Business environment is characterized by evolving landscapes that pose existential threats to businesses that do not stay ahead of the curve. Change is a daunting element in transformation of an organization to not only survive but thrive. However, with the right people professionals change offers organizations an opportunity to strengthen their culture, improve their systems and process and unlock their potential. Therefore, people professionals play a critical role to align people strategy with business goals, mission and vision. People professionals are required to understand the importance of change in an organization and ways to address challenges that face organizations managing changes. To effectively manage change, HR consultants and people professionals must
- Measure how the proposed change will affect the labor force
- Identify and address potentials change resistance
- Develop strategies for communicating change
- Develop training programs to upskill workforce
- Support the organization during the transition
Due to the pivotal role played by people professionals in supporting change management initiatives, CIPD qualifications impart useful knowledge and capabilities to future people professionals and HR consultants.
Under the unit 5CO01 organizational performance and culture in practice students learn different approaches to manage change and relevant models for how people experience change. Under 7CO01 work and working lives in a changing business learners gain deeper understanding of how change, innovation and creativity promote organizational productivity. In the same unit students are taught how organizations overcome resistance to change and necessary factors to sustain change.
The book “Leading Change” (1995) details Prof. John Kotter’s eight-step model of change management. The gem provides people professionals with clear, systematic strategies to implement the transition of an organization’s processes, goals, and technology. The model is among change management approaches that are taught and examined in 5CO01 organisational performance and culture assignment example. The other models of managing change include: Lewin’s three-step model of change; reactive approaches; proactive approaches and reactive approaches.
In this post, I’ll teach people professionals how a company can adapt to transformations using Professor John’s model of Kotter’s eight-step model of change management..
Let’s Start With Defining Change Management
According to BNET’s Business Dictionary, “change management is the coordination of a structured period of transition from Situation A to Situation B in order to achieve lasting change within an organization.”
Change Management Learning Center collaborates the above definition and adds:
“It is the process, tools, and techniques to manage the people-side of business change to achieve the required business outcome, and to realize that business change effectively within the social infrastructure of the workplace.”
Also Read : McKinsey’s, Prosci ADKAR®, Kurt Lewin’s and Carol VanDeusen Lukas’ (et al) Organizational Change Management Models.
The 5 Keys to Effective Change Management
- A change management leadership that invites everyone’s participation.
- A strong communication that convinces new employee behavior.
- Involvement of all stakeholders to inform a new behavioral strategy.
- Training that unites the entire healthcare institution, and
- Measurement metrics that clearly define success.
How To Implement Change Powerfully and Successfully
This comprehensive, step-by-step guide towards effective change management is every successful HR’s companion.
As we’ll see later, effective changes involve everybody: the employer, employees, and sometimes other key stakeholders.
The Eight Steps at a Glance
I’ll group John Koller’s eight steps into three groups for ease of understanding. The categories are:
- Preparing a conducive environment for change through:
- Creating urgency
- Building a powerful coalition, and
- Getting the right vision for change.
- Engaging and enabling the entire organization via:
- Communicating the vision for buy-in
- Empowering action by removing any obstacles, and
- Creating short-term wins.
- The last steps cover implementing and sustaining change. They’re:
- Building on the change, and finally
- How to anchor the changes in corporate culture.
Kotter’s Eight-Step Model of Change Management Explained
The employer and employee must first understand the rationale for change and quality improvement. In order to do this, you should first consult the most recent data before studying competitor trends.
Next, let everyone participate in planning by forming the strongest coalition. What remains now is to implement the strategy. Check out Step #5, which is the pivot point for successful change management!
Step #1: Start with Creating a Sense of Urgency around the Change
Wait until the whole organization is primed for a fresh approach to one or all its processes. Better still, open an honest dialogue that convinces your teammates of the need for change. If everyone’s talking about your proposal, let the spark feed on itself and grow into an unstoppable transition inferno.
Important Tidbit
A company’s processes breed complacency. If left unchecked, this is an accident in slow motion (but definitely in 3D). You can get sparkling transformation ideas from observing an organization’s processes!
Step #2: Build a Formidable Coalition
Let’s face it: every institution has that infamous cahoot of loudmouths. Since most of them are leaders in their areas (unfortunately), use them to ensure everybody’s talking changes. It’ll put them to good use, at least for once!
Another great way to form a coalition is overlooking the conventional organizational chart’s hierarchy. Handpick institutional leaders ( they’ll not necessarily perch high on the organizational ladder). What they wield, instead, is unquestionable power among their peers!
Another Important Note
It’s not enough that everybody is talking change; you’ll have to form and actually lead a team. Steer the conversation by holding regular meetings and host team-building activities. Your coalition has to pull in one direction throughout this phase.
Step #3: It’s Now Time to Set the Right Vision for Change!
When you start, there’ll probably be several unpolished ideas floating around. Sit down with your team and ask yourselves why the change is necessary. What does the institution stand to gain? Compellingly describe the change, justify any transitions, and outline a transformation strategy.
The following steps will help you to link freestanding concepts into an encompassing vision:
- Sift through the options for ideas that form the core of desirable changes.
- Compress the above ideations in at most five sentences, capturing everything you see as the company’s future, and
- Pass the final pitch to your coalition. Many people don’t have a whole afternoon to buy your idea, so make sure the team can sell the idea in less than three minutes!
Once you’re done creating the vision, begin to engage and enable the whole organization in readiness for change.
Step #4: Communicate the Vision
Pass the word around every chance you get. Expect competing ideas and massive resistance from within the organization. The success of the vision depends on how frequently, powerfully, and convincingly you communicate it.
Use the proposed change concept to solve daily work challenges and create opportunities for the idea in decision-making forums. Make the 5Cs of effective communication your partner.
Tip
Keep the change idea(s) fresh in everyone’s mind. They’ll remember and respond positively.
Walk the talk, too! Demonstrate the most desirable repercussions of your concept to your colleagues.
Step #5: Overcome Obstacles on your Way to Successful Change Implementation!
Tread carefully when negotiating hurdles, though. This is a delicate stage, and your change coalition can’t afford to step on a single toe. Remember to vigilantly watch your flanks for any form of resistance.
Obstacles may come in the form of individual employees. Remember that tipsy fellow you turned down during the year party? Yeah, that’s the one sabotaging your every progress!
Some “convenient” company processes are also barriers to change implementation. Other times, it’s those long-standing institutional structures. Here’s how to overcome obstacles on your way to implementing institutional change according to Prof John Kotter:
- Talk about the change right.
- Note the champions of change within your coalition and reward them.
- Quickly respond to resistance by addressing genuine concerns candidly.
In a health institution, people respond to change in either of the following five ways:
- The champions will support your change initiatives.
- Conviction, courage, compassion, effective communication, and culture will win champions a large number of converts. Use it against challengers (See No. 4 below).
- Change chasers are all those folks trying to keep pace with transformation.
- Challengers are an important group for they help you to fine-tune change through insightful conversations. They also cater for inclusivity. Converting them fosters a positive institutional culture.
- Lastly, there are changephobics who’ll forever dislike transformation. Be kind and courteous to these fellas. Always reassure employees of their job safety and stability.
Step #6: Celebrate Short-term Wins
Who doesn’t relish a win? The whole change management plan shouldn’t keep the healthcare facility waiting for tangible fruits all of ten years! Each “small” win further anchor motivation and trashes your haters’ unfounded, negative criticism.
Strategize to have a success story every one month, quarter, or biannually.
Step #7: Build on the Successes of Change in (#6) Above
To avoid your change project becoming another trash bin candidate, delay announcing its success too soon. Build on short-term wins while keeping an eye on the big prize.
Here’s three simple strategies to remain on track:
- For every phased win, check what went right. Set aside and chase areas that need improvement.
- Restate your goals, adding spicy condiments that’ll keep the change sizzle going.
- Bring in fresh energy in the change coalition. Recruit or convert fervent members. You may also regroup the team leadership!
Step #8: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture
Finally, to make the changes show in day-to-day activities, it should become company policy. Organization culture determines what gets done, anyways.
This important step gives the change a vantage place in your institution’s culture. Team leaders, keep supporting these changes, or its back to Step #1 in a huff!
These are three steps for change starters to etch their brainchild in the annals of corporate culture:
- Repeat success stories about the change every time you take to the floor.
- Recognize the founding team of your change coalition publicly. Never miss an opportunity to eulogize and make sure of their contributions to both old and new staff.
The 7 Cardinal R’s of Change Management
Too tired? Allow me to quickly list the seven cardinal R’s of change management. Won’t take any more of your time, I promise!
- Who RAISED the change question?
- What’s their main REASON behind the transition?
- Who’s RESPONSIBLE for the building, testing, and implementing the change?
- What RESOURCES will the institution require to deliver the above transformation?
- What are the foreseeable RISKS with the change?
- What RETURNS will the change bring to the healthcare facility?
- What’s the RELATIONSHIP between this and previous institutional changes?
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