All change please...

This week marks 60 years of India’s independence from the British Empire. On 15 August 1947, India went through overnight change which had catastrophic consequences. Not only were the British leaving but the country and its population were divided into two, which led to one of the biggest migrations in history. Ten million people crossed the new India-Pakistan border, changing their lives forever, and changing the face of the country, forever.

This was also probably one of the worst managed changes in history, millions died and it’s left deep scars in people’s minds. But experts say to deal with change you need to accept it, because ironically change is one of the few things in life that’s constant. And India is constantly changing at a rapid pace. It now has the fastest growing economy in the world and with this, naturally, comes modernization. Career-wise, there are more opportunities than ever before, the middle classes are becoming more sophistacted and the MTV culture has firmly made its mark on the youth. But this is also a nation with deeply embedded religious and cultural beliefs, any many people feel that modernization is destroying the values that previous generations have worked so hard to sustain.

Perhaps if Mr Manmohan Singh, PM, India, wants to manage his ever changing country well, he could do worse than study Kubler-Ross' change curve over his morning masala chai. It's a tool that looks at the different phases of people's behaviour and reaction to change, starting from resistance, to commitment. This tool is a favourite among corporate change management experts like Roger D'Aprix, who you can hear on the latest Melcrum podcast. And I'm sure that Indian companies could be seeing a lot more of it too, as my communicator friends in India tell me, the importance of internal communication is slowly but surely becoming acknowledged in medium - as well as large-sized companies in the Sub Continent.

So, if you're reading this from India, happy Independence Day, and tell me:
How is change managed in your organization?

What's the future like for internal comms over in your part of the world?

And most importantly, how did you celebrate independence day? I went to the London Mela and ate far too much Pav Bhaji!

Sona

Comments

[Tina Sharma]

Really enjoyed reading this article and I agree; India is changing by the minute. The only problem is, some within this fast emerging World Power are finding this change difficult to digest. We must bear in mind that although 60 years seems like a lot to the average person, in regards to a newly born country trying to establish itself- it's nothing. India has done well till date, to go from a country left in tatters, cut in two and stripped of all its wealth, to be one of the world's flourishing economic powers. There is still however, a long way to go and step one as Sona has said is acceptence. Happy Independence Day to all celebrating.

[amy taylor]

I recently visited Mumbai and found it one of the most inspiring places I have ever been. England seemed very grey in comparison on my return. Colour and energy were everywhere, from the shrines on the dashboards of evey taxi to the huge billboards advertising Indian Idol.

As India grows it must ensure that it doesn't lose all the things which make it unique or it could become a victim of its own success.