“When you are finished changing, you are finished. What is new is how often we need to change, and the pace at which we need to move, and the complexity and volatility of the context in which we are operating” – Benjamin Franklin.
Change management is a structured process guiding individuals, teams and organizations through change.
Change management comes in to minimize or eliminate the gap between external change and internal change (John Kotter)
Where external change is driven by technology, globalization and other powerful forces.
And internal change is held back by stabilizing elements in human nature and the modern organization.
People can be guided, facilitated, educated and motivated to adopt new ways of thinking and working, thus changing their actions, resulting in business impact.
Key Takeaways
- A structured approach is required in today’s business environment due to constant and accelerating change.
- For the impact of digitization to be felt change management is a prerequisite.
- Human emotions cause barriers to successful change.
- Resistance is reduced through successful change management.
- Change management is a continuous process with the need for feedback, measurement and adjustment.
Two types of Change
Adaptive Change
Small incremental changes over a period of time.
Examples
Training your team to use new tools or technologies.
Aligning communication channels to improve the flow of information.
Upgrade of existing hardware and software to improve performance.
Transformational Change
Has a larger scope and can take substantial time and effort. They are usually implemented due to external forces
Examples
Adoption of new software, such as CRMs, ERPs, EDMSs, etc., whereby departments are expected to learn and adapt.
Reorganization of departments and teams to improve efficiency.
Change Management and Digitization
- Change management helps in the smooth adoption of new technology or a new way of working. You guide your team on how to use the new technology or how to adjust to the new way of working, and why it matters. This leads to reduced frustration and speeds up adoption.
- Change management reduces resistance to change through clear communication, involvement and support.
- Change management helps connect the dots between individual roles and the organization’s bigger vision.
- Change management speeds of adoption, the higher the impact. Whether it’s efficiency, customer experience or productivity.
See how we can help you drive change.
By helping you facilitate your change WORKSHOPS.
To Speed up digital adoption for higher impact.
To Reduce resistance to change.
To Connect dots between individual roles and the organization’s vision.
Does you team know the difference between Digitization, Digitalization and Digital transformation? These terms define totally different levels in the digital landscape.
Digitization: This is the process of converting information in physical or analog formats into digital formats. It’s the scanning of paper records into searchable digital records. It is usually the initial step in digital transformation.
Digitalization: This is where digital tools are used to automate existing processes. Digital tools enhance the performance of an already existing process, for example, the sales team moving from spreadsheets to CRMs.
Digital transformation: Here we take an overall look at the entire business model and operations from a digital aspect. This is the use of technology to improve processes and enable a whole new way of doing business.
Why do people struggle with change?
- Fear of the unknown. As humans, we are wired to certainty thus, change causes anxiety.
- Loss of control. When people are not involved in the process, they usually feel sidelined and powerless.
- Comfort with the status quo. People tend to get used to systems and routines, even if the systems are inefficient, familiarity feels safe.
- Bad past experience. People may have faced failed or painful change experiences, creating fear or scepticism for new initiatives.
- Feelings of not being well-equipped. People don’t feel equipped to operate in new environment. They may resist due to feelings of insecurity.
- Feelings of overwhelm due to fast pace and stressful environment. People may not be willing to add something new to their plate.
- Lack of leadership trust. Leadership may have a history of making abrupt decisions or not communicating clearly in the past. People may not trust the intent or outcome of the change.
How to minimize the struggle.
- Communicate early and with clarity using more personalized means.
- Involve your team in the process from the initialization of the process.
- Offer intense training and support through coaching.
- Celebrate small wins.
- Acknowledge and address emotional reactions, not just physical ones.
How to Prepare for Change
- Define the change and why it is necessary.
- Create a clear roadmap that breaks down and measures success and gives an explanation on how it will affect the stakeholders example, customers, vendors and your team.
- Is the process aligned with your company’s goals, for example, Cost reduction or increased efficiency?
Conclusion
Change management bridges the gap between ideas and successful execution. For the process to stick, put the people at the centre of your change strategy. Change management is a process, not a project. There has to be continuous assessment of outcomes to ensure the change sticks.