Change Management

Change Management is the discipline that prepares, equips and supports individuals and teams moving through organisational changes so that they successfully adopt the changes.

Understanding Change Management: the Basics and the Benefits.

Organisational change occurs through the implementation of projects and transformation programs aimed at achieving strategic objectives, which results in business benefits.

But merely completing project deliverables does not lead to realising those benefits. Employees must fully embrace, adopt and engage with the change for that to happen.

Leadership teams often overlook that last aspect. That is why 70% of organisational change projects fail.

It is a simple rule: without adoption, changes will not materialise as intended and will fall short of the expected business benefits.

Change Management is the solution.

Change Management empowers organisations to proactively address the impact of change on their workforce while ensuring the full realisation of its benefits.

Change Management can be applied to a wide range of changes, including technological changes, process improvements, mergers and acquisitions, IT systems implementation, business process engineering projects, and significant culture transformation projects … to name of few.

Here is a quick rundown of the business benefits by the numbers:

Understanding Change Management: the Basics and the Benefits.

The Game Changers: Breaking down the Principles of Change Management 

Change Management means managing the people side of change.

When change occurs within an organisation, it is crucial to recognise the significant role that people play in achieving the intended results. Change often entails requesting them to approach and perform their job in new ways, either entirely or partially.

Prosci emphasises that managing change is a dynamic process which is based on the following 5 core tenets:

Tenet 1: We change for a reason Why are we changing?
- Simon Sinek has demonstrated that the initial catalyst for people to embrace change is rooted in having a compelling reason to do so.
  
  The true game changer for any change initiative to thrive lies in the leadership team's ability to provide a shared sense of purpose, direction and meaning.
Tenet 2: Organisational change requires individual change Who has to do their job differently (and how)?
- As change impacts job performance, it implies acquiring and applying new skills to effectively adapt to new working methods. 
  
  Change might include adopting new behaviours, using new systems, implementing new procedures, and embracing new values or corporate culture.
  
  Although the step process is the same for everyone, each person executes the transition differently.
  
  Leaders often fall into the trap of assuming that individual change will effortlessly occur by itself. That is a big mistake.
  
  Jeff Hiatt, Prosci's founder, emphasised more than twenty years ago that change is an individual phenomenon. This insight led to the development of the renowned ADKAR® Model.
  
  ADKAR®
Tenet 3: Organisational outcomes are the collective result of individual change How much of the expected benefits depend on adoption and usage? 
- Successful change is the sum - and synchronisation - of all individual transition paths. It means that each individual has transitioned from their old work habits to new ones, defined as the expected outcome of the change.
  
  No transformation can truly be considered complete until each individual involved has successfully undergone their own personal transition.
  
  This is where Change Management - defined as a structured, b and tool-based approach - comes into play.
  
  Methodology
Tenet 4: Change Management is an enabling framework for managing the people side of change What will we do to support adoption and usage?
- The Prosci Change Management Methodology offers a structured and tool-based approach to assist employees in transitioning through a change. It involves developing and implementing plans of activities in four key areas:
  1. • Visible Sponsorship
  2. • Training
  3. • Communication
  4. • Resistance Management and Coaching
  The Change Manager will create comprehensive plans for activities in the abovementioned areas, working closely with leaders, executives, people managers, and employees to ensure effective execution and progression of each employee towards the future state.
Tenet 5: We apply Change Management to realise the benefits and desired outcomes of change How will driving adoption and usage improve results?
- Change always has two faces:
  
  Face 1: The Project
  
  Change is a project and should be managed as such to deliver the technical solution: the software, the new process, the merger, the new culture, the new offices, the new way of working, the move, etc…
  
  Face 2: Adoption and Usage by the People Involved
  
  This is the core focus and mission of Change Management.
  
  As Prosci's benchmarking studies show year after year, organisations that apply effective Change Management are seven times more likely to meet the project's objectives.

The Change Management Process at a glance

Managing organisational change is a dynamic three-phase process. It starts quite logically with a preparatory phase, paving the way for an impactful execution phase, and culminates with a critical sustainment phase to ensure long-term success.

In the Prosci Methodology, each phase is further divided into three stages, encompassing a range of significant activities.

Here are some of the key advantages offered by the Prosci Methodology in a nutshell:

It is research-based.

For more than 20 years, Prosci has been surveying thousands of change practitioners worldwide, building the largest body of knowledge and best practices available.
It features user-friendly models and tools.

Without a steep learning curve, you can dive right in and apply them immediately.
It is adaptable

to any kind of organisational changes (IT, culture, merger, process, …).
It is scalable

to fit the unique needs of every change initiative.

How does Change Management relate with Project Management? 

The success of a change initiative relies on how you manage the following 4 aspects:

	Success definition: You need to clarify why the change is required, the project objectives, and the expected business benefits. Leadership/Sponsorship: Without active and visible sponsorship providing constant direction and guidance towards the future state, there is no successful change. Project Management: Any change is a project, and any project leads to a change. That is why effective Project Management is another key success factor of any change initiative. It ensures proper design, development, and delivery of the solution - what we call the technical side of the change, regardless of its nature. Change Management: This discipline is specifically applied to address the people side of the change, assisting employees in embracing and effectively utilising the (technical) solution.

Within the Prosci toolbox, the second most important tool is the PCT Model. This robust framework empowers leadership, Project Management, and Change Management teams to align and embrace a unified perspective on the overall health of the change project. Covering these four fundamental aspects enables seamless collaboration and ensures success at every step of the journey.

Where do I start?

There are 3 different scenarios:

Become a Change Manager

You have been entrusted with managing the people side of a project and are seeking to enhance your Change Management skills. Our 3-day certification program is the perfect starting point for you.

Get trained

Not only will you obtain certification in the industry-leading Change Management Methodology, but these three days of dynamic training will empower you to implement the method immediately upon completion. 

It also gives you access to the Prosci toolkit for one year and the knowledge base and best practices that will allow you to guide your projects and benchmark them.

In addition, the certification gives you credits recognised by the ACMP and PMI.
Develop your organisation's ability to respond agilely to change

Developing this leadership competency requires crafting a tailored plan that aligns with your organisation.

Embarking on this journey begins with an exploratory meeting where we can discuss your specific needs.

Let's connect and explore how we can help
Get support for a project

In addition to our Change Management training activities, our team of skilled consultants is well-versed in various business scenarios. They can join forces with you as external resources, supporting your journey until you master the necessary skills internally (which is always the end goal of our assignments).

Let's connect and explore how we can help