| In this fourth debate, the panel will discuss different options and
methods for managing change.
Jeff Hiatt
For this debate we will be discussing the various options and methods through which
managers and change agents can manage change. I have compiled a top-10 list that
summarizes the most common change management strategies based on Prosci's research with
more than 700 organizations over a four year period. These change management areas
represent the most commonly applied methods. The panelists have been instructed to avoid
jumping to the answer that all 10 are important. They have been asked to select and be an
advocate for the most important or impacting strategy for managing change. The top-ten
are:
- Change readiness assessments (assessing employees and
managers in areas such as culture and values, past changes, employee readiness and
resistance)
- Communications (includes communication planning and
communication activities)
- Training (education and training programs to build
skills and knowledge)
- Executive sponsorship (the visible actions
by business leaders)
- Incentive and reward programs (ranging from small
incentive programs to compensation changes)
- Employee feedback (enabling employees to openly share
their thoughts and feelings about the change)
- Supervisor's direct coaching to employees (helping
individual employees through the change process)
- Resistance management (tactics for systematically
managing resistance)
- Sacrificial lamb (visibly removing a key manager that
is an obstacle to change)
- Employee participation (involving employees in the
design of the change)
Dr. James Johnson (JJ)
Having managed people at all levels of the organization, I believe that the group that
has the toughest job in change management is the front-line supervisors.
From the front-line supervisors' perspective, they are at the bottom of the food chain.
They must carry their employees kicking and screaming into the new environment. It can
appear as change for change's sake or the next "flavor of the month." Their
change management techniques run the spectrum from:
A. bargain with the employees to make the change with little or no resistance
B. tell the employees to "go with the flow" and that in a couple weeks,
"this too shall pass"
C. send them to training
D. threaten the employees if there is any resistance
Adrienne Boyd
I think supervisors have more options than that.
I am an advocate for beginning with readiness assessments and I believe they are the
most important of the top-ten. Change assessments allow change agents to
prepare for change by understanding which employees are going to need bargaining,
training, incentives or other special interventions. They allow supervisors to be
proactive in their planning. Readiness assessments can even be applied to all
levels - from front line to top executives. They tell an organization what
communications each individual needs. They tell who to communicate
with, what to communicate, when communication is needed, and how much
communication and persuasion is needed for each individual.
Dr. James Johnson (JJ)
I would be concerned about over rating the value and role of readiness assessments.
They are a common tool used by outside consultants to become familiar with the culture and
the organization. However, 80% of what is learned with readiness assessments is already
known by experienced managers inside the business. As I was saying before, supervisors
play the key role. The list I provided was not intended to be the final list.
Unfortunately, these are the typical activities of supervisors that lack change management
training. If supervisors are properly equipped to manage change, they can become change
advocates and role models. They will find ways to not only help employees through the
transition, but to involve employees in the process thereby building ownership for the
change.
Melissa Dutmers
Each change initiative is different, therefore I would say the first step change agents
must take is to review this "top 10" list and use judgement on which tactics
will most likely render positive results. From my own personal experience,
I believe executive sponsorship is a must. Change leaders must show alignment with
senior management's business objectives. Gaining executive sponsorship is the first step
to verify that the change you are trying to implement aligns well with your senior
management's business objectives. Alignment, alignment, alignment.
Second, using every vehicle possible to communicate about the change and how the change
will affect people in the organization makes sense. If people don't know
"what" the change is and "why" it's being implemented, then
"how" to implement the change is a mute point. Finally, back
your words up by behaviors and actions that support the change. Reward the right
behaviors. If you're saying one thing, and your behaviors and actions are sending a
different message - you will lose credibility.
Jeff Hiatt
I appreciate the emphasis on communicating with employees. However, a common mistake
that I encounter with change management teams is when they equate change management with
communications. They rush to share information about the change, including putting their
CEO or business leader out in front of employees to deliver the initial messages. Teams
often follow this initial flurry of communications with a newsletter or email
announcements. These first steps are not wrong. On the contrary, they are critical.
Unfortunately, many teams believe that this is the bulk of their change management
responsibility. What is missing here is a context for what results are achieved with these
initial activities, and what is yet to be achieved in the change management process.
In other words, what goal was achieved with these communications, and what still needs
to be accomplished to successfully manage the change. It is like taking a cruise. When you
arrive at the ship to depart, information is provided to you about the departure time.
Later on, the captain comes on the loud speaker, talks about the journey ahead and tells
all passengers to "get on board, the ship is departing soon." Right before
departure, a final announcement is made for all to board the ship. Anchors are pulled up
and tie lines are released. All of these verbal and visual messages signal that the ship
is ready to leave. These type of communications are like early management communications
about change at work. However, like the cruise, these communications simply launch the
ship. The journey has just begun -- the fun, storms and challenges all lie ahead. This is
why a structured process for change management is necessary to implement the right
strategies from this top-ten list at the right time.
Tim Creasey
In response to the above comments, I have one question. This is a question that one of
my professors frequently asks: "Towards what end?" The notion is that while all
of these tools may be important, you as a change agent must first answer "towards
what end?" Regarding assessments, they may provide you insight into where you are,
but before spending the time and money, be sure to answer "towards what end?".
How are you going to use the assessments to support your change efforts? Communication is
the same way. While communication is critical to successful change, before sending an
email or posting an announcement, be sure to answer "towards what end?". I think
Jeff's comments are right on target - some managers rush communications without
understanding their role in the larger picture of change management. They lack a change
management framework overall.
So, which of the top-10 do I think is the most important? I would have to go with #7,
supervisor's direct coaching. My logic is this:
1) the 'end' for change management is making a new way of doing things successful,
2) ultimately, it is the front-line employees (also called adopters or targets) who
must perform the new way of doing things,
3) supervisors are the single most important factor in getting employees to adopt the
new way of doing things.
All of the other tools in the top-10 list are important, but to be successful, change
agents must work where the rubber meets the road - at the desks and workstations of the
front-line employees and their supervisors.
Melissa Dutmers
I like J.J.'s and Tim's focus on coaching and the need to support employees, to
personalize the change for employees, to inspire employees. I am in the throws of a
significant change initiative right now. I have all these tools and knowledge available to
me to manage the change and I must admit, change management is hard! Here's why... I will
address Tim's comments directly.
Tim noted, "So, which of the top-10 do I think is the most important? I would
have to go with #7, supervisor's direct coaching. My logic is this: the 'end' for change
management is making a new way of doing things successful."
The 'end' is the vision. JFK pointed to the vision - he declared that we would go to
the moon. The end result, the success, was landing on the moon. Managers,
supervisors, change leaders must paint that vision, they point to the moon, they speak to
the values and behaviors that support the vision. Leaders inspire others to
act on that vision. JFK didn't dictate how we were going to get to the moon. He simply
pointed in the direction. The people that made it real embraced the vision and made it
happen.
Tim also noted: "ultimately, it is the front-line employees (also called
adopters or targets) who must perform the new way of doing things. "
I feel like we are removing employee accountability from the change management picture.
Employees don't "perform" the new way of doing things, like some passive
observer waiting to be told what to do. Employees also innovate the new way of
doing things. They play an active role in change management. I guess what I'm getting at
here and what I've learned recently is that change is often NOT simply prescribed. If it
were that easy, the communication would be "do steps 1-5, training is on Tuesday,
here's what's in it for you, end of story."
It's not that easy. What I'm learning is that the "pointers" and the
"doers" are often different. The pointers identify the business case for
change, they paint the vision of the future, and they even play a role in identifying
strategies to translate required changes into action. But... they don't own it all.
Employees play an active role in determining how to make the necessary changes
a reality - they innovate. Targets of change are not passive
observers that are waiting to be told what to do.
I think the big learning for me is to identify the roles in change management and
recognize that "targets" of change must play an active role in innovating and
realizing the change. Leaders work through others and that's why coaching, creating a
compelling case for change, and inspiring people to act are key. You can lead a
horse to water, but you can't force it to drink. The single most important factor in
realizing change, especially when it's not "prescribable," is point to the moon,
and let employees know that they are expected and empowered to play an active role in
realizing the change. Our employees are our greatest asset - we must tap in to their
innovation, tap in to their ability to realize the changes that companies need to make.
Leaders don't have to know exactly how the company is going to get from point A to point
B. Point to "B", let employees know where we're going and why and
inspire your employees to figure out how to get there.
Tim Creasey
I agree with Melissa, change does require a vision and leadership to make it happen.
But vision is not enough. I have countless stories of leadership coming up with a vision
and the change failing to take place. Sometimes it is poor sponsorship and communication
by leadership of what the vision means to the business. Sometimes it is middle management
diluting the vision. But ultimately, for a vision to become reality, the front-line must
implement. I don't mean that the front-line are just pawns to be moved in one direction or
another. But it is them, through their day-to-day activities, that make change successful.
Although it was Kennedy who had the vision of landing on the moon, it was the engineers,
shuttle manufacturers and astronauts who made it happen. And these people on the
front-line were not just victims of the change, they played a key role in deciding how to
fulfill the vision and make the mission a success. Vision is important, but only when the
change is managed in a way that 'gives it legs' or makes it real and able to be
implemented. Here, the coaching by supervisors is what makes some visions come to life
while others end up in the trash can.
to be continued...
***
What options and methods do you feel are most important. What do you think is missing
from this discussion? The top-ten change management strategies are:
- Change readiness assessments (assessing employees and
managers in areas such as culture and values, past changes, employee readiness and
resistance)
- Communications (includes communication planning and
communication activities)
- Training (education and training programs to build
skills and knowledge)
- Executive sponsorship (the visible actions
by business leaders)
- Incentive and reward programs (ranging from small
incentive programs to compensation changes)
- Employee feedback (enabling employees to openly share
their thoughts and feelings about the change)
- Supervisor's direct coaching to employees (helping
individual employees through the change process)
- Resistance management (tactics for systematically
managing resistance)
- Sacrificial lamb (visibly removing a key manager that
is an obstacle to change)
- Employee participation (involving employees in the
design of the change)
Share your input or personal experience
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