What Are the Four Principles of Change Management?

Transcript

[Presenter] Change can be painful – whether it's voluntary, for example introducing a new computer system, or involuntary, like going through a merger or acquisition.

Regardless of the change in question, you can encourage your people to embrace it and adapt to it by following four key principles.

Let's take a look at each of these in turn.

1. Understand change

The first is understanding change. To successfully promote the change you need to fully understand it. Why is it happening? How will it affect the way people work? What are the benefits and what will people need to do to successfully achieve it?

Think about the downsides, too. What will the negative outcomes be if you don't make the change? People need to feel dissatisfied enough to want to change, but also confident that the new way of working will be better.

2. Plan change

Once you've got a firm understanding of the change, it's time to start planning.

The way change is managed will vary from organization to organization, and there are many different tools that you can use to design a change plan. But in most situations it should always consider the following four things:

• Who will be supporting and sponsoring the change?
• Also, who will be involved in implementing and leading it?
• How will you secure backing from those affected?
• And how will you know whether the change has been successful or not? In other words, what goals do you need to achieve?

3. Implement change

Now that you've got your plan in place, it's time to implement the change. There are many ways to go about this and Mind Tools has lots of tools and models you can use.

One popular tool is Kotter's 8-Step Change Model which explains how to inject a sense of urgency so you can build momentum and encourage everyone to get behind the change.

Another is The Change Curve. This allows you to understand the emotional journey people often go through at different stages of a change and how to help them through the transition.

Whatever route you choose, you'll need to be there for your people and do what you can to minimize disruption.

Agree what your success criteria will be upfront so you know whether or not you're on track; map out your stakeholders, so you know who's affected; and identify any training needs to get your people to where they need to be.

4. Communicate change

The final principle is communicate change. This is make or break; it's up to you to ensure that everyone's aware of what's happening and knows what they need to do about it.

Set the right tone and be prepared for any concerns or questions you'll likely receive. If possible, link the change back to your organization's mission and vision statements. People need to see how the change supports the bigger picture and how it will contribute to a positive and successful future.

These four principles are the guiding pillars of change management. Get them right and you'll be well on the way to making change a success in your organization.