4 Key Principles for Successful Change Management
24 September 2024
4 Key Principles for Successful Change Management
In this guest post, Richard Bevan offers insights from his personal experience on how to manage change successfully.
I have been immersed in the world of Change Management for over two decades, in fact, I worked in Change, almost before Change Management was seen as a valued activity by most large organisations. Over the years I have seen many different definitions for Change Management, the one I see used most is from Prosci:
“Change management is the application of a structured process and set of tools for leading the people side of change to achieve a desired outcome. We apply change management by helping individuals impacted by a change make the successful personal transitions that enable them to engage, adopt and use a change.”
Whilst I find this definition a robust and comprehensive description of the practice of Change Management. I believe practical principles are even more crucial for guiding and enabling successful change. Here are four key principles that have repeatedly proven invaluable in my experience:
Four Change Principles
1 – Leaders need to sell the narrative
In general, people are nervous and uneasy about change, so to help overcome this Project Sponsors must engage their teams with a compelling story rather than a dry email or PowerPoint.
The Sponsor should present an engaging narrative that has authenticity and emotion that clearly explains the big ‘WHY’ behind the change. If storytelling isn’t a natural strength for the Sponsor, then there is a need to invest in coaching to help them develop this skill. A powerful narrative helps people understand the necessity of change and inspires them to support it.
2 – Encourage Doubt
Resistance and scepticism are natural during times of change. Rather than suppressing these feelings, encourage and embrace them. Create opportunities for people to voice their concerns, via surveys or open discussion forums. Ensure you playback people’s most significant concerns or doubts so they know they have been heard.
Set a timescale, like 10 days, to gather feedback and then address the most significant concerns. This approach not only involves everyone in the change process but it can also identify any critical issues that might otherwise be overlooked.
3 – Introduce Micro-change
Ensure the Change isn’t viewed as one large binary activity, for example, we used to have regional sales teams, now we have one big national sales team.
Break the change down into multiple sub-components, this way the success of the project is not determined by one specific outcome, instead it will be built upon many outcomes over a period of time.
It also provides the opportunity for the Change to seem less daunting and build momentum over time. Each sub-component be celebrated and reviewed to see if there are any improvements that can be made for the remaining components.
4 – Celebrate Imperfection
Irrespective of how much planning and preparation is undertaken for a Change, there will never be an example of where everything has gone perfectly. Therefore, this should be acknowledged and used as an opportunity for people to identify things that have gone wrong, without fear.
The mantra here should be Progress over Perfection, and actively put in place a mechanism for acknowledging and celebrating people who have identity issues. This will begin to move people to a Continuous Improvement mindset too.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, successful change management hinges on a combination of effective leadership, open two-way communication, and adaptability. By adhering to these key principles organiations can navigate the complexities of change with greater ease.
These principles not only help foster engagement but also build trust and resilience, allowing people to embrace change as a continuous journey of improvement rather than a daunting, singular event.
Ultimately, the success of any change initiative lies in the collective effort of all the people working towards a shared vision of progress.
Author bio: Richard ‘Richie’ Bevan is an expert in Personal Development and Change Management with over two decades of experience. He is also a two-time Amazon Best Selling author and Blogger.
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