Characteristics of Effective Change Management

"Management Effectiveness" means having the perspective and judgment to do the right things.
It is about leveraging the power of people and their creativity in doing so throughout the
repeating cycle of vision, execution, and outcome. Far from blind execution of orders,
effectiveness requires synthesizing information and stepping up to challenge conventional
wisdom. Effectiveness is the wholeness of the decisions - it's synthesizing and balancing multiple,
often competing, objectives in a manner that enhances individuals and society with no negative
impact. Effectiveness also means the ability to make mistakes and learn from them.

With this backdrop from Peter Drucker I propose that there are six C’s for effective change
management:

Commitment – Empathy and support from the top levels with the ability to persevere through the
inevitable resistance to change. The willingness to assign good personal and the time and money
required for the improvement effort.

Communication – The skill to communicate to the entire workforce on how, when and why
change is going to occur, combined with the ability to gain their input, ownership and buy-in.
Clear and frequent communication is the key to dissipate uncertainty and fear.

Consensus – An agreement on the best path to take forward for success. Involvement of the
people concerned to create ownership and alignment of vision. The greater the connection to the
change the greater the willingness to change will be.

Consistency  – People need to understand that this is not just a fad that will pass, but that you
are serious about sticking to it. Repeated desirable thinking, behaviors, and practices form the
basis of an organization’s culture.

Cultivation  – Encourage and foster learning and teaching at all levels in the organization.
Refine the culture of the organization as needs and opportunities change. Make the change
relevant to everyone within the organization

Constantly  – Regular uninterrupted activity is required for all people in the organization for all
the C’s above. Always looking to improve all aspects of what we do to add value and eliminate
waste.

The effectiveness of change (E) is the product of the quality of change (Q), time the acceptance
of change (A) : E = Q x A. Excelling in either quality or acceptance is not all it takes; both
factors complement each other.

There is no quick solution for changing the culture of an organization. With effective
management to focus on the quality of change and the six C’s to aid in the acceptance of change
you will be well on your way to transforming your organization.

 8 Essential Steps for an Effective Change Management Process

Your organization is constantly experiencing change. Whether caused by new technology
implementations, process updates, compliance initiatives, reorganization, or customer service
improvements, change is constant and necessary for growth and profitability. A consistent
change management process will aid in minimizing the impact it has on your organization and
staff. 

Below you will find 8 essential steps to ensure your change initiative is successful

1. Identify What Will Be Improved

  Since most change occurs to improve a process, a product, or an outcome, it is critical to
identify the focus and to clarify goals. This also involves identifying the resources and
individuals that will facilitate the process and lead the endeavor. Most change systems
acknowledge that knowing what to improve creates a solid foundation for clarity, ease, and
successful implementation.

2. Present a Solid Business Case to Stakeholders

 There are several layers of stakeholders that include upper management who both direct and
finance the endeavor, champions of the process, and those who are directly charged with
instituting the new normal. All have different expectations and experiences and there must be a
high level of "buy-in" from across the spectrum. The process of onboarding the different
constituents varies with each change framework, but all provide plans that call for the time,
patience, and communication.
 
3 .Plan for the Change
 
This is the "roadmap" that identifies the beginning, the route to be taken, and the destination.
You will also integrate resources to be leveraged, the scope or objective, and costs into the plan.
A critical element of planning is providing a multi-step process rather than sudden, unplanned
"sweeping" changes. This involves outlining the project with clear steps with measurable targets,
incentives, measurements, and analysis. For example, a well-planed and controlled change
management process for IT services will dramatically reduce the impact of IT infrastructure
changes on the business. There is also a universal caution to practice patience throughout this
process and avoid shortcuts.
 
4. Provide Resources and Use Data for Evaluation
 
As part of the planning process, resource identification and funding are crucial elements. These
can include infrastructure, equipment, and software systems. Also consider the tools needed for
re-education, retraining, and rethinking priorities and practices. Many models identify data
gathering and analysis as an underutilized element. The clarity of clear reporting on progress
allows for better communication, proper and timely distribution of incentives, and measuring
successes and milestones.
 
5. Communication
 
This is the "golden thread" that runs through the entire practice of change management.
Identifying, planning, onboarding, and executing a good change management plan is dependent
on good communication. There are psychological and sociological realities inherent in group
cultures. Those already involved have established skill sets, knowledge, and experiences. But
they also have pecking orders, territory, and corporate customs that need to be addressed.
Providing clear and open lines of communication throughout the process is a critical element in
all change modalities. The methods advocate transparency and two-way communication
structures that provide avenues to vent frustrations, applaud what is working, and seamlessly
change what doesn't work.
 
6. Monitor and Manage Resistance, Dependencies, and Budgeting Risks
Resistance is a very normal part of change management, but it can threaten the success of a
project. Most resistance occurs due to a fear of the unknown. It also occurs because there is a fair
amount of risk associated with change – the risk of impacting dependencies, return on
investment risks, and risks associated with allocating budget to something new. Anticipating and
preparing for resistance by arming leadership with tools to manage it will aid in a smooth change
lifecycle.
 
7. Celebrate Success
 
Recognizing milestone achievements is an essential part of any project. When managing a
change through its lifecycle, it’s important to recognize the success of teams and individuals
involved. This will help in the adoption of both your change management process as well as
adoption of the change itself.
 
8. Review, Revise and Continuously Improve
 
As much as change is difficult and even painful, it is also an ongoing process. Even change
management strategies are commonly adjusted throughout a project. Like communication, this
should be woven through all steps to identify and remove roadblocks. And, like the need for
resources and data, this process is only as good as the commitment to measurement and analysis.

 Qualities of Effective Change Agents

Change is inevitable, a part of doing business in a world influenced by technology,
globalization, and evolving customer demands. Change management has in recent years shifted
from a specialty to be more of a leadership quality that affects how companies and teams adapt
to shifting marketplaces and continue daily operations.
Whereas change management used to primarily focus on operational and/or process
improvements and cost-effectiveness, it is now something that managers are using to think about
how things get done regardless of institutional hierarchy. Organizations are looking to change
agents to execute new processes and help employees adjust to new ways of doing things.
Change agents can be managers or employees, or external consultants hired to facilitate
initiatives. Internal change agents have the advantage of being familiar with an organization’s
history, operations, and people, while external change agents can provide a fresh perspective
without the influence of a firm’s traditions and culture, according to an article in
the International Journal of Management, Business,  and Administration.
Whether an organization appoints internal change agents, hires outside consultants or does a
combination of both scenarios, “the success of any change effort depends heavily on the quality
and workability of the relationship between the change agent and the key decision makers within
the organization,” the article stated.

Today, playing the role of a change agent has never been more important. Failing to do so has
never been more costly. If changes are not conducted smoothly and regularly, what would be
milestones in a company’s growth could become morale disasters full of missed objectives and a
lack of commitment from the people necessary to make change happen? With this in mind, here
are some tips for those looking to become a better change agent.

 Change Agent Qualities

 Flexibility. Being open to change requires an entrepreneurial attitude. Leaders have to
tap into creative instincts to find non-traditional ways for a business to grow and exploit
opportunities. This includes connecting with people of different generations and
backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of perspectives, experiences, and
personalities.
 Diversified Knowledge. Successful leaders avoid getting stuck in the confines of their
industry. By looking at what is going on in other sectors, and seeing what is working and
applicable to their own industries, leaders can gain valuable insights and spot new
opportunities for growth.
 Priority and Results Focus. In creating change, it’s often helpful to tie specific priorities
to the overall business goals. These are must-win battles that determine success or
failure and are focused on improving the company’s performance in the marketplace.
Doing this will streamline decision making and create a clear picture of how the company
is measuring up to expectations.
 Ownership and Responsibility. People respect courage and accountability. In order to
lead effectively, executives and managers need to ultimately hold themselves responsible
for their team’s performance. They may have to make decisions that go against dissenting
opinions and can cause conflicts, but doing so with conviction and ready to handle the
consequences will ultimately demonstrate that their intentions are motivated by the best
interests of the company, thus gaining the trust of their people.
 Effective Listening Skills. Effective change agents are able to explore perspectives and
take them into account when looking for solutions. This will help in getting buy-in to a
change; people want to feel that others are listening to their ideas. Those who do will
develop stronger relationships with their people by gaining trust.

Common Challenges of Change Management

Due to ever-changing consumer expectations and the competition in the global economy, the
science of organizational change is itself constantly changing and evolving. The human element
of change management may be one of the most difficult to navigate because people do not
inherently like change or adjust to it well. 

Most change methods agree that change is difficult and cumbersome. Therefore, involving
people early on, implementing process, and continuously adjusting for improvement is critical to
success. This includes thorough planning, buy-in, process, resources, communication, and
constant evaluatio

Supporting Tools and Components for Implementing Change Management Processes

Effective change management processes rely on supporting activities and tools. These tools are
often developed and managed internally by either the change management team or stakeholders
of the change management process. For example, a product roadmap may be developed by the
product management team, while a post mortem review would involve everyone responsible for
and impacted by the change. These may includes

 Product or Business Roadmaps

 Readiness Assessments
 Training Tutorials and Education Sessions
 Stakeholder Feedback Forums
 Post Mortem Review
 Measurements and Analytics
 Resistance Management