testing organizational readiness for change

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Asking the right questions

&

interpreting the results

Testing organizational readiness for change

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Z One success story of change managed right; a working framework http://www.slideshare.net/eklemola/a-working-change-management-framework-25158331

http://www.slideshare.net/eklemola/a-working-change-management-framework-25158331











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The Kübler-Ross change curve describes how

people go from shock and denial through depression to

integration. (Brown line in the picture) This is taught in each

Change and Project Management course and is taken for

granted. I don’t fully agree with it, though.

In my opinion there are at least 3 types of people

1. The people who act like the ones described in the

picture (Brown line)

2. The people who react stronger

3. The people who don’t mind that much (the gray dotted

line)

TEST & MEASURE!

How can we manage people based on average,

if we don’t know the standard deviation?

Compete

nce

Time

Why test readiness for change?

Tools for testing & interpreting

Question examples

Characteristics of a test

Reasons for testing

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• Thinking that everyone reacts the same way seems like

an easy way out of a difficult situation ~the more

efficient way is to create a test and measure where your target

audience is at any given time.

• People need different kind of guidance depending on

their position on the curve ~giving the same guidance

regardless of the targets position creates confusion, boredom

or a rushing sensation.

Why put anyone through something like that?



Question examples


Reasons for testing

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• Would you recognize at least these characters in any change program?


So, what should I do

with the information?

People who get it soon and

jump onboard ~usually these

make good change agents

People who learn slower ~they like to analyze things and

may seem to resist the change

People who get really

excited first ~and then get

bored, because the change

doesn’t happen fast enough

Pk Z fi


Question examples


Reasons for testing

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You need to talk to these characters differently:


Pk Your “people who don’t mind

that much”, require engaging

and supportive communication. ~they have a high readiness rate;

they get it already. Communicate

when there’s a change in the plan.

Create a 2-way communication

channel for collecting their insight

and maintaining their energy level.

Z The analytical people usually

follow the normal Kübler –Ross

curve ~they need reassuring,

reasoning and extra support. You

might want to keep an additional

training session for these people only,

because they need time to adapt to

new ways.

fi Your “extreme people” need

crisis communication. ~when they

get excited, their expectations need

to be managed; when they fall into

despair their feelings require extra

empathy. They need multiple

channels to let their steam out. If not

managed correctly they may poison

the program. If managed correctly

they may be the best.


Question examples


Reasons for testing

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• A good test is

▫ Appropriate for the situation

▫ Repeated often enough

▫ Used and communicated clearly

Characteristics of a good test

OK, but what should I ask?

When should I ask?

A good test gives answers to: (choose depending on the situation)

• Organizational Culture

• Perception towards the

change program

• Understanding the vision

• Is there trust and respect

• Why are we changing

• Top Management support

• Accepting the change

• Managing the change


Question examples

Reasons for testing


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• A good test gives you a clear vision regarding the current state of the organization ~the change program needs to react to any changes in the feelings of the target audience.

• If the morale is getting lower, that needs to be addressed before moving forwards

• If the morale and competence is the same or higher, there needs to be a celebration in order to keep it that way.

Schedule testing and measuring to fit the program’s development from the very beginning.

Characteristics of a good test


Question examples

Reasons for testing


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Examples of test questions 1/2

Organizational Culture

Example questions: Scale 1 - 5 Examples of interpretation:

Innovating & risk

taking

The degree to which I take risks and innovate:

none (1)-------------(5) a lot

Innovative people may be more eager to learn

new things. Risk avoiding people need clearer

instructions.

Carrying

responsibility

A degree to which I like following orders (1) rather than

making decisions on my own (5)

Followers want you to lead, decision makers may

go their own way...

Attention to detail The degree to which I exhibit precision, analysis and attention

to detail: none (1)-------------(5) a lot

Do you have a process organization? They need

flowcharts.

Outcome orientation The degree to which I focus on results (1) or outcomes rather

than on the techniques and processes used to achieve them. (5)

Outcome oriented people are more prone to cut

corners.

People orientation The degree to which I take into consideration the effects of our

decisions or actions on people: none (1)-------------(5) a lot

If this result is low, work on that first. Any change

program needs understanding and

companionship.

Team orientation The degree to which I like activities to be organized around

groups (1) rather than individuals. (5)

Team oriented people like workshops;

individuals might prefer on-line training.

Aggression The degree to which I am easygoing (1) rather than

competitive. (5)

Give competitive people challenges; easygoing

people feel pressured in a competition situation.

Stability The degree to which my activities emphasize growth (1) in

contrast to maintaining the status quo. (5)

Growth orientation equals readiness for change.


Reasons for testing


Question examples

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Examples of test questions 2/2

Change Program

Example questions: Examples of interpretation:

Feelings towards the

program

How are you doing? How are we doing as a company? Do you

believe in your own capabilities?

Is the morale on a good enough level for the

change? If not, work on this first.

Understanding

vision

What needs to change? Which change is more important than

the other? How fast should we change?

YES ASK EVERYONE! The easiest way to get

buy-in is to let the target decide on the direction

and schedule. Increases readiness a lot.

Trust and respect Are you willing to help others through the change? Who needs

the change: you, others or the organization?

These questions help people to internalize the

vision of the change.

Reason for change What is achieved by changing in your opinion? What are the

risks if we don’t change?

Again this helps to understand why. Gives an

idea of how well the vision has been

internalized.

Top management

support

Is this company capable of changing? Do the change agents

have enough authority? Is the change supported by everyone?

Is your compensation in line with the new requirements?

YES, courageously, ASK EVERYONE! These

question create an environment of openness and

mutual trust and respect. That’s what you need,

right?

Accepting change Is the overall rating of the change positive or negative? What

in this for you?

Accepting change equals readiness for change.

Managing change How are we doing? Is anything missing? Are we communicating

enough? Do you know what’s happening next?

Get feedback also from your own performance

as a change or project manager.


Reasons for testing


Question examples

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• Create the test(s) preferably with an on-line tool ~they

allow you to compare the results and save a lot of time.

• Ask descriptive background questions, which on the

other hand ensure anonymity. Good background

questions are the likes of:

▫ Organizational unit

▫ Organizational status: management, staff

▫ Years working for the company: new employees are usually

readier for change, but on the other hand lack authority to

lead it as change agents.

Tools for testing and interpreting 1/2

Reasons for testing


Question examples


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• Repeat the test often enough ~you need time to take

corrective action, if something needs attention.

• Remember the Kübler-Ross curve ~it’s ok for the morale

and competence to fall during the middle part of the program;

expect this and react only, if the results is alarmingly lower

than on the previous round.

• Have your finger on the pulse. ~have a corrective plan

ready, even if you don’t need it.

Tools for testing and interpreting 2/2

Reasons for testing


Question examples


T h i s p r e s e n t a t i o n w a s w r i t t e n a n d c r e a t e d b y

E r j a K l e m o l a , w o r k i n g a s a n I C T A d v i s o r f o r S o f i g a t e O y

The test subjects should know, why they are answering to the questions. Hence, communicate the aim, results and the direction of readiness openly. Remember that change management takes time and it needs to be scheduled just like any other project or as a part of another project plan (an ICT implementation for example). Remember to create an appropriate set of questions for each change program.

This is your guiding vision. Without this knowledge, you’re shooting blindfolded.

Conclusions and last words

testing organizational readiness for change

Business