Change Management
Introduction to Change Management
Responding to a fast-moving business environment accelerated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, organisations must embrace change at a pace never seen before. Technological advancement is one of the key drivers for change management.
Manage change in an organisation offers a multitude of benefits, especially for a company most important asset, its people.
For instance, change management puts you in a better position to be ready for change. Keep in mind, forewarned is forearmed!
Change Management also helps you to bring clarity as to why change is good, what it will achieve and so much more. So let's dive together into what is Change Management.
For instance, change management puts you in a better position to be ready for change. Keep in mind, forewarned is forearmed!
Change Management also helps you to bring clarity as to why change is good, what it will achieve and so much more. So let's dive together into what is Change Management.
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1. What is Change Management?
Change Management Definition:
Change Management can be defined as an approach that includes dealing with the transformation of organisational goals, core values, processes and technologies.
Successfully implementing strategies and methods for effective change as well as helping people to accept and adapt to change are the purposes of every organisational change.
Change Management can be defined as an approach that includes dealing with the transformation of organisational goals, core values, processes and technologies.
Successfully implementing strategies and methods for effective change as well as helping people to accept and adapt to change are the purposes of every organisational change.
Organisational change is often challenging as it requires many level of cooperation across independent entities of the company involved. Developing what is commonly called a change management plan can help ensuring a smooth transformation while mitigating disruption.
However, a change management plan can fail mostly for human reasons. In fact, often change management leaders do not predict properly people's reaction in regard to the disturbance associated with the change which can results in a dramatic situation.
Another critical component is also to be taken into consideration - change communication. In fact, change communication management is the number 1 factor that will lead an organisation to succeed or fail in its organisational management implementation.
However, a change management plan can fail mostly for human reasons. In fact, often change management leaders do not predict properly people's reaction in regard to the disturbance associated with the change which can results in a dramatic situation.
Another critical component is also to be taken into consideration - change communication. In fact, change communication management is the number 1 factor that will lead an organisation to succeed or fail in its organisational management implementation.
"The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.”
Charles Kettering
2. Why is Change Management so important?
We say it too often but business environment is changing at an unprecedented level. Businesses, now more than ever, must oversee processes and procedures on a regular basis especially with the fast pace of technological change.
Change management is important because unlike change at a project level that does not tend to extend beyond the boundaries of the project itself, change at an organisational level affect all employees at a different levels and increase the risks of disruptions.
Change management is critical because the change is felt at a deeper level and for a longer period of time.
While managing organisational change, companies must be as effective as possible and be focus on the following factors:
Taking these factors into consideration can help companies to increase productivity and quality of work as well as shortening production cycles and reduce costs.
Finally, companies that embrace organisational change are often able to maintain a constant "state of evolution" and facilitate periods of general business change allowing workers to remain motivated & productive during the introduction of new technologies and procedures.
Change management is important because unlike change at a project level that does not tend to extend beyond the boundaries of the project itself, change at an organisational level affect all employees at a different levels and increase the risks of disruptions.
Change management is critical because the change is felt at a deeper level and for a longer period of time.
While managing organisational change, companies must be as effective as possible and be focus on the following factors:
- Staff morale
- Positive team building
- Job enrichment
Taking these factors into consideration can help companies to increase productivity and quality of work as well as shortening production cycles and reduce costs.
Finally, companies that embrace organisational change are often able to maintain a constant "state of evolution" and facilitate periods of general business change allowing workers to remain motivated & productive during the introduction of new technologies and procedures.
3. The Four Principles of Change Management
Principle 1: Understand Change
To successfully promote the benefits of the change, you need to understand them yourself. So, think about:
- Why you need to change. What are your key objectives?
- What will the benefits of the change be to the organization?
- How will it impact people positively?
- How will it affect the way that people work?
- What will people need to do to successfully achieve the change?
It can also be helpful to think about what the negative outcomes of not making the change would be. Beckhard and Harris' Change Equation shows that, for change to work, there has to be sufficient dissatisfaction with the old way of doing things. But people also need to feel confident that the new approach will be better – and that there's a clear route to get there.
Principle 2: Plan Change
Effective change doesn't just happen by chance, and any plan you make has to be right for your organization. The way that change projects are managed can vary from organization to organization. Some have very rigid change methodologies, while others are more open and flexible in their approach.
However, in general, you'll need to consider the following:
However, in general, you'll need to consider the following:
- Sponsorship. How will you secure, engage and use high-level support and sponsorship of the change?
- Involvement. Who is best positioned to help you to design and implement the change? For example, will you need external expertise? Or can you use internal resources?
- Buy-in. Change is most effective when you are able to win support from people across the business. How do you plan to achieve this?
- Impact. Finally, think about what success should look like. How will you predict and assess the impact of the change that you need to make? What goals do you need to achieve?
Principle 3: Implement Change
So how exactly are you going to make change happen?
As we've seen, there are many different strategies that you can choose to put your change into practice. Kotter's 8-Step Change Model, for example, explains how to inject a sense of urgency into your actions, so that you build momentum and encourage everyone to get behind your changes.
Meanwhile, the Change Curve reminds you to be mindful of people's feelings while putting your plan into action. It shows the stages that we all tend to go through during organizational change – from shock and denial, to the point where we're fully invested in the new approach.
Whatever tools you choose, the following steps can help you to implement change in a positive way:
As we've seen, there are many different strategies that you can choose to put your change into practice. Kotter's 8-Step Change Model, for example, explains how to inject a sense of urgency into your actions, so that you build momentum and encourage everyone to get behind your changes.
Meanwhile, the Change Curve reminds you to be mindful of people's feelings while putting your plan into action. It shows the stages that we all tend to go through during organizational change – from shock and denial, to the point where we're fully invested in the new approach.
Whatever tools you choose, the following steps can help you to implement change in a positive way:
- Ensure that everyone involved in the changes understands what needs to happen – and what it means for them.
- Agree success criteria for your changes, and make sure that they're regularly measured and reported on.
- Map and identify all of the key stakeholders that will be involved in the change and define their level of involvement.
- Identify any training needs that must be addressed in order to implement the change.
- Appoint "change agents," who'll help to put the new practices into place – and who can act as role models for the new approach.
- Find ways to change people's habits , so that the new practices become the norm.
- Make sure that everyone is supported throughout the change process.
Principle 4: Communicate Change
Communication can be a make-or-break component of change management. The change that you want to implement has to be clear and relevant, so people understand what you want them to do and why they need to do it. But you also have to set the right tone, so that you get the emotional reaction you're hoping for.
It's a good idea to link the changes that you're planning to your organization's mission or vision statements . Not only will this help people to see how the change positively impacts the "bigger picture," it will also provide them with an inspiring, shared vision of the future.
Also be sure to practice good stakeholder management . This will ensure that you give the right people the right message, at the right time, to get the support that you need for your project.
The ADKAR Change Management Model is a particularly useful tool that you can use to help communicate your change. It outlines five things you should address in your communications:
It's a good idea to link the changes that you're planning to your organization's mission or vision statements . Not only will this help people to see how the change positively impacts the "bigger picture," it will also provide them with an inspiring, shared vision of the future.
Also be sure to practice good stakeholder management . This will ensure that you give the right people the right message, at the right time, to get the support that you need for your project.
The ADKAR Change Management Model is a particularly useful tool that you can use to help communicate your change. It outlines five things you should address in your communications:
- Awareness (of the need for change).
- Desire (to participate in and support it).
- Knowledge (of how to change).
- Ability (to change).
- Reinforcement (to sustain the change in the long term).
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