The art of change management is a broad process, and one that requires professional expertise to introduce. It is not a soft skill, as it requires subjective outcomes of seeing the quantifiable results of change, in satisfying customers, and fast delivery of the action or service. Make room for change, as change will not be thought of if there is no need for it.
13
Appreciate change management
through the use of cartoons
How people take information depends on their mood, personality, upbringing and thinking style. It doesnOt mean that
communication can only be through written or spoken means.
There are different ways to receive messages. While most people do better with written word and others by verbal communication, some relate best to pictures, graphics or cartoons. Business organizations should be able to address change management in different ways, as personalities differ.
Pictures or graphics speaks for themselves. Most often, it is easier and faster to grasp visuals, rather than reading articles. The use of one or two sentences to support a graphic is enough to explain what it means. People in the organization need to be convinced, especially if change management is being proposed. One way of better understanding messages, or communicating them, is through graphics. They can be presented during meetings, training seminars, and can even be part of posters found on the firmOs bulletin boards. The change management cartoon makes it comfortable for leaders to disseminate information, at the initial stage, to those who resist change. A person resistive to change gradually gets to understand the change, if viewed from time to time, gets the meaning of the message, and later becomes comfortable with it.
The change management cartoon is an aid to help management communicate its strategy in a way that is entertaining and fun, and with pictures that speak for themselves. With the change management cartoon, management has an easy way of disseminating information, and without pushing people to read it. They simply look at change management cartoons, and re-think.
14
Using a Change Management Certificate
Template
As an organization opts for change management, participation of all its members should be encouraged. A business aware of the need for change should support it, and from time to time monitor how change management is being carried out to insure that it is carried out as planned.
A change that does not produce good results should be given a second look, and studied to see how it can be handled better.
Individuals who are resistant to change should be talked to, so that a better appreciation of the need for change management is explained.
When things go wrong, management should always have a hand at resolving the situation, and better still, find an alternative to further improve the change.
Change management should be monitored, so as to assess its effects. The cause and effect of the change management should be communicated to all necessary staff. All changes pertaining to change management should be covered with a formal request, and all results should likewise be supported. This is also called change management certificate.
The certificate bears a template that makes things easier for those in charge of managing the change. The word template represents a page layout pre-designed in electronic or paper media that is ready to be filled out each time a change management certification or request is made. The change management certificate template can also be changed or edited, should a new feature be determined to be necessary.
15
The change management certificate template aids the business organization in finding out what, who, when, why and how change management takes place.
Actions are communicated, as well as results, whether good or bad. With the change management certificate template, a faster response to the need is addressed.
16
An Example of a Change Management
Model
Change is inevitable. All organizations change in small ways continuously. When dealing with big changes, organizational change management is important. There are several change management models being utilized and modified today. While they may have different approaches, depending on the situation they confront, their objective is always for the company to successfully implement the change process in a smooth and efficient way.
The LewinOs Change Management Model is still used today.
Conceptualized by psychologist Kurt Lewin in the 1950s, it emphasizes three stages of change: unfreezing, modification, then refreezing.
He explains that people do not usually accept change as a part of the work process, and would continually stay in their comfortzone.
In overcoming this status quo, the organization must motivate the people for change to occur.
Modification involves a transition from the current state to the desired state. This is the second stage in LewinOs Model. The transition may be a little uncomfortable for most employees, but with proper motivation and good leadership, the firm will still be able to implement the change. The modification period is very critical because it involves a lot of training, skills transfer, and the most sensitive of all, personnel re-alignments and even reduction.
The third stage, refreezing comes when the workforce has already embedded the change in their system---until another unfreezing happens.
While LewinOs Change Management Model may be an effective and simple way of implementing change, some criticize it for
17
not properly processing the after-effects of the change on the employeesO morale (like the fear of having another change coming).
There really is no perfect approach for change. Integrating other change management models with LewinOs is better than just using one model alone. You may also want to study KotterOs Eight Step Change Model, BeerOs Model, McKineyOs 7-s Model, and ShawOs Model.
18
Techniques for Creating Your Own
Change Management Plan
Change management is a very essential process in any business.
Change Management plans, evaluate and implement the
necessary changes needed in an organization. This process helps your company find and innovate new techniques and procedures to improve the service you provide. In this way, you will be able to satisfy your customers. With the help of a Change Management Plan, you can guarantee sufficient control over the changes. There are programs to create a Change Management Plan available from most software companies. They can produce a project plan to help in the companyOs change management planning. In creating a plan, designation of responsibilities is very important. Development Manager is in charge of updating and maintaining the Change Management Plan. Here is how to organize the plan:
Stakeholder Analysis: holds various stakeholders who are willing to implement change in the business. Identifying and training them is important.
Organizing approach and principles: it is essential that principles and approach are made to effectively execute the strategies in change management.
Plan, apply and schedule the events: planning and applying the strategies are very important, this will verify the success of your techniques. Scheduling the events, such as training and seminars will help you in developing an organized Change Management. This plan provides a framework in managing and organizing communication and systems in a firm. The Change Management Plan recognizes the main stakeholders that are involved in the project. It also outlines the change management plan and techniques. This plan also discusses strategies and incidents to fulfill the objectives of your organization.