Change Management – What for?

Change happens everywhere. Neither individuals nor organizations persist without embracing change. In organizations, change can comprise an organizational restructuring or, as I have in mind here, a digital transformation, such as the introduction of a new ERP. Change may have so deep an impact that it can either strengthen an organization or dismantle it altogether. For organizations to be strengthened, they must steer the process carefully.

Organizations consist primarily of people, not machines or a set of processes. So, even if change is often associated with the introduction of new technologies and methods, change affects first and foremost the people. It’s a human transformation, rather than a technical one. And instead of focusing solely on data and tech, leaders must focus on the human factor.

So, how can organizations ensure the transformation is successful? The key essence is acceptance. Acceptance helps the people adopt change and have it percolate into the entire organization.

Change is the transition from one state to another. Organizational change always entails that new roles will be assigned and new processes adopted. That’s not a problem per se, as humans are made to adjust to changing conditions.

Transformation processes always entail that people will have to work differently afterwards. Their responsibilities will shift, their tasks will change, and communication channels will be different. There will be a new normal, and nobody can escape from cognitively facing and embracing the new normal. The more people accept the change and face it upfront, the more successful the transformation will be. Acceptance helps the people build the new normal. Success will inevitably follow.

Acceptance is the booster of any change process. For acceptance to grow, it requires that four preconditions be given: goals, transparency, listening, and leadership. For all four of them, communication is essential.

Strategy is set at the top; once it’s set, it’s not open to discussion anymore. Leadership must then define the goals and live the values. Yet, for a change strategy to work out, it must permeate the entire organization, which means that it must reach every single member. Acceptance, however, cannot be instilled top-down. It must grow bottom-up.

This is why goals must be clear. You cannot expect people to accept a change they haven’t understood. It occurs often that a change strategy is set up without the people knowing what’s going on and what for. If you want your people to put the effort in, it’s important for them to know what for. And to help them understand the goal, it’s not sensible to preach from the pulpit; instead, goals must be worded for each level or business unit individually and then streamlined for all.

So, ideally, each unit holds a workshop in which the goals are explained, critically discussed, and thoroughly understood. I am not talking about individual KPI but the new ways of doing daily business. For example, if you’re implementing a new ERP, people should know how processes will look long before it goes live.

The resources put into clarifying goals and motives will pay off because it brings everybody on board and enhances productivity.

Once the overall direction is set, detailed questions will mushroom. There will always be questions. Especially if your organization is complex and covers a large number of different functions and cultures, you will have to ensure everyone has understood what is going on.

Transparency and timing are essential.

Transparency means that questions are answered right away. It’s important for the staff to get information. An internal comms platform with regular posts is necessary, but it isn’t enough. In addition, set up new channels where stakeholders can interact among themselves, where they can ask questions and get specific answers for their department.

The language used on these channels and platforms must be one they know. That means that especially if you work with external change consultants, it’s crucial for them to adjust to the language that is common within the organization.

As for frequency, there’s one important rule: don’t overload staff with news. When the change process is initiated, staff must be informed and understand what is going on. Once the process is running, keep the pace low. The staff will be busy adopting new processes, so it’s enough to occasionally provide them with a story they can relate with and fosters team spirit. Always indicate where they can find more information or ask questions if needed.

In my experience, there’s one important mistake you should absolutely avoid: the use of prefabricated slides that your external change managers have used in other change projects. Such generic materials irritate the team, so the language and style must be adjusted to what your staff are familiar with. Otherwise, consultants won’t be taken seriously, or your team will be overwhelmed.

You cannot expect everybody to be happy about the impending change. So, be painfully honest about it. Give people the freedom of expressing their thoughts and doubts. If someone is too far away from the goal you’re pursuing, start discussing exit options early. The others will be brought on board with respectful and empathetic communication.

A challenge is the statement “we’ve always done it this way.” It has become an indicator of people having a conservative view that hinders change. This interpretation, however, is short-sighted, because there is a grain of truth to this. Things that have been done a certain way for a long time are likely to work well. So, before you discard this kind of statement, ask if there’s anything about it that’s actually valid. Is there anything about the old process worthy of being maintained? The answer to this question could point to shortcomings in the solution that has been proposed, and considering these will improve the final solution. Also here, listening and empathy are essential.

If you listen carefully, your team will feel heard and respected, so acceptance will grow.

While change is planned at the top, it is managed on a lower level. That level is crucial. The value of a change manager for your organization cannot be overestimated.

Your successful change manager is usually not a commander, visionary, or bureaucrat. In this role, you need an authentic, inspiring, and credible personality who leads by example. Change is a process that takes time and requires motivation to be high, so change managers are similar to sports coaches: they get all the questions, rants, worries, and (unrequested) suggestions, so they must motivate the team and not crack under pressure.

A strong change manager transforms the team gradually. They will find the right people to lead smaller change units and carry the change into all corners of your organization. These change assistants will be there to channel information towards the people in charge. They’ll listen and provide first aid when needed. Such change assistants are important for acceptance to grow, so a good change manager will make sure their effort is valued on the top level.

Change managers make the difference in change processes because they’re able to foresee, respond, and react by prioritizing and taking the right decisions – even in times of crisis. Invest in your change managers.

Based on these four pillars, goals, transparency, listening, and leadership, acceptance will grow and strengthen your organization to successfully navigate the change process. And the transformation will be a joy!