Capacity for change

If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization.

Mary Douglas

What’s it all about?

There is little point in having bright ideas about the future if your business or enterprise is not in a position to act on them. This tool derives from a number of big ideas from the organisational development field. It includes thinking from the likes of Henry Mintzberg, Peter Druker, Warner Burke and George Litwin. It is also supported by the experiences of a wide range of managers and leaders. To consider how your business or enterprise might take advantage of its future opportunities, you need to review and strengthen four key areas:

  1. Structure
  2. People
  3. Processes
  4. Culture

What’s it for?

The purpose of undertaking a capacity to change review is to give you confidence that you are building on the strengths of your business. To assess your capacity to move towards your vision for the future, there are a number of guiding principles under each of the four areas that you can use.

Using the tool

The tool is based on a questionnaire to allow you to assess your business’ capacity to change. It should be completed individually by as wide a group of people as possible. It will take up to 30 minutes to complete. You will need to allow time to collate and compare the answers. It is most suitable for micro-businesses or SMEs but could be adapted for collaborations. If you are a sole trader, it might be useful if you are considering growing your business.

Download the toolkit PDF

Capacity for Change - 3 KB