Change Management
Change Management is a structured approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state.
Reasons people resist change
- The risks associated with the proposed change are felt to be greater than the risks associated with the status quo
- The stated benefits of the change are outweighed by the effort required to enact the change
- Loyalty to those who developed the current system
- Insufficient evidence that the change has been successfully implemented elsewhere
- A fear of not being capable of handling a new or modified role
- A healthy skepticism that the new way is actually better than the old
- The payback time of the change is too far into the future
- Skepticism about the motives of the of individuals promoting the change
- A suspicion or knowledge that the change will result in a loss of status, autonomy or income
- Change fatigue (previous changes have not been successful)
- Fear of the unknown / Lack of certainty
Change Management Tips
- Take people on the journey
- Explain why change is required and the rationale behind the change
- Don’t thrust it upon people, but then don’t hold back either
- Once the need to change is identified then ensure you follow through
- There will always be obstacles and casualties – recognise and manage this
- Standing still is going backwards, moving forward requires people to embrace change
- The old way isn’t always the best way; it’s usually the opposite, present evidence to show why
- If you want people to change, support them to do so
- Let team members be champions/agents of change
- A good change program has those at the coal-face making the decisions
- Top management sanity-check, challenge, augment and enable what those at the coal-face identify
- A good facilitator is sometimes helpful as they will be impartial and objective and have no emotional attachment to the change program
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