The Change Enablement 411 series is a compilation of tips and tricks about leading and managing organizational change. These tidbits have been posted for information and awareness, and are occasionally used on social media for general engagement and conversation.
- Anything that requires people to act or behave differently than they currently do warrants some form of #ChangeManagement
- #ChangeLeadership+#ChangeManagement = #ChangeEnablement. #ChangeManagement cannot exist without #ChangeLeadership; invest in establishing a clear vision of the future state!
- Ensure you have a #ChangeChampion with the right level of visibility, influence, and authority for a successful and sustainable #change
- While #ChangeLeadership is about setting a vision for the future (#DesiredState), #ChangeManagement deals with executing tactic steps to achieve that vision
- #ChangeEnablement is not just about putting people through training on the new #tool or #process; make impacted people part of the #change from Day 1
- Make sure that people know why a given #change is needed and how it would benefit them - #awareness and #desire are building blocks for a successful change (refer to #Prosci #ADKAR)
- A badly executed change can be perceived as a 'threat' by the impacted groups; it threatens their way of working, years of experience, and overall culture
- People are more likely to embrace the #change if they felt they had a role in it versus being subjected to it - find the right balance!
- Training is not a one-size-fits-all answer to #ChangeEnablement; it is merely one small aspect; get to know your change audience!
- Communicating the #changes after the fact is not #ChangeManagement; involve impacted audience early and often to accelerate adoption
- Providing people training (#knowledge) on the new process/tool is not always enough; look to provide hands-on coaching to build #ability to perform work (refer to #Prosci #ADKAR)
- Build a structured change plan and organize your thoughts using available tools/techniques such as #ADKAR, #KottersChangeModel, and #LeanChange
- Try small change campaigns (#MinimumViableChanges) over a short time period (1-2 weeks), measure results and adapt - refer to #LeanStartUp and #LeanChange
- Don't feel compelled to sell the #change to every member of the target audience all on your own; leverage eager adopters in the organization to amplify your message
- Enabling #change is crucial to realizing the value of new processes, tools, and products; lack of adoption could translate to a major failure
- The performance of a #change initiative is typically determined by i) speed of adoption, ii) ability to effectively navigate the #change and iii) overall uptake by the target audience
- Ensure frequent communication with the #ChangeChampion (or sponsor) for continued support, advocacy, and leadership
- If you do not have regular access to your #change sponsor (or #ChangeChampion) and strong advocacy for the #change, consider re-evaluating the basics
- Consider generating a stakeholder heatmap showing areas of support and resistance, after identifying key influencers who could impact your change initiative
- Identify key #change advocates (influencers) at all layers of the organization, and leverage them to convert those who are on the fence about the #change
- Given that #change initiatives can impact large populations; invest time in identifying a sample set representative of this audience; involve them to build buy-in and traction
- Whenever planning #change #communications, start by identifying the desired outcome and target audience; craft the key message specifically to achieve that outcome
- Understand the impact of the #change on the target audience, with an appreciation and respect for the fact that it can impact them both physically and emotionally
- Think about the key groups in the target audience and as you pitch the change to them, make sure to acknowledge its impact and focus on 'what is in it for them'
- Don't ignore the emotional component as 'feeling' play a big role in change enablement; high emotional awareness is critical!
- After establishing the issue causing the need for #change, solicit solution ideas from the impacted groups to give them a voice and stake in the initiative
- Be adaptable and flexible as you execute the #change despite well-crafted plans; organizational change is complex!
- Keep in constant touch with all impacted groups, key influencers, and #ChangeChampion throughout the #change initiative; communicate often and purposefully!
