully deploying change initiatives:
Fully integrates evaluation into change management
Builds mastery in the mechanics of evaluation
Maximizes the value of pilots
This chapter explores each of these three areas in detail.
Value-based deployment integrates evaluation into the deployment process (Figure 6.1). This approach opens up new possibilities for:
Sustaining sponsorship of the initiative
Engaging team members for effective deployment
Making midcourse corrections to increase the value of the initiative
Strong sponsorship of a change initiative is not a right: It is something that must be earned every day. Earning the continued support of the sponsor depends in part on how effectively the sponsor believes the initiative is delivering the expected value. It is therefore critical to regularly share with the sponsor how the deployment of the initiative is on track to deliver the goods.
Today's business environment is...
