Forsa study on the level of commitment in companies
The Forsa study found, among other things, that two-thirds of middle managers promote change processes. On the other hand, 22 percent are skeptical, twelve percent even put the brakes on.
The Forsa study also shows in its "Leadership Barometer" that the rate of low commitment of managers and employees has increased significantly: 41 percent of middle managers do not pull together with their sponsors in 'change'. In addition to the desire, the ability of middle managers is often an obstacle to successful change. This is the grosso modo result of the survey "Leadership Barometer" conducted by the opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of the change consultancy Penning Consulting.
Initiators in change projects
On average, 31 percent of managers take on the role of drivers and initiators in change projects, and this figure rises to 43 percent when commitment is high. With low commitment, this figure falls to a quarter of managers in the middle level.
"In principle, it is a good and expectable ratio when almost one third of middle managers act as drivers of change projects," says Stephan Penning, Managing Director and Head of Studies at Penning Consulting. "Another third act as followers - that is, as managers who accompany the process without any pronounced initiative of their own, but nevertheless benevolently. And a third rejects the change or is at least skeptical of it. This is the average across all the companies surveyed. However, companies with a low engagement factor must view with concern the extent to which skeptics and resisters grow to almost half of middle management among them."
In only 39 percent of companies do middle managers perform their change manager function to a high degree
In addition to the attitude of managers towards change processes, the daily actions of their managers and employees are decisive for the change capability of companies. However, only in 39 percent of the companies surveyed do middle managers fulfill their change manager function to a high degree - in those with a low level of commitment, the figure is as low as seven percent. The situation is similar for the strategy development function. This is fulfilled to a high degree by 42 percent of managers.
"Here we see a need to catch up. In times when companies have to react and adapt quickly to new requirements, managers are needed who can constantly realign and shape their area accordingly. In addition to change competencies, this requires a good understanding of strategy development - precisely the functions that, according to our study, have been performed least by middle managers to date. After all, at high-engagement companies, far greater proportions of the various functions are adequately performed."
To determine the level of commitment, Penning Consulting and Forsa defined and surveyed eleven culture factors. The difference, especially when it comes to success-critical questions about dealing with change, is significant. For example, 82 percent of middle managers in companies with a high level of commitment showed strength in optimizing their own area through continuous adjustments and a willingness to change. In companies with low engagement, this is only 38 percent.
Willingness is a necessary condition, but only ability is a sufficient condition.
Stephan Penning says: "In our consulting practice, we see that it is not always just about the will to change, but very often also about the ability. Too little management time as well as a lack of involvement in strategy and decision-making processes lead to managers having neither the necessary mindfulness nor the skills to initiate changes at an early stage and to effectively manage the handling of ambidextry - i.e. the simultaneity of everyday and project business."
It is true that 61 percent of middle managers have the design and decision-making authority to initiate changes in their area on the basis of their budget. However, only about half (54 percent) use this to further develop their own area on their own initiative through small changes and experiments. This may be due on the one hand to the fact that middle managers use only 14 percent of their time for strategic management tasks and on the other hand to the fact that dealing with strategy development, which would point the way for such further development, remains primarily with top management (76 percent).
Consequences for a higher capacity for change
"Approaches to increasing a company's ability to change must be approached in a complementary manner. On the one hand, structures must be created that shift decisions to where the most competence is available. At the same time, mindfulness and exchange should be enabled with regard to the first internal and external signals of change. It is important to promote cultural characteristics that increase commitment in the company and thus also initiative and the willingness to try out new solutions oneself," Penning summarizes the consequences of the study results.
