Change Management is a multidisciplinary field that cannot be defined easily. Try Googling it to see my point! There are literally hundreds of definitions, so if you’re looking for just one, be prepared to get frustrated. That being said, for our purposes we can use the Prosci Definition of Change Management;
“Change management is the process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve a required business outcome.”
The Change Management process is much like that of gourmet cooking. You need a knowledgeable chef, the right recipe, fresh ingredients, and quality equipment to make an exquisite meal. In Change Management you need a knowledgeable practitioner, an appropriate and proven methodology and the right tools and techniques to achieve the desired results. Whether it is an organization-wide change or a change in a particular department or service area, the initiative will abide by the same principles. Remember, change does not happen in a vacuum; inputs and outputs affect many areas within and outside the organization, sometimes unpredictably.
The well publicized failure rate of Change initiatives is a staggering 70%*. That’s right, incredulously, 7 out of every 10 Change Management efforts are not successful and do not fulfill the change objectives originally mandated! In this article we examine 7 key factors which will go a long way to greatly increase the odds of success. The following are not listed in order of importance but are, nevertheless, all crucial ingredients for a successful change intervention.
Seven Factors of Change Management Success:
Executive Support: High tier support for the initiative is of paramount importance. Employees at all levels of the organization need to see, hear and feel that this activity is of significant relevance; to the executive, the organization as a whole, and that the executive fully supports the efforts of all those involved in the initiative. This circle of support (and involvement) may well need to be expanded even further, depending on the initiative and organization, to include other stakeholders such as customers, suppliers and partners.
Clear Vision: The future state of the organization must be clearly defined and in purposeful alignment with the organization’s high level goals, which in turn must be in sync with the organization’s values and beliefs system. This is an imperative corporate cultural aspect that cannot be understated. It is worth noting that corporate culture may very likely need to undergo a change itself to keep in line with the new desired future state of the organization. An organization’s Vision (desired future) and Mission can be viewed as its “Why”. Why we exist, Why we do what we do, Why we care.
Planning: Ideally, change should be a planned action rather than a reaction. A well laid-out change management plan, including strong implementation management (particularly relating to stakeholder involvement) and incorporating proven methodologies, tools, and techniques will go a long way to ensuring a successful change initiative. This plan will assist in numerous aspects of the initiative, including risk management, contingency planning, change control, resource management, prioritization and the post implementation review of the change. Astonishingly, many change efforts are undertaken with no plan at all! A more laissez-faire, flying by the seat of one’s pants approach is sometimes taken, which, not surprisingly, is almost a guaranteed recipe for disaster.
Change Management Leadership: A driving force needs to be present for the implemented to move forward and stay on track through to successful completion. Whether it is the role of a highly skilled internal manager or external consultant keeping the heat on, the momentum must be continuously maintained. Active guidance, encouragement and support to meet aligned interim goals and milestones are crucial. Achievements should also be celebrated by the team to motivate participants and preserve team cohesiveness at optimal levels. Small wins are huge and celebrating them adds an oftentimes much needed dash of spice.
Communication: Clear and transparent communication of all change related activities and their results is another very crucial component of any change initiative that affects all those involved. This must also include external stakeholders and partners that are involved as well. The communication must be bi-directional, flowing down from the senior executive, as well as up, from floor level employees. In this way, it can allay fears of the unknown as well as gather much valued inputs for the process. It cannot be stressed enough that communication must be far-reaching, continuous and relevant throughout the entire process.
Employee Engagement and Participation: Employees at all levels must understand how they fit into the future of the organization and how crucial their participation in the change initiative actually is. This includes having a clear understanding of how their participation in the change initiative will ultimately result in its positive outcome; how this will not only benefit the organization as a whole, but more importantly, how it will benefit them on an individual basis, thereby answering the big WIIFM (What’s In It for Me) Question. The need to fully internalize that they have a vested interest in the change cannot be understated. This approach will also contribute to managing resistance throughout the process, which is a critical component of the overall communication strategy. Notably, this can be thought of as the employees’ “Why” and must also be in alignment with that of the organization.
Accountability: This aspect goes hand in hand with the leadership component. The leader and key change participants, whether from staff groups or outside the organization (managers or “experts”), must be held accountable throughout the process to keep on track, aligned and motivated. In other words, those that are responsible for making change happen must be held accountable to ensure that the process unfolds systematically and with rigour. Important to note, that unless the change plan incorporates appropriate behavioural punishments and rewards for different managerial behaviours, the desired change won’t adhere and the necessary management skills will not be developed. Measurement is a crucial plan component and will not only steer managerial behavior towards achieving specific goals but will also alert managers of required corrections midway in the process should change efforts wander from their intended course. It is vital that measurements should be taken regularly and at key milestones throughout the change process.
When these 7 key factors of the change management process are kept at top of mind, from the initial planning stages of a change initiative through to its conclusion, the likelihood of success is dramatically increased.
…So, yes, you can definitely have your cake and eat it too! Bon appétite.
Paul Royce