A few years ago I was working with a client who had recently introduced their own email system. The corporate headquarters and more than a dozen subsidiaries were given access and after a launch from IT the system was deployed.

After a few months IT noticed that there was little or no take-up from the many hundreds of staff using email. They were mostly using the Outlook system. After a couple of rounds of coaxing and cajoling people to use the system, An order was made by the MD to use the system.

A few months later only corporate head office and 1 other subsidiary had implemented and were using the new locally-developed email system. This left many in IT feeling dejected and unloved and complaints were duly made to the senior leadership. After some investigation it was noted that staff did not use the new system because it simply offered no benefit over and above Outlook.

Put another way, they did not see any value in the new system as a replacement for Outlook. This begs the question - why. We could go into how the 'change' was implemented which had some flaws but in the main, people simply did not see any 'value' in the new email system. For any change to be successful the 'new, different, delta state' must have value.

I've seen this scenario many times in my work with clients from myriad industries. Regardless of how good an idea or system, or practice, it must have value to those who must use it. I've coined this little verse to make the point. Use it freely if it helps.

Change usually results in some difference and this may cause some indifference The key to address the indifference is to value the Change and the difference.

Resistance to change is a common phenomena. Where no value is apparent, people will resist. All the more reason to ensure your change has real value.