Start2Finish: Fueling Discipline, Focus and the right mindset

The Change Management Imperative: Adapt or Die

• Kuda Munemo

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The survival of your organization depends on one critical ability: how effectively you navigate change. This revealing conversation digs deep into the mechanics and psychology of change management—a concept many businesses dread or misunderstand until it's too late.

Change isn't just inevitable—it's constant and accelerating. We explore why once-successful companies disappear while others thrive, often coming down to their ability to break free from the dangerous trap of the comfort zone. As one powerful insight reveals: "The comfort zone is actually your death trap." When you hear phrases like "we've always done things this way" in your organization, recognize them as warning signs of impending obsolescence.

The emotional journey through change follows predictable patterns: shock, denial, rage, resistance, and anxiety. Understanding these responses transforms how you implement transitions in your team. We examine practical approaches to managing organizational change, from information sharing and roadmapping to financial preparation and maintaining optimism throughout the process.

Technology emerges as the ultimate change accelerator of our time. Artificial intelligence isn't coming—it's already here, revolutionizing how businesses operate. The key challenge becomes balancing technological advancement with maintaining the human connection customers still crave. Similarly, visual communication has transformed marketing, requiring brands to adapt their approach or risk invisibility.

Whether you're a small business owner hesitant about scaling or a corporate executive facing market disruption, this episode provides a blueprint for not just surviving change but leveraging it as your competitive advantage. The question isn't whether change will happen, but whether you're prepared to evolve with it or be left behind.

Fueling Discipline , focus and the right mindset!

Speaker 1:

I think a lot of organizations, especially the small ones that are upcoming, dread that one or they don't even understand what it means. But today we are going to be dissecting change management and the impact it has to the culture of the organization and eventually growing a big, big balance. I'm your host, kuda, from start to finish, fueling discipline, discipline, focus and the right mindset. I'm joined again with Mkoma Joe here, the guru in the space of customer care, change management and a whole lot of other things marketing related. How are you, mkoma Joe, today?

Speaker 3:

I'm very well. Thank you all as well. I'm enjoying myself myself.

Speaker 2:

No changes happening in my life at the moment but, of course, hoping for more changes to come, and changes come in very different ways and formats.

Speaker 1:

That's true. Anyway, let's jump into it. Change management.

Speaker 3:

Change management is quite an interesting topic, an interesting conversation. And almost Not almost. Change management is quite an interesting topic an interesting conversation and almost not almost, in fact.

Speaker 3:

Everyone goes through changes in life, be it at personal level, be it at corporate level, even at national level. You know, change is the most constant that we experience in our lifetime is the most constant that we experience in our lifetime, and change happens either for or against you. There's changes for the better and there's changes for the worse. So change is change. We are bound to go through various transitions as we go through the life journey.

Speaker 1:

So we want to look into that and you know, you just gave me a epiphany because you know there are companies we used to know back in the day. Yeah, you know, and they were doing big things you know yeah. And a decade later they are non-existent.

Speaker 3:

Yes, Things have changed. They have been affected by the change.

Speaker 1:

And they were left behind.

Speaker 3:

Yes, and there is a positive change when new players come in. So change is always going to be part of us.

Speaker 1:

True, Perfect. So tell us more about this. The process of change management. Why is it important to consider change management? Maybe at an organizational level? Maybe you started off in your dorm room doing big things, then now, this thing is blowing out of proportion.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and we want to remain the same. I think I've seen that problem again where, especially for you know, we are afraid of scaling, especially the small businesses. You know you hit a number 10 and you see my business is taking off, yes, but instead of seeking that mentorship to change and begin like, scale now to 30, and you know that business either is go up or it goes down, yes, yeah, yeah um, you, you want to start by understanding the dynamics that are involved when we talk about change, and then by by need to talk about change management.

Speaker 3:

When you talk about change management, you are referring to how you handle the transitions that you go through in life, be it at personal or corporate level, and change happens either naturally. In this context, we'll be looking at someone changing from being a teenager to a young adult, or changing from being single to married or even changing from being married to single or divorcee or changing circumstances, like you are being transferred from one city to another or you are even migrating from one country to another, it still remains change Change yeah, and it has to be managed, and it's inevitable, it's inevitable, it's inevitable.

Speaker 1:

So, if you want to remain the same, as you said, you'll be left behind. You'll be left behind.

Speaker 3:

You'll be extinct. And then there's also change that may arise as a result of circumstances around you changing, For an example you could be retrenched, or you could get a new job, or you could be elevated, you could be promoted. All that is change and it has to be managed, and some change is self-inflicted. Other change is inflicted or imposed on you by factors, people and dynamics around you.

Speaker 3:

But what then becomes important is how you manage the transitions, how you manage the shocks, how you manage the effects. But I want to start by pointing out the technicality there, that change is external, but change management is internal. So it's in you to manage the change that has influenced or shaped your world. I'll give you even a personal example.

Speaker 3:

In my early years I got probably one of my first jobs which took me out of my hometown Mbulawayo at the time, and I was posted to Bybridge At the time. I then realized, uh-oh, I don't have a kitchenware.

Speaker 1:

And I was still a bachelor at that time.

Speaker 3:

I don't have kitchenware, I don't even have a cooker, a stove. I realized, oh, I don't have a bed of my own. You know, I'm staying at my parents' house. So you then realize, uh-oh, things have changed. Reality sinks in and you realize okay, you now need to make some certain decisions that are going to help you manage the shock of being in a changed environment.

Speaker 1:

Correct, yeah.

Speaker 3:

And then, okay, fast forward. You then get a job, you go through a change, you get retrained, you go through a change.

Speaker 3:

So what I'm saying out there is the first point of call is people to understand that change is external and change is imposed on us, but change management is internal. It's's on you. How do you manage the change, how do you manage the shocks? And that is what we want to seek to discuss. So when we want to look at change management, we're asking ourselves a number of questions and we hopefully want to provide answers. How do we understand the change motivators? What motivates change? Ideally, and in most cases, the key and primary motivator of change is growth. We grow, whether we like it or not. We grow and we then go through phases and even at organizational level, you grow, you upscale, you get more demand, even for your products. So that means inevitably, change is coming your way. So will you be ready to process and manage the change? So you want to understand, firstly, understand the motivators of the change.

Speaker 3:

The change, most cases, is largely inflected and maybe to an extent less, is because of your own decisions and ideas. But let's start by looking at the emotions that people go through when they manage they are trying to manage change. It could be in an organization or in a personal life. Firstly, the first emotion is the shock and being in denial. You find that you ask yourself is this happening to me? You are shocked by the new development. You are shocked, you are surprised and then, to some degree, some people will actually be in denial. It will take them longer to process that change is here and we need to manage it here and now. So it's the shock and being in denial. The other emotion that people always go through when change is happening in their lives is disbelief. You are not believing. Could I do this to me? Go through when change is happening in their lives is disbelief. Okay, you're not believing. Did Kuda do this to me? Did Kuda really influence?

Speaker 1:

this situation? Yes.

Speaker 3:

Maybe you were my boss and you fired me. I can't believe this is what you do to me. There's an element of disbelief that people also have to manage as they go through a transition period, and then, of course, another do it to me. There's an element of disbelief that people also have to manage as they go through a transition period. And then, of course, another emotion would be rage, the resentment or the resistance or even the anger that people will process and say they get angry by the effect of that particular change, because at times the change could be unpleasant. You didn't invite it, you didn't motivate the change, but it was just brought upon you as an organization. Maybe it could be through regulation by the authorities, and then suddenly you find that the rules have changed and then you are disappointed, you are trying to resist the change. There's rage in you, there's that resistance in you and the anger, and then, of course, going further, you find that people are anxious, there's an element of anxiety, to say, okay, so what will happen?

Speaker 2:

You ask yourself After this. Yes, you ask yourself a number of questions.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so what Then? What? So you have more questions than answers that you can provide for yourself in that particular situation.

Speaker 1:

And you know like what you're saying is very profound. I think I raised a scenario whereby I think in Africa, especially most companies whether maybe it's because we don't know where to find funding, or maybe resources are not really available, but most companies fail to scale. You reach a certain ceiling, the graph goes down instead of continue going up. A few that would have most probably understand or prepared themselves for the times are the ones which are going to catapult to the next stages of the journey Zimbabwe right now, where we are, the situation around us, economic downtime, credit crunch employment is being cut left, right and center.

Speaker 1:

Other businesses are shutting down. The question is inside yourself are you ready for these changes?

Speaker 3:

Yes, and what I've discovered over the years is that most people or most organizations fall into a trap which we call the comfort zone, where people would rather, people would prefer to be in a space where there are no waves, where there are no ripples, where everything is comfortable. It's the comfort zone. For your information, the comfort zone is actually your death trap. Yeah, it is you don't want to be in a comfort zone for long before you realize or start to implement certain changes, even within your comfort zone.

Speaker 3:

Because your comfort zone is actually something that you don't want to nest and stay in. But you then realize where you get phrases like we've always done this thing this way, so why change it? Yeah yeah, that's a trap. Yeah, you, you, you hear people who are traditionalists in an organization where you try to bring in a new idea, a new concept yeah and you meet some resistance.

Speaker 1:

They will tell you.

Speaker 3:

We've always done this thing this way and it has always yielded us results. But do those people realize that outside, the outside world is changing? The outside world is evolving, but you still want to remain constant. You don't want to activate change. You don't want to upscale, you don't want to grow. You don't want to activate change, you don't want to upscale, you don't want to grow, you don't want to develop, Develop correct.

Speaker 3:

You run the risk of being overtaken by events. So you then need to have a team that recognizes the seasons, a team that recognizes the trends, a team that recognizes the atmosphere in the environment, and then they begin to look at opportunities for change for the better. So please avoid saying we have always done this thing this way and it has always paid us.

Speaker 1:

It's a dangerous comfort zone and right now, I think we have some key disruptors in the world right now which are affecting serious change AI for example artificial intelligence that thing is shifting the ground underneath us and if we don't see its impact, we'll be buried alive.

Speaker 2:

we become that dinosaur, that eventually its impact We'll be buried.

Speaker 1:

We'll be buried alive. We'll become that dinosaur, that eventually will become a carcass.

Speaker 3:

Look, let's not lie to ourselves and let's not be in denial. Ai is here and it's a change that has already arrived. Let's not say it's coming.

Speaker 1:

It's not coming.

Speaker 3:

It's already here. So what does that mean is we need, then, to adapt to the dynamics that are brought in by AI, where most of the things are being done through artificial intelligence, and the world is now becoming more and more mechanized, more electronic based. And you want to ask yourself, as an individual, how can I empower myself to?

Speaker 1:

keep up with the age, with the era of artificial intelligence.

Speaker 3:

As an organization, how can we leverage on artificial intelligence? How can we work our way out to be in tandem and to be at par with the new phenomenon of artificial intelligence? So in, in fact, we're saying change is always, constantly amongst us and we have to constantly adapt.

Speaker 1:

Because if you look at like, for example, at ai, uh, right now I don't need an ad agents to design for me. I can go to canva. It may not be maybe the best me, I can go to Canva. It may not be maybe the best quality, but I can go to a software called Canva. They've already have pre-designed templates. Punch in my logo design, dah, dah dah. Then there's another platform as well, where you go? You just write a words and it produces a picture for you. It produces an advert for you, the way exactly you want it. Then you change a few things already.

Speaker 1:

This is in a matter of minutes or seconds, and that phenomenon is upon us.

Speaker 3:

And we can't run away from it.

Speaker 1:

It's the change that needs to be managed.

Speaker 3:

So what it?

Speaker 1:

means. Is that how you used to price your things before as an advertising agency? Now you've got a platform as well, which is a competitor. Now do you know? There's a platform that I use to put captions on my recordings? Every time I finish, I just push it through. In a matter of seconds I've got captions. I don't need anyone to type every word for me. You need two three days to do that.

Speaker 1:

So this is like the change that we are talking about. Yes, that is shifting and the technology itself, like new products are just coming in, like every, you know, every single year. You've got a new iPhone, you have a new lithium battery, you have a new inverter, you've got this that communicate this way. So change is upon us in every aspect of it. Yes, yes and then, Especially now more than before.

Speaker 3:

Yes, and in all that maze of artificial intelligence, we now need brands that are astute, that are aware that there is also a need for a balance between the transition into artificial intelligence but also maintaining an element of human interface with our clients who want to interact with our brands.

Speaker 3:

And because, remember, there was a time we spoke about how to connect with your clients, where we are saying you want to connect with your clients emotionally, you want to touch their hearts. How do you touch their hearts using artificial intelligence? Yes, you now look at elements like um to say what are, what is the psych behind our customers? How are they wired to think, how do they process information? That then helps you position your brand to a point where you both meet your client demands but, at the same time, appealing to their emotion and having an emotional connection with your client through the components that speak to their lives, yes, that speak to them in their spaces, that speaks to them in their world. That means you have balanced between artificial intelligence but also the human touch. Because, look, let's accept it, we cannot run away from it human beings are social animals. They still want to have that connection with you as a brand.

Speaker 3:

They still want that human face to a relationship. They still want that. I call it the blood and sweat engagement with a brand, and they want to have that as well. Yes, even in the midst of artificial intelligence, people will still want to have that as well. Yes, even in the midst of artificial intelligence, people will still want to have that social connectedness, even in a world of advanced technology.

Speaker 3:

So, brands that are clever, brands that are prepared, brands that are ready to move with the times can actually leverage on those aspects but still remain relevant in the marketplace and then get the business True and true.

Speaker 1:

And then get the business True and true. Yeah, and look when you talk of what you are saying being able to be in two places at once. Now, because of the way we advertise, the way we present ourselves to our customers has also changed in a very, very big way. So every aspect, when you look at it, you can no longer go to TV. Tv used to be limiting. You know who has the bigger budget to be on the television to be on the radio Right now.

Speaker 1:

Someone who is in the raw areas there can become a sensation overnight, be in the faces of their customers, just in the faces of their customers, just like that, because of their creativity, because of how they are going to present and their connectedness Through technology. So obviously, technology has really played a key role, especially in the past, I think I would say 10 years or so. It has really shifted the game. You know, in every aspect of it. Yes, no longer you want, you know, everyone can start a channel Right now.

Speaker 2:

this is our channel where we are communicating a message to that community that we want to reach out to yes.

Speaker 3:

You know that's how easy it is Before.

Speaker 1:

you need all the best stations, all this big, gigantic equipment to be able to do this, and static billboards as well.

Speaker 3:

So that's changed.

Speaker 1:

So a lot of broadcasting companies some of them have shut down. They've shifted to use the cheaper way of digital channels. Everyone is a reporter. As long as you have a phone, you are recording something. So that's the impact of the change that is around us. So, as we are talking, the inside has to be ready for for this dynamics.

Speaker 3:

Yes, and another point that we may also want to point out to our corporate clients out, there is also having the ability to leverage on technology and artificial intelligence to still reach out to your markets. Yes, one thing that technology has brought out to the market or to the world is that people are now impacted or they pick up an appeal through visuals. Yes, so you realize that visual communication is now the in thing In thing, correct? Yes, so now, as an organization, you want to leverage on the visual creativity of your brand.

Speaker 3:

Because the client out there is inundated with information. They are sifting through thousands, if not millions, of information options. So you as an organization, as a brand, how are you leveraging? How are you managing the change? You want to also look at ways of how you can visually appeal to your audience through your visual. So it's about the optics. Optics, correct, and that are created in digital spaces. So now brands out there or corporates out there, you want to look into that and consider how can you leverage on technology? How can you leverage on technology, how can we leverage on artificial intelligence to reach out and appeal to the eye that has an opportunity to look at our brand and our product offering.

Speaker 1:

And it comes back to these platforms that we are talking about here. Content is king in this day and age. Yes, when you talk of advertising, when you talk of marketing, the more the content you create and build your presence, I think, will be a game changer even in the future where we are going. But you realize the takeoff has been slow. A lot of people have not really been grasping it, but the change is already here, I'm sure by the time you know, because you're still enjoying results that are coming from other sources. But if you want to continue on that growth trajectory, I think these are some of the aspects to look at.

Speaker 3:

Yes, indeed, I cannot agree with you anymore, or beyond that, because what we're saying here is, if brands want to make it to the next era, to the next age or to the next decade, you cannot avoid the reality that we are having at the moment. The change is here and that's not the last of the change, mind you Things will still also continue to change. Things will also continue to evolve, so it's those that are going to adapt that are going to survive. So the key word or the password will be adapt or die.

Speaker 3:

Or die correct Sink swim or sink or sink. Swim with the tide or otherwise you'll be left behind.

Speaker 1:

And also the other aspect is learning. You know, I think I always laugh at this, why? Because I think we are at a place where we must learn as much as we can. We must build on our skills. We must build on the knowledge of what is happening around us, having information at your fingertips.

Speaker 1:

Obviously there's information overload, you know and we are among other people who are looking at okay, should I listen to this change or not? You know there's always going to be information, but I think you can always sift through and say, okay, fine, I want to listen to this change or not. You know there's always going to be information, but I think you can always sift through and say, okay, fine, I want to listen to this. It's going to make an impact. Learn as much as you can have that data here so that when this shift is happening, you can quickly say, oh okay, I've seen this around, so I'm going with it.

Speaker 3:

You know what you're talking about? Kuda, it's actually scary.

Speaker 2:

You know why I'm saying it's scary.

Speaker 3:

Look at it this way Technology and artificial intelligence is here and already with us.

Speaker 3:

Look at a scenario in a typical home where an elderly person is not comfortable with gadgets, Whereas a child will actually pick up a gadget, they will scroll through it and in no time they are mastering your phone, they are mastering your laptop, they are mastering your tablet. They end up showing you how to navigate your own gadget. For me, that's a scary situation, where we then have adults who are not prepared or not willing to adapt to change that has been brought about by technology, by learning you pointed it out by equipping themselves to learn that's why you find that now we have a phenomenon where we have people spending more time on their gadgets.

Speaker 3:

It's got the pros, it's got the cons. It's a good problem that we have that. Most of the time, people are watching their gadgets. What are they doing? You find that some are actually maybe on social media. Others are actually at work.

Speaker 3:

You never know what they are doing, but all you are seeing the impression that you have on them is they are busy on their phone but, busy doing what, they are equipping themselves, they are keeping up with the trends. They are actually keeping up with what is happening in the environment, in the country or in the nation in the world where they want to be abreast with what is happening out there, because information is loaded on digital platforms. Technology is evolving, so change, that change has to be managed and people, they have to be prepared for the change and manage the change. As we have said, it's inevitable.

Speaker 1:

Whether you like it or you don't like it, change will continue to happen. I was a young boy before. Now I think. As you can see, my beard is turning white.

Speaker 3:

In no time. You're a grandfather and I have three kids. In no time you'll be an in-law. In no time you'll be an in-law, exactly In no time you'll be a grandfather, so that is change and it has to be managed and it has to be just from your head. How you wire your thinking is the psyche behind you on how you manage the change and how you process the change, how you handle the change and how you position yourself in the change.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's unavoidable. It's unavoidable. So tell me more about unpicking personal steps towards a collective outcome. Okay, how does that apply?

Speaker 3:

All right, we are saying here you want to look at yourself as an individual first, at a micro level. You want to be aware of yourself. You want to understand yourself as an individual. What are your fears, what are your aspirations, what are your dreams, what are your fears? You're unpacking yourself as an individual and then, once you have unpacked yourself, you have plugged in the, you have ticked in the boxes. You now know how then you can relate with the next person, how you can relate with your colleagues at work, how you can relate with your clients, how you can relate with your family and how you can relate with stakeholders around you.

Speaker 3:

That means, when you fully are aware of yourself, you can then position yourself and plug yourself appropriately with people around you for the benefit of a collective good. You don't want to be a round plug in a square hole. You won't want to be a round plug in a square hole.

Speaker 2:

You won't fit, you'll be a misfit Okay.

Speaker 1:

So you want to unpack yourself first.

Speaker 3:

We are speaking here of self-awareness. You want to know yourself so that you get to plug in in the right places in the right times, and then you are effective positively to the community around you. It could be your clients, it could be your family, it could be the, the, your neighborhood and even your city. So that's what we mean when we say unpacking yourself for the benefit of the greater good. Yeah, I'll give you an example.

Speaker 3:

Um, when you're talking about being our selfaware, you want to understand your personality, your characteristic, your trait, and then you know which are your comfort areas. For example, let's say, you know yourself that you are very impatient. You don't tolerate people who mess you up with the slightest of triggers. You now know that. Okay, fine, I then need to measure my expectations of people.

Speaker 3:

If I'm impatient, it means I now know how I should deal with people who I think are not performing to my expectations. Or if you think you are too kind, how then do you position yourself in dealing with other people who may appear rude or unpleasant to have around? So that's what we mean when we say unpacking your personal, your individual package for the benefit of a greater good. How then you plug in into the, into a team. So it all starts at a micro level as you as an individual, and then how you plug in into a team setting or into team team. So it all starts at a micro level as you as an individual, and then how you plug in into a team setting or into team dynamics.

Speaker 1:

And how do you manage change in an organization?

Speaker 3:

All right, there are plenty, plenty ways that you can look into. Firstly, you want to look at information exchange. You want to have a conversation around what triggered the change, what causes the change. So it's about information sharing. I'll give you an example. Let's say, in an organization, you want to retrench people. You want to share with your team why are we needing to retrench? Okay, so, guys, we are not doing so well, and the reason why we are not doing so well, and the reason why we're not doing so well maybe is the environment or our lack of capitalization and things like that. You are sharing information, you are educating your team about the need for the retrenchment. Okay, so, number one, it's about sharing information. So, secondly, you want people to understand the entire change process and, secondly, you want people to understand the entire change process, and by this we are saying the change process happens within the organization and outside the organization, and that speaks of your team members being prepared, your team members, your implementation strategy of the change and then also the follow through after the change.

Speaker 3:

After the change, the other strategy or approach that corporates can look into is figuring out the factors around the change. By this we are saying we want to first of all understand why the need for that change. One of the reasons could be a bad decision. We could have made a bad decision in our past which is now coming back to bite us or to hound us. Or it could be a new system that has been brought in place. It could be an iet system that we're introducing into the organization, which now affects how we do things, as well as affecting even the number of staff members that we need. That also also is a trigger, a driver for change. Or it could be new competitors who are coming into town that can affect or influence us to change a few things in our organization. So we are saying, yeah, brands also need to then understand the factors around a particular change. And then the other thing would be for organizations to create a roadmap around the change, to say, okay, we've identified the reason for the change, we've identified the need for change, we've identified areas for the change.

Speaker 3:

How, then, do we implement that? Is it going to be a gradual phase of managing the change or is it going to be an abrupt, cruel change that has to be implemented? We now need to come up with a road map. How are we going to implement the changes and for how long. So we create a road map, and then, of course, we want to expect and prepare financial implications of the change we want to introduce in the organization.

Speaker 3:

Because, look, every change comes with a financial cost. In the context of retrenchments, we're looking at severance packages In the course of changing, for advancement in our way of doing things in an organization comes with capital expenditure, so all that comes in with a financial burden. We cannot run away from it. Change comes with a financial obligation. And then, of course, finally maybe not the least though is you want to be optimistic, to say the change that we want to implement here is going to be for the good. You don't want to just implement a change without clearly understanding that is going to sink us further. You want to understand that is actually going to protect the business and actually take you to the next level. So change must be positive change and it has to be managed as such. Let's be optimistic about the change.

Speaker 1:

Thank you very much, nkoma Joe. That was very insightful to understand change. I think we are in a pivotal moment in this country where change is necessary. I think we have discussed earlier what is going on where companies are shutting down, financial impact on families, the spending power, a lot is happening, so it's change that is going on around us.

Speaker 1:

The question is can we prepare ourselves to accept the change and to teach life and life goes on and at the same time, at business level, you know, there are things that are going to be impacting us as a company, and maybe a small business that is growing, or you're a big business that is facing some areas of change. It's important to identify those and begin to to transition. You know, let's not be left behind as change is happening, because change is constantly going to happen, whether we like it or not. The question is are you going to go with the change or are you going to be left behind? Thank you for joining us at Start to Finish, fueling Discipline, focus and the Right my Sin. See you in the next episode.