change--just kiss
TRANSCRIPT
Change–Just KISS
Contributed by Ron Leeman on October 22, 2015 in Organization, Change, & HR
I recently contributed to a thread about models and methodologies on LinkedIn and said “Are
we making change too complicated? Isn’t it just is a simple matter of getting from A to B and
ensuring your people join you on the journey! Just a thought!”
In an update I posted regarding my article 70% of Change Management Initiatives Fail –
Really? a connection posted “For me Change Management is very often over complicated
(another subject for discussion).”
Well, this is not a discussion, but an article, because I truly believe that change is as simple as
you make it.
Do others feel the same?
Well, Forbes seem to. In a 2012 article titled How To Lead Change: 3 Simple Steps, they
said “As much as some people want to create complexity around the topic of leading change,
the reality is creating, managing and leading change is really quite simple.” They go on to
quote the 3 simple steps:
Identifying the Need for Change.
Leading Change.
Managing Change.
Also, published in 2013 by Projectyzer was an article called Change Management Reduced to
Seven Simple Questions, which reduced Change Management down to the following
questions:
Why is this Change necessary?
What is in it for Me?
What is going to be different on Monday?
What won’t change?
What might go wrong?
What is going to be difficult?
How do know that you are making progress?
Answering these questions will allow you to develop a simple approach to your change
initiative.
I like this!
And, finally, in an article by CultivateLabs called The Simple Answer to Change
Management, they say “Regardless of your next change endeavour, think about how to ‘make
it easy.’ Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and ask yourself how external
factors can be manipulated to achieve the desired end-result. It’s easier said than done, but
you might be surprised at how much more practical and thoughtful your change tactics
become.”
Still not convinced?
OK, that’s fine. Let me continue and try to persuade you!
It’s not about the methodology or model. It’s about how we deliver the
message.
Let’s start by looking at the words used in some of the change methodologies and models:
Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement – Prosci
Strategy, Structure, Style, Staff, Skills, Systems, Shared Values – McKinsey’s 7-S
Model
Unfeezing, Transition, Refreezing – Kurt Lewin’s Change Model.
Ending/Losing/Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, The New Beginning – Bridge’s
Transition Model.
Shock, Denial, Frustration, Depression, Experiments, Decisions, Integration – The
Kubler-Ross Curve.
Imperative, Readiness, Implementation, Gain – Pritchett’s Change Management
Model.
Artefacts & Symbols, Espoused Values, Basic Underlying Assumptions – Schein’s
Model of Change.
Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny – Cooperrider’s Appreciative Inquiry (AI).
Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance – Prochaska
and DiClemente Model
Jeez… what on earth are they talking about? What do they mean? As a change professional
you probably do but do the people impacted by the change know? My answer to that is no
definitely not. Oh and all those pretty pictures!
Yes, when you look at the detail that sits behind them they kind of make sense but, as I said,
only you as a change professional will understand them but not the audience you are trying to
convey your message to.
Models/methodologies have their place but should not be used as the “be all and end all” in a
change initiative. They sometimes only serve to restrict Change Managers who should not be
“shackled” because “change” is an iterative process and needs to be flexible and intuitive. No
one size fits all so let’s not get hung-up on just one way because there are many ways and
each has their own strengths and weaknesses.
Take a look at my article called Change Management Methodologies.
The problem is when you start spouting
these things to those that will be impacted
by change (btw these are the people that
will make it break your change initiative
so beware because they will turn off and
think you are completely mad) they
haven’t got a clue about what they are and
consequently you will lose them and
probably bore them to tears. They will
only really be interested in the WIIFM
factor so you need to major on that.
Change is as simple as you want to make
it. Over-complicating things by talking
about methodologies and models will
only serve to turn people off and you will
immediately create a barrier that will, in
the future, be hard to break down.
While methodologies and models are an important component of Change Management
capability it is not the only one, and perhaps not even the most important one. An
experienced/seasoned Change Agent who can make sense of the “noise” using them and
other tools is the most important asset.
Take a look at my article called The Personality Side of Being a Change Management
Professional.
Change is about people and not methodologies or models.
There is a saying that goes “Change is the only constant.” Well, my reply is that “People are
the only constant in change” to which there are two perspectives:
Common sense. The most effective way of making change happen is to take people
with you by creating commitment and ownership.
Mismanagement. Many of the reasons why change fails are to do with not
adequately managing the issues that individuals face when change happens.
People all have individual feelings and attitudes, e.g.:
The status quo gives individuals within an organisation a sense of security.
They will cling to what they know and understand because change brings uncertainty,
fear and anxiety.
Attitudes like “it may not be the greatest place to work, but its home” are real.
Understanding these individual feelings and attitudes are critical to the successful
implementation of change and knowing how to overcome a person’s natural resistance will
enable:
Change to be implemented more effectively.
The negative effects on performance to be minimized.
The chances of success to be optimized.
There is a distribution of attitudes starting at one of the spectrum, the BLOCKER, to the
other end, the CHAMPION.
So, keep it simple and talk to people in a language they understand.
Tell them about the following:
Messages about the Business Today such as:
Business issues and drivers that created the need for change
Competitive issues or changes in the market place
Customer issues
Financial issues
What might happen if the change is not made
Messages about the Change itself such as:
A vision of the organisation after the change has taken place
Scope of the change … process, organisation and/or technology
Objectives for the change … what does success look like
Overall time frame in which to implement the change
Alignment of the change with the business strategy
How big is the change … what is the gap between now and where we want to be
Who is most impacted by the change and who is least impacted
The basics of what is changing … how and when and also what is not changing
Messages about the Impact of the Change such as:
The impact of the change on the day-to-day activities of each stakeholder group
WIIFM – what’s in it for me from an employees perspective
Implications of the change on job security – will I have a job afterwards
Specific behaviours expected from employees including support of the change
Differing ways to provide feedback about the change
Procedures for getting help and assistance during the change
The expectation that change will happen and that it is not a choice.
Keep it direct and personal and convince them that they will be part of the change process.
Once you have told them, keep on communicating.
This is important because if people do not understand what is going on they will resist. You
need to have a clear an unambiguous way of communicating to them. I use a simple 4-stage
approach:
Messages to be communicated.
Stakeholder groups to be communicated to.
Channels to be communicated through.
Frequency of communication.
When communicating please remember:
Recognize that everything you say and do influences your company … you represent
change!
Be visible and listen.
Repeat messages: ideas sink in deeply only if they have been heard many times.
KISS: eliminate jargon.
That’s it really. Tell it the way it is, don’t over-complicate, talk to people in a language that
they understand, keep them on-board and informed, be personable.
Have I convinced you?
About Ron Leeman
Ron Leeman has been involved in “change and process” work for more years than he cares to remember. He has worked extensively across the UK, Europe, and globally--and has an enviable track-record of delivering organisational change and process
initiatives across a wide cross section of industry sectors. In 2012, Ron was bestowed with a “Change Leader of Tomorrow” award by the World HRD Congress “in recognition of my remarkable progress in initiating changes enough for others in the same industry to follow my example”. Ron is firm believer in knowledge transfer and now wants to share his vast knowledge with those who are considering getting into or at various stages of “change” and/or “process” work or those working on specific Projects wanting to gain practical insights into “how to” type situations. You can connect with Ron Leeman on LinkedIn here, where you can view his 85+ Recommendations and in excess of 800 Endorsements from clients and co-workers alike to give you an indication of the quality of service that he has provided and can offer. Ron is also a document author on Flevy. Browse his frameworks on Change Management, Process Analysis, and Program Management here: http://flevy.com/seller/highwayofchange.
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