Change management - the systems and tools for

managing change
Scope of change management

This tutorial provides a summary of each of the main areas for change management
based on Prosci's research with more than 900 organizations in the last 7 years.

The purpose of defining these change management areas is to ensure that there is
a common understanding among readers. Tools or components of change
management include:

 Change management process

 Readiness assessments
 Communication and communication planning
 Coaching and manager training for change management
 Training and employee training development
 Sponsor activities and sponsor roadmaps
 Resistance management
 Data collection, feedback analysis and corrective action
 Celebrating and recognizing success

Change management process

The change management process is the sequence of steps or activities that a

change management team or project leader would follow to apply change
management to a project or change. Based on Prosci's research of the most
effective and commonly applied change, most change management processes
contain the following three phases:

Phase 1 - Preparing for change (Preparation, assessment and strategy

development)

Phase 2 - Managing change (Detailed planning and change management

implementation)

Phase 3 - Reinforcing change (Data gathering, corrective action and recognition)

These phases result in the following approach as shown below in Figure 1.

 
 Figure 1 - Change Management Process (the Change Management Toolkit
and Change Management Pilot show you how to apply the process))

It is important to note what change management is and what change management

is not, as defined by the majority of research participants.

Change management is not a stand-alone process for designing a business

solution.

Change management is the processes, tools and techniques for managing the
people-side of change.

Change management is not a process improvement method.

Change management is a method for reducing and managing resistance to change

when implementing process, technology or organizational change.

Change management is not a stand-alone technique for improving organizational

performance.

Change management is a necessary component for any organizational performance

improvement process to succeed, including programs like: Six Sigma, Business
Process Reengineering, Total Quality Management, Organizational Development,
Restructuring and continuous process improvement.

Change management is about managing change to realize business results.

Readiness assessments

Assessments are tools used by a change management team or project leader to

assess the organization's readiness to change. Readiness assessments can include
organizational assessments, culture and history assessments, employee
assessments, sponsor assessments and change assessments. Each tool provides
the project team with insights into the challenges and opportunities they may face
during the change process.

 Assess the scope of the change, including: How big is this change? How
many people are affected? Is it a gradual or radical change?
 Assess the readiness of the organization impacted by the change, including:
What is the value- system and background of the impacted groups? How
 much change is already going on? What type of resistance can be expected?
 Assess the strengths of your change management team.
 Assess the change sponsors and take the first steps to enable them to
effectively lead the change process.

Communication and communication planning

Many managers assume that if they communicate clearly with their employees, their
job is done. However, there are many reasons why employees may not hear or
understand what their managers are saying the first time around. In fact, you may
have heard that messages need to be repeated 6 to 7 times before they are
cemented into the minds of employees. That is because each employee’s readiness
to hear depends on many factors. Effective communicators carefully consider three
components: the audience, what is said and when it is said.

For example, the first step in managing change is building awareness around the
need for change and creating a desire among employees. Therefore, initial
communications are typically designed to create awareness around the business
reasons for change and the risk of not changing. Likewise, at each step in the
process, communications should be designed to share the right messages at the
right time.

Communication planning, therefore, begins with a careful analysis of the audiences,

key messages and the timing for those messages. The change management team
or project leaders must design a communication plan that addresses the needs of
front-line employees, supervisors and executives. Each audience has particular
needs for information based on their role in the implementation of the change.

Coaching and manager training for change management

Supervisors will play a key role in managing change. Ultimately, the direct
supervisor has more influence over an employee’s motivation to change than any
other person at work. Unfortunately, supervisors as a group can be the most difficult
to convince of the need for change and can be a source of resistance. It is vital for
the change management team and executive sponsors to gain the support of
supervisors and to build change leadership. Individual change management
activities should be used to help these supervisors through the change process.

Once managers and supervisors are on board, the change management team must
prepare a coaching strategy. They will need to provide training for supervisors
including how to use individual change management tools with their employees.

Training and training development

Training is the cornerstone for building knowledge about the change and the
required skills. Project team members will develop training requirements based on
the skills, knowledge and behaviors necessary to implement the change. These
training requirements will be the starting point for the training group or the project
team to develop training programs.

Sponsor activities and sponsor roadmaps

Business leaders and executives play a critical sponsor role in change

management. The change management team must develop a plan for sponsor
activities and help key business leaders carry out these plans. Sponsorship should
be viewed as the most important success factor. Avoid confusing the notion of
sponsorship with support. The CEO of the company may support your project, but
that is not the same as sponsoring your initiative.

Sponsorship involves active and visible participation by senior business leaders

throughout the process. Unfortunately many executives do not know what this
sponsorship looks like. A change agent's or project leader's role includes helping
senior executives do the right things to sponsor the project.

Resistance management

Resistance from employees and managers is normal. Persistent resistance,

however, can threaten a project. The change management team needs to identify,
understand and manage resistance throughout the organization. Resistance
management is the processes and tools used by managers and executives with the
support of the project team to manage employee resistance.

Data collection, feedback analysis and corrective action

Employee involvement is a necessary and integral part of managing change.

Managing change is not a one way street. Feedback from employees is a key
element of the change management process. Analysis and corrective action based
on this feedback provides a robust cycle for implementing change.

Celebrating and recognizing success

Early successes and long-term wins must be recognized and celebrated. Individual
and group recognition is also a necessary component of change management in
order to cement and reinforce the change in the organization.

The final step in the change management process is the after-action review. It is at
this point that you can stand back from the entire program, evaluate successes and
failures, and identify process changes for the next project. This is part of the
ongoing, continuous improvement of change management for your organization and
ultimately leads to change competency.

Summary

These eight elements comprise the areas or components of a change management

program. Along with the change management process, they create a system for
managing change. Good project managers apply these components effectively to
ensure project success, avoid the loss of valued employees, and minimize the
negative impact of the change on productivity and a company's customers.