A people-centred approach to managing change
Organisations are people, and the success of an organisation depends on the way people manage each other and work together. Underpinned by Kotter’s 8-Step Process, this philosophy forms the foundation of our change management services. Change management fundamentally comes down to a group of people who pull together to create and reach common goals, how they behave, how they relate to one another, and what engages them to buy into the change to make it actually happen.
What is Change Management?
Change management involves preparing, supporting, and helping individuals, teams, and organisations to make lasting changes without losing cohesion or productivity. It focuses on methods that can be employed to actively engage individuals in embracing new processes, technologies, and strategies.
The Role of Leadership in Change Management
Leadership in change management means more than merely administering different tasks; it is about inspiring a shared vision and motivating people to aim for this vision. It is about understanding the human side of change and addressing it compassionately and intelligently.
Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change
One of the most influential models for change management is Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change. This framework has stood the test of time, providing actionable steps and psychological insights into managing change within organisations. Developed by Harvard Professor Dr. John Kotter, the model breaks down the change process into eight critical steps. Kotter places great emphasis on the need to keep people motivated and buying in to the change.
Other respected models for change management include:
- McKinsey’s 7-S Framework, which focuses on the seven internal elements of an organisation that need to align for it to be successful: strategy, structure, systems, shared values, style, staff, and skills.
- Nudge Theory, which advocates influencing behaviour through environment.
- Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s Change Curve, which maps the pathway of emotional reactions that people typically experience in response to change.
Making change work
Implementing organisational change is a complex but manageable task that requires careful planning and execution. Adding to Kotter’s Eight Steps, below are some practical measures to ensure that your change management process is phased and aligns with both organisational goals and the individual needs of team members:
1. Define clear milestones
Break the change process into clear, manageable phases, each with specific milestones. This approach helps in tracking progress and maintaining momentum throughout the change journey. Each phase should have defined outcomes that contribute to the overall goal.
2. Identify the stakeholders and their needs
It is useful to create a stakeholder map to help you work out who is essential in terms of buy-in for the change to happen, who can influence the change, who must be kept informed, and who might be affected by the change, even if they don’t have any say in it:
And then make a stakeholder chart to prioritise the stakeholders and their needs:
Who is essential to make change happen? Who else might be affected by it? Who needs to be kept informed?
Regular and clear communication is critical. Use multiple channels to keep all the stakeholders informed about the reasons for change, the benefits, the impacts, and the progress.
3. Get the right systems in place
Change initiatives can be undermined by unreliable technology, outdated working practices, and lack of resources. Make sure that willingness to change is supported by the right structures. Create an environment where people can easily and freely signal that there are stumbling blocks in their departments.
However, be cautious when replacing old systems, taking the time to find out from their users why they were designed and implemented in that way, and what hidden advantages they have might have, before discarding them completely. Try to build on and modify existing methods, particularly where you are integrating outside teams after a merger, rather than demand that people abandon their preferred ways of working for something unfamiliar.
4. Keep the lines of communication open
Regular and clear communication is critical, and it must flow both ways. The more people feel involved in your decisions, the more they are likely to buy in to the changes.
- Use multiple channels to keep all the stakeholders informed about the reasons for change, the benefits, the impacts, and the progress. Leaders should consistently communicate the vision and demonstrate commitment to the changes by participating in focus groups, training sessions, addressing company-wide gatherings, and having open-door policies to discuss the change.
- Establish mechanisms for ongoing feedback throughout the change process. Use surveys, focus groups, and open forums to gather input and respond constructively. Create a feedback loop so you are constantly updating and revising the processes and know how the change is perceived across the organisation.
5. Provide support where it is needed
Various teams and individuals may experience change differently. Strengthen your change management strategy by offering tailored support. This could include often-neglected measures like coaching, training, and regular check-ins, to ensure that each team member understands their role in the new environment and feels confident in their ability to perform it effectively.
6. Recognise and reward
Recognise those who contribute positively to the process of managing change. This recognition can be formal, such as awards or bonuses, or informal, like public acknowledgement in meetings or newsletters. Recognising efforts encourages continued support and enthusiasm for the initiative.
Coaching Strategies for Managing Change
Incorporating a coaching approach to leadership can significantly oil the wheels of change management. As change management experts we have found that this method ensures that managers are not only directing, but actively supporting and facilitating the development of employees throughout the transition, thereby enhancing engagement and easing the adoption of new practices.
The coaching approach to leadership is fundamentally about:
- listening and ensuring that people feel listened to;
- asking instead of telling;
- treating people with respect;
- giving staff as much control as possible over their work objectives and how to achieve them.
Through this coaching way of managing, not only is it easier for leaders to tap into the individual knowledge, skills, and talents of their various team members, but the teams themselves become more motivated and highly energised to succeed.
The way forward
By integrating these practical strategies into your change management processes, guided by Kotter’s 8-Step Process, organisations can ensure that change management initiatives are implemented systematically and sensitively, taking into account both the strategic objectives of the organisation and the personal impact on its employees. The emphasis while managing change must be on the importance of considering the human aspect in all phases of the process, ensuring that people are respected, listened to, and included as much as possible in all decisions.
Sir Richard Branson, a master of coaching leadership and change management, attributes the meteoric early success of his Virgin Group to this approach:
Next Steps
Are you interested in managing change by transforming the leaders in your organisation? As change management consultants we have helped organisations of all sizes across the world, including public sector in the UK.
Contact us today for a free consultation to learn how our expert change management, coaching and leadership strategies can help your leaders and teams bring about successful and lasting change.