Today's business environment contains words like merger, acquisition, downsize, rightsize - all which point to organizational change - the end of one practice and the beginning of another. Although, businesses tend to think of change as a marketing, strategic or technical issue, the real issues around change are emotions. The central focus of organizational change should be on the impact the change has on people. The most pressing issues surrounding change are the human issues.

Employees need three basic things in any change process:

1. Empathy - someone to listen without judgement and allow them to express their feelings and thoughts
2. Information - an intellectual understanding of what happened
3. Ideas - suggestions for action, options, plans

What employees usually get during organizational change is:

• Autocratic behavior - suggestions, tasks, orders
• Avoidance - absence of empathy and listening
• Rah Rah -- "Let's get the troops fired up"; ignore the problems, full steam ahead

The approach Managing The Mosaic™ recommends in organizational change begins with data gathering and analysis. This can be done through individual interviews, focus groups or customized survey instruments. Data analysis provides a road map for creating successful organizational change which values employee input and recognizes employee concerns. This approach creates successful partnering relationships at all levels in the organization.