Search Results

Manuel Barragan, May 2023 Are you looking for ways to stay ahead in the game? Do you want to enhance the customer and employee experience while driving innovation and cost savings? If yes, then Digital Transformation is the way forward! Key facts Digital transformation is a journey that prioritises customer-centricity creating new opportunities based on data-driven insights to become more agile, efficient, and risk-savvy enabled by technology. By integrating customer and employee journey maps, organisations can improve commitment to organisational goals and create exceptional experiences for their customers and employees. However, many organisations make common mistakes in their approach to fulfilling customers' and employees' experiences. One of the most significant mistakes is assuming that a one-size-fits-all approach will work for all customers and employees. Another mistake is neglecting to listen to feedback from customers and employees. Without feedback, it's impossible to improve the experience. The Way Forward By actively listening to feedback and making necessary changes, organisations can provide exceptional experiences for their customers and employees. And one key area to focus on is collecting and analysing the voice of the customer (VOC) data. This can help businesses identify areas for improvement and develop new solutions that better meet customer needs. But, as an experienced CIO - CDO - Digital Transformation Director, I understand the challenges that Digital Transformation can pose for organisations. A recent study by Gartner found that 89% of CIOs believe that Digital Transformation is critical to their organisation's success. So, I recognize the immense benefits that Digital Transformation can bring to any organization, such as: Bookings/revenue growth Gross margin enhancements. Improve customer experience Increase efficiency Reduce costs Greater ROI Innovate faster New business models Become more agile Stay ahead of the competition and a lot more. Human First One key aspect that people do not know is that Digital Transformation is not just about technology; it's also about organisational culture and the right mindset. Investing in training and upskilling programs, creating a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, and assessing digital maturity are key steps toward successfully navigating the digital landscape and thriving in the digital age. Effective executives need to empower their people with participative management and a culture of accountability to optimize resources and actions towards higher goals. Having a strong organisational culture and data sharing are crucial factors in staying ahead in a competitive business environment. Having said that, at the heart of Digital Transformation is a people-centric approach that prioritises simplicity and automation in collecting data while focusing on business value generation, like the use of RPA, No-code low-code, and AI, which aligns perfectly with these principles and creates advanced factories with minimal human interactions. Adding other technologies like Cloud, Biometrics, and Business Intelligence, (among others) offer great opportunities for increased productivity and quality in various industries through human-robot interaction. You can create a combination of Human and Artificial Intelligence (AI) workforce that can boost innovation, improve customer and employee experience, and stay risk-savvy. And with advancements in AI technology and data processing power, AI can be a valuable tool in Digital Transformation. In the end, by fostering a collaborative team working environment, growth, development to retain talent, prioritising simplicity, and automation in data collection, organisations can drive success in the digital era. Other key points to consider Data governance is an essential part of any digital transformation journey, and having a framework in place will help organisations tailor their governance program to their specific data types and information governance disciplines. By focusing on the right industry and function-specific use cases, organisations can leverage the benefits of data analytics for increased efficiency, innovation, and improved customer and employee experiences. It's also important to choose the right data storage and analytics solution for a business, based on its existing architecture and goals for digital transformation. This emphasizes the need for a collaborative and agile approach to technology adoption and advises businesses to focus on developing organisational and technical maturity over time. And last but not least, an effective approach to simplify and organize your digital workspace is the 5S, Kaizen, and Change Management frameworks (among others). These approaches can significantly improve overall digital efficiency and reduce costs while supporting Digital Transformation efforts. Businesses that can successfully implement these initiatives will be well-positioned to succeed in the future. Conclusion It’s important not to overlook the human side of transformation, which may be an essential metric to consider to thrive in the future of work. Let's focus on humanizing change and embracing human-cantered leadership to unlock the full potential of Digital Transformation. Remember to focus on these key traits when working in a team: communication, flexibility, accountability, trust, creativity, and respect. Digital Transformation is no longer optional but necessary for organisations to remain competitive. But it is not easy. It requires a significant investment of time, money, and resources. And it requires a commitment from the entire organisation. Remember, Digital Transformation is a journey, not a destination. It is an ongoing process of change and improvement. What are your thoughts on Digital Transformation? What are some of the challenges and opportunities that you see?

Barb Grant, April 2023 Introduction Lately I've been doing a range of talks to organisational change management practices about the key themes in my new book 'Change Management that Sticks'. When question time comes around there's been a predictable query EVERY - SINGLE - TIME! That question is 'what tips do you have to help me overcome change resistance?'. That got me thinking about the topic of change resistance, or as I prefer to call it in my book, 'change reaction' - as it's less loaded. My first thought when I'm asked this question is always 'change resistance - or sensible response to dumb change?' We all know the pace of change is accelerating (yada yada yada - is it a VUCA world or a BANI world?). And we do live in a mid-pandemic world. The inevitable result is that people are more stretched and much more stressed. Change is the new black but overwhelm is the new norm for many. So, in this blog post, we will explore the concept of change resistance and change fatigue, discussing whether change resistance is a real phenomenon or simply a result of poorly conceived change initiatives and a general sign o' the times (cue Prince track). We will also examine what I've labelled the three categories of change resistance and delve into the reasons for change fatigue, providing some insights on how to avoid it. I should say I was already thinking about change resistance and fatigue BEFORE I got the repeated question, as I listened to the excellent podcast interview Natasha Redman did with Gilbert Krudenier. Gilbert provocatively stated, 'there is no such thing as change fatigue', rather there's an inevitable, but understandable response, to poorly conceived change. If you haven't listened to this podcast, or any of the other excellent 'Casa de Cambio' change management podcasts go check it out here! Change resistance is a pretty natural human reaction to disruptions in established routines or environments. Generally, we find disruption annoying. Resistance can stem from various factors, including fear of the unknown, perceived threats to job security, or concerns about personal competence to adopt to the new change. We may fear loss of status and power, or maybe just money and title. In some of these cases, change resistance is justified. I've identified three distinct categories of change resistance. These are as follows: Dumb Change: This category refers to changes that are poorly conceived, inadequately planned, or not well-aligned with organisational goals. Such changes are often met with resistance, and rightly so, as they may lead to negative consequences for the organisation and its employees. Unpopular but Necessary Change: These changes may be unpopular among employees, but they are crucial for the organisation's survival or growth. For instance, cost-cutting measures or reorganizations may be met with resistance, even if they are essential for maintaining competitiveness. Change Done to People Rather Than With Them: This type of change resistance arises when employees feel that they have not been consulted or involved in the decision-making process. Even if a change is well-conceived and necessary, it may be met with resistance if employees feel excluded or unheard. Unfortunately, I've seen a fair amount of Category 1 dumb change. This is often when there's a change of senior leader. New brooms like to sweep clean. Even when the 'floor' isn't actually that dirty. Or is it that they're looking for dirt in all the WRONG places? This means the old, but sound adage, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' is forgotten. I've seen a range of restructures, reengineering of perfectly decent processes and swapping out of one serviceable system for another unproven one, purely because a new senior leader wanted to be seen to be doing something. Worse yet of course is when a senior leader has a buddy managing some type of product and/or service provisioning company who needs a juicy contract. This change will inevitably be resisted, strenuously if the culture has observed the bogus reasons on which the change is founded. The change is poorly conceived and lacks appropriate root cause analysis to justify the transition. Tough to sell a compelling outcome on these ones! 1. Remedy for Dumb Change To remedy this one, I would urge any senior leader who takes a role in a new organisation to just sit back and observe for at least 6 months before changing anything. If it's not about a new leader, then it's time for a brutal prioritisation of all the change currently scheduled. The categories to sort the change into need to be as simple as 'continue' and 'stop'. Note that to do this well, you need a functioning view of the organisational change that shows the scale of impact, when and the teams impacted. When there's two or more significant pieces of change landing in the same team in a two-month window, it's likely you need something to move. 2. Remedy for Necessary but Unpopular Change For this one it's back to finessing the change levers with care. Leadership advocacy, and on-the-ground influencers (champions and super users) all have their part to play. And there's always stick measures to add to the carrots. I see the stick, rather than carrot side of performance management, often neglected these days. There seems to be a general unwillingness to flex the organisational muscle via legitimate negative consequence performance management measures but they can be compelling if managed appropriately. 3. Remedy for done 'to' and not 'with' change. If an organisation mistakenly believes a change manager can be brought in to 'force' a change through, then there's a fundamental confusion about the purpose, not to mention duty of care, of the change manager. My remedy on this one is to state categorically, don't hire a change manager like we're there to do the dirty work. We're not cheap, and that's because the work is intense, sometimes subtle, sometimes not, but definitely all encompassing. "We are there to set up the offers that will lead people to choose adoption for themselves." That means change recipients 'do' the change because they decide to - not because we MAKE or rather attempt to MAKE them. To get acceptance of the offer, the change must be done WITH and not TO the change recipients. Note there can be a mixture of carrot and stick incentives and disincentives in those offers - but choice to comply or not still rests with the individual. Now on to a closer examination of change fatigue. You often hear change fatigue mentioned shortly after you hear about change resistance. Usually there's a correlation drawn that there's resistance to the change, BECAUSE there's change fatigue. So, to much change has happened consecutively, and/or in quick succession for too long. Like a piece of soggy blotting paper, the environment has soaked up too much change. Now structural integrity is compromised. The organisation is beyond the tipping point of change saturation. Some other primary reasons for change fatigue include: Lack of clarity or understanding of the change initiative's purpose. Insufficient ongoing communication and engagement with employees, or the framing of messages and/or mediums is ineffective for the audience. Poorly executed change management processes and lack of on the ground support during and post transition. Constantly shifting priorities or an excessive number of simultaneous changes, all treated as separate items, rather than selling an integrated change story across the cumulative outcome. To avoid change fatigue, organisations can adopt the following strategies: Use brutal prioritisation at the senior executive level to cull down change initiatives. Have hard conversations about which ones truly align with the organisation's strategic goals and which ones don't. Make sure there's someone who can veto stalemates on whether initiatives stay or go. Have a clear commitment to do 'a few things well, rather than many things badly'. Communicate the vision and purpose of the change clearly and consistently and sell a vision of the collective outcome. Engage employees in the decision-making process and allow them to participate in shaping the change from inception. The end user should be front and centre during the root cause analysis, so you KNOW you are solving the right pain points in the right way. Ensure a well-planned and structured change management process that includes employee training and support and an embed and sustain 'tail' to the change effort post implementation. Before concluding, I have to acknowledge that most of the solutions I'm talking about here sit a long way above the pay grade of many change managers. However, in line with my views on the criticality of appropriate root cause analysis, I feel we have to go for the jugular on this one. Let's recognise where the problem fundamentally lies. That's with the senior leaders, aka change initiators, who need to initiate good change for the right reasons and goals and hold the line against competing changes that don't pass the prioritisation sniff test. Conclusion Change resistance and change fatigue are real phenomena that can hinder an organisation's ability to adapt and thrive, but before you slap on the polarising labels, be clear about what's triggering these responses. Is it dumb change? Necessary but unpopular change? Or ok change that just isn't being done well? If there is change fatigue, is that because you're over the point of change saturation, trying to do too much too quickly? To overcome these challenges, organisations must recognise the different categories of change resistance, engage employees and be really mindful about the value the change offers. Do less well, and culture will take a sigh of relief, as you foster a resilient environment that embraces meaningful adaptation and innovation. References: Armenakis, A. A., & Bedeian, A. G. (1999). Organizational change: A review of theory and research in the 1990s. Journal of Management, 25(3), 293-315. Bovey, W. H., & Hede, A. (2001). Resistance to organizational change: The role of cognitive and affective processes. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22(8), 372-382. Dent, E. B., & Goldberg, S. G. (1999). Challenging “resistance to change”. The Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 35(1), 25-41. Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59-67. Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method and reality in social science; social equilibria and social change. Human Relations, 1(1), 5-41. Oreg, S., Vakola, M., & Armenakis, A. (2011). Change recipients’ reactions to organizational change: A 60-year review of quantitative studies. The Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 47(4), 461-524. Prosci. (2018). Best practices in change management. Retrieved from https://www.prosci.com/resources/reports/best-practices-in-change-management Rafferty, A. E., & Griffin, M. A. (2006). Perceptions of organizational change: A stress and coping perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(5), 1154-1162. Schein, E. H. (1996). Kurt Lewin’s change theory in the field and in the classroom: Notes toward a model of managed learning. Systems Practice, 9(1), 27-47. Yukl, G., & Lepsinger, R. (2005). Why integrating the leading and managing roles is essential for organizational effectiveness. Organizational Dynamics, 34(4), 361-375. -------------------------------------------------------------- Barb Grant, the author, is a master change practitioner, who mentors change managers and change agents to deliver change that gets adopted and delivers meaningful results. She is the Director of Encompass Consulting, 'Bold Change' and CM2 change mentoring and author of the #1 Amazon bestselling book for change agents, 'Change Management that Sticks.' Barb is a frequent speaker on topics related to change management and the successful leadership of change. If you are a change leader, change agent, or change management practice that needs mentoring please email Barb direct at barb@barbgrant.com for a free no-obligation chat about your requirement.

Dave Spencer, April 2023 The Friendly Coach – Executive Coaching Many leaders have a desire to change or transform a business. Often motivated by a want to be more successful or as a response to external market forces, change is seen as the way to achieve this. But what is change? And how do you know where to start? When planning for any journey it is important to understand your desired destination. What potential routes could you take? Where can you refuel or take a break? Is my vehicle fit for the journey? Leading organisational change is no different; before starting out on a change programme it is important to understand what is the purpose of the change. What do you wish to achieve and is that aligned to your purpose? For example, if a wish to increase profitability is your overall purpose, then you may consider changes to the following to achieve that: Outputs Costs Customer relationships Quality of product/service Efficiency of processes An organisation is far more complex than planning a car journey and none of the above will exist in isolation. Changes in one will result in change(s) in another or elsewhere within your organisations system. Recognition of this in advance is important and demonstrates a full diagnosis of your organisation is required so that any changes are informed and aligned across the system as best they can be. Each organisation is unique but consideration of the following will provide a good level of data for your organisational diagnosis: Structure Processes (internal and those reaching out to customers and suppliers) Strategy Performance data Personnel and the knowledge/skills they have Equipment Relationships (internally and externally) Values Organisational cultural influences Behaviours of staff Leadership style Consideration of how the data is collected and analysed is important. Who is the right person to complete this task? As leader you may wish to be involved or direct it to an internal project manager. This is perfectly acceptable but you may want to reflect on how, as part of the organisation, impartial you (or your project manager) is in interpreting the collected data? For a comprehensive diagnosis you may want a broad spectrum of views from all levels/areas of your organisation as well as customers or suppliers. Other peoples perception of you and your position may influence how open and honest they are with you. This can contaminate the data within your diagnosis. Working with a coach can provide that independence and so much more. Nobody knows your organisation better than you and your staff so a coach won’t come in and tell you what to do. The coaches’ role is to help facilitate your thinking so that the changes you plan are yours; they recognise the nuances and particular ways your organisation works so are more easily embraced and adopted. As they are your plans you’ll have a string sense of ownership for them with a deeper level of commitment to ensure effective implementation. So, what will the coach be doing? They will be listening to you. What you say? What you don’t say? What assumptions you are making? What you are avoiding? They will challenge you (and this may be uncomfortable), stretch your thinking so your understanding widens and support you create the change plans that fit your organisation. The benefits to you are not just the production of an effective change plan, but having experienced the opportunity to think deeper and increase your understanding of your organisation you are better equipped to lead ongoing development. An often overlooked aspect of leading change is the support leaders should provide to their staff in adjusting to and adopting practices to align with the changes. Working with a coach can similarly help you understand your staffs needs and how you can provide them with the necessary support. Additionally, your coach could work directly with your senior managers, teams or other individuals to directly provide that support as they adapt. A final component that is often overlooked is that change isn’t completed on the go live day. Often, snags emerge that need overcoming and staff may need support in developing and maintaining the new practices. Working with a coach to answer questions such as, ‘ What is working? What is not working? What should we do more of? What should we stop doing? What can we adjust?’ a coach can support you and your staff incrementally improve that work for you ensuring the desired changes are implemented and sustainable. This in turn can lead to the cultural development of continuous improvement and innovation. Dave Spencer is a Director at The Friendly Coach Ltd and has many years coaching and organisational development experience. If you would like an informal chat to discuss your situation please contact him via email dave@thefriendlycoach.co.uk Dave Spencer The Friendly Coach Limited

People Centricity: 2023 Change is a constant in the workplace, but have you ever stopped to think about how it impacts the people behind the scenes? When a company undergoes a major restructuring or implements new processes and systems, it's easy to get caught up in project delivery and forget about the human element. But what about the employees who are struggling to adapt to new roles, learn new skills, and keep their confidence together? In this article, we'll explore the importance of employee experience during change and how organisations can prioritise their people to successfully navigate the transition and realise the intended business outcomes. In today's rapidly evolving business world, change is inevitable. Whether it's implementing new technology, restructuring teams, or introducing new processes, change is a constant in any organisation. However, change can be disruptive, especially for employees who are expected to adapt and adjust to the new way of doing things. We need to focus on the impact of change on employees and how organisations can manage change to create a positive environment and enhance employee experience. Change Impact on Employees Change can be difficult for employees, especially when they are not fully prepared for it. Employees may feel uncertain about their job security, workload, and responsibilities. They may also feel frustrated or stressed when they have to learn new skills or adapt to new processes. These feelings can lead to resistance, low morale, and decreased productivity. However, when employees are involved in the change process and have a clear understanding of why the change is necessary, what’s in it for them, they are more likely to embrace the change and work towards a successful outcome. Communication and stakeholder engagement are key in managing change and creating a positive employee experience. Managing Change Managing change is critical to the success of any organisation. Change management involves a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations from a current state to a desired future state. It involves identifying potential barriers to change, developing a change plan to overcome them, and communicating the change to all stakeholders. When managing change, it's important to involve employees early in the process. This includes soliciting feedback, providing training, and offering support throughout the transition. When employees feel heard and supported, they are more likely to feel positive about the change. Change Communications Clear and consistent communication is essential in managing change. It's important to communicate the reason for the change, what will change, and how it will impact employees. Communication should be tailored to the needs of the audience, and feedback should be actively sought and addressed. Communication should be ongoing throughout the change process. This includes regular updates, reminders of the benefits of the change, and answering questions and concerns in a timely manner. When employees feel informed and included in the process, they are more likely to feel positive about the change. Change Readiness Change readiness refers to the organisation's ability to successfully manage change. It involves assessing the organisation's capacity for change, identifying potential barriers, and developing a change plan to overcome them. It's important to have the right people, processes, and resources in place to support the change. Change readiness also involves preparing employees for the change. This includes providing training, offering support, and creating a culture of openness and adaptability. When employees are prepared for the change, they are more likely to feel positive about it and work towards a successful outcome. Case Study: Employee Experience Mel is a marketing manager at a mid-sized tech company. She has been with the company for five years and is worried about how a major restructuring will impact her job and her team. The announcement of the restructuring has left Mel feeling uncertain about her future at the company. She worries that her position may be eliminated, and she may be out of a job. As the change process unfolds, Mel's worries turn into frustration and stress. She is struggling to adapt to new processes and is having difficulty learning new skills. She feels like she is starting from scratch, and her confidence has taken a hit. Mel wonders whether she is still the best fit for her role in this new environment. Mel's primary concern is for her team. She worries that the restructuring will increase their workload and cause undue stress. She also wonders how the change will impact the team's dynamic and if they will be able to continue to work effectively together. To address her concerns, Mel is planning to communicate with her team and her supervisor to express her thoughts and feelings about the restructuring. She plans to ask for feedback on how the restructuring will impact the team and what measures are in place to support them during the transition. She also plans to seek additional training to improve her skills and to position herself as an asset to the company during the restructuring. Overall, Mel is determined to take control of the situation by communicating her concerns, seeking feedback, and improving her skills. She believes that by taking these steps, she can help minimise the impact of the restructuring on her and her team and emerge from the transition stronger and more resilient. Employee experience is a critical component of any change initiative. Employees are the lifeblood of any organisation, and their experience during a period of change can make or break the success of the transition. When employees are supported, engaged, and informed, they are more likely to embrace the change, adapt to new processes, and continue to contribute to the organisation's success. On the other hand, when employees feel neglected, uncertain, and unsupported, their productivity can suffer, and they may even consider leaving the organisation altogether. This not only affects the individual employee but also the entire team and organisation. Therefore, it's crucial for organisations to prioritise employee experience during periods of change. This means involving employees in the change process, providing them with the necessary training and resources, communicating clearly and consistently, and showing empathy and support throughout the transition. In conclusion, by focusing on employee experience during change, organisations can not only ensure a smoother transition but also boost employee morale and engagement, leading to improved productivity, retention, and overall success. So, the next time your organisation is going through a period of change, remember to prioritise your people, and the rest will fall into place.

People Centricity: 2023 Target Operating Model (TOM) is a blueprint for how an organisation should operate in order to achieve its goals. It outlines the processes, systems, people, and structures that are necessary to support the organisation's operations and achieve its desired outcomes. Implementing a TOM can be a complex and challenging transformational process, as it often involves significant changes to the way the organisation operates and delivers its service. This is where change management comes in. Change management plays a critical role in any organisation that is implementing a new operating model. An operating model defines how a company conducts its business, and any changes to this model can have a significant impact on the organisation and the people. The success of implementing a new operating model depends heavily on the ability of the organisation to manage the change effectively. What is change management? Change management is the process of preparing an organisation for changes to its business processes, people, systems, or structures. It involves planning, communicating, and executing changes in a way that minimizes resistance and maximizes adoption. Change management aims to minimize the negative impact of change on employees, customers, and stakeholders while enabling the organisation to achieve its desired outcomes. Why is change management important during a new operating model? Implementing a new operating model is a complex and challenging process. It requires significant changes to business processes, people, systems, and structures, and it can be disruptive to employees and stakeholders. Change management is essential during a new operating model because it helps to: Minimize resistance to change: Change can be difficult for employees to accept, particularly if it involves changes to their roles, responsibilities, or working practices. Change management helps to minimize resistance to change by involving employees in the process, communicating the rationale for the change, and providing support to help employees adapt to new ways of working. Ensure effective communication: Communication is essential during a new operating model. Change management helps to ensure that employees, customers, and stakeholders are informed of the changes, understand the rationale for the change, and are aware of any implications for their roles or the organisation. Manage risk: Implementing a new operating model can be risky, particularly if the changes are significant or involve new technology. Change management helps to manage risk by identifying potential risks and developing strategies to mitigate them. Ensure adoption and sustainability: The success of a new operating model depends on the ability of the organisation to adopt and sustain the changes. Change management helps to ensure that employees are trained and supported to adopt new ways of working, and that the organisation has the resources and processes in place to sustain the changes over the long term. Case Study: Implementing a New Operating Model at multinational manufacturing company This case study is based on a multinational manufacturing company that produces a wide range of products. Over the years, the company has grown rapidly, and its operating model has become outdated and inefficient. In response to this, the company's leadership team decided to implement a new operating model that would improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enable the company to better meet the needs of its customers. To implement the new operating model the company adopted a change management approach that involved the following steps: The project team conducted a thorough change impact assessment of the current operating model and identified areas where the new model would have the most significant impact. The project team developed a comprehensive change management approach and plan that outlined the steps required to manage the change, including communication, training, and support. The company communicated the change to all employees, customers, and stakeholders, including the rationale for the change, the benefits, and any implications for roles or processes. The company monitored progress closely and made adjustments to the change management plan as necessary. In conclusion: The change management approach adopted by the company was successful, and the new operating model enabled the company to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The Impact of Change during TOM Implementing a new operating model (TOM) is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning, coordination, and execution. Change management is a critical component of any TOM transformation because it enables organisations to effectively manage the people side of the change. In particular, key change activities play a vital role in helping organisations successfully implement a new TOM. Organisational Development (OD) leaders play a critical role in designing and implementing a new TOM. They are responsible for ensuring that the TOM aligns with the organisation's strategy and goals, and that it is structured in a way that supports the organisation's culture and values. The data gathered from the Change Impact Assessment can help the OD lead to design the new organisational structure. The impact of change during a TOM can be significant for employees, customers, and stakeholders. The change may involve new business processes, new technology, or changes to roles and responsibilities. These changes can create uncertainty and anxiety, leading to resistance to the change. Without proper support and engagement, employees may struggle to adapt to the new TOM, leading to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and potentially even turnover. This is where change management plays a critical role in supporting those impacted by change. Change management focuses on helping employees and stakeholders understand and embrace the change. By engaging employees and stakeholders in the change process, providing support and training, and addressing concerns and questions, change management can help mitigate the negative impact of change and promote successful adoption of the new TOM. One way that change management supports those impacted by change is through effective communication and engagement. Communication is critical during a TOM to ensure that everyone understands the rationale for the change, the benefits, and any potential implications. Communication should be frequent, transparent, and delivered in a variety of formats to ensure that all stakeholders are informed and engaged. Effective communication can help to reduce anxiety and uncertainty, build support and buy-in, and promote successful adoption of the new TOM. Another way that change management supports those impacted by change is through training and development. Providing employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to the new TOM is essential for successful implementation. Effective training and development programs should be designed to meet the needs of employees, taking into account their different learning styles and preferences. Training can help employees feel confident in their ability to perform their new roles and responsibilities and reduce resistance to the change. Change management supports those impacted by change by engaging and involving employees in the change process. By involving employees in the process, organisations can tap into their knowledge and expertise, helping to identify potential challenges and opportunities. Engaging employees in the change process can also help build support and buy-in, reducing resistance to the change and promoting successful adoption of the new TOM. In conclusion, Implementing a new operating model can be challenging, but effective change management can help to ensure that the process is smooth and successful. Change management helps to minimize resistance to change, ensure effective communication, manage risk, and ensure adoption and sustainability. By following the steps outlined above and having a dedicated change resources organisations can manage change effectively and realize the benefits of the new TOM and achieve their strategic goals.

People Centricity: 2023 Imagine this for a second, your organisation is facing unprecedented challenges, the kind that threaten its very existence. The natural response may be fear or paralysis, but you see an opportunity. With a good vision and a robust plan, you take the lead and guide your team and the organisation through the storm. Through your empathy, listening, and communication skills, you inspire confidence and ignite a spark of hope. You become a change leader, turning adversity into growth, and propelling your organisation towards a brighter future. Are you ready to become the hero of your organisation's story and lead it towards success? Change leadership is a critical component of any successful organisation. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, leaders must be able to adapt and lead their teams through change to stay competitive and relevant. In this thought leadership, we'll explore what change leadership is, why it's important, and some practical tips for becoming an effective change leader. What is Change Leadership? Change leadership is the process of guiding a group or organisation through a significant change, such as a merger, restructuring, or new technology implementation. Effective change leaders not only manage the technical aspects of the change, but they also inspire and engage their team members to embrace the change and support its success. Change leadership requires strong communication, empathy, and strategic planning skills to navigate the complexities of change management. Why is Change Leadership Important? Change can be a challenging and emotional process for individuals and organisations alike. Without effective change leadership, employees may resist the change or become disengaged, leading to decreased productivity, morale, and ultimately, the failure of the change initiative. A skilled change leader can create a positive and supportive environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and resilience during times of transition. Change Leadership: Key Skills for Success Change leadership is a critical component of any successful organisation. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, leaders must be able to adapt and lead their teams through change to stay competitive and relevant. Effective change leadership requires a range of skills, including: Empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Change can be unsettling, and it's important for change leaders to empathize with their team members and address any concerns or resistance they may have. By showing empathy, change leaders can build trust, foster collaboration, and create a positive and supportive environment. Listening Active listening is a critical skill for change leaders. It involves paying attention to what others are saying, asking questions, and providing feedback to ensure understanding. By listening to their team members, change leaders can gain valuable insights and ideas, address concerns and obstacles, and build trust and support. Communication Effective communication is key to successful change leadership. Change leaders must be able to communicate clearly and frequently, using a variety of channels and methods to reach their team members. By communicating transparently, honestly, and consistently, change leaders can build trust, encourage collaboration, and create a shared vision for the change initiative. Self-awareness Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses. Change leaders must have a high level of self-awareness to effectively manage their own emotions and responses during times of change. By being self-aware, change leaders can manage their own stress and emotions, model positive behaviours, and create a sense of calm and stability for their team members. Agility Agility is the ability to pivot and adjust one's approach as needed in response to changing circumstances. Change leaders must be agile and adaptable to effectively manage the complexities of change. By being open to feedback, willing to make changes to the plan, and able to think creatively, change leaders can lead their teams through even the most challenging changes. Tips for Becoming an Effective Change Leader Communicate clearly and frequently. Communication is key to successful change management. Be transparent about why the change is happening, what it means for the organisation and its employees, and how it will be implemented. Keep your team informed and involved throughout the process to build trust and support. Build a coalition of support. Identify key stakeholders and influencers within the organisation and enlist their support for the change initiative. This can include managers, team leaders, and subject matter experts. These individuals can help champion the change and address any concerns or resistance among their teams. Empathize with your team. Change can be unsettling, and it's important to acknowledge and address the emotional impact it may have on your team members. Take the time to listen to their concerns and provide support and resources to help them navigate the change. Develop a clear and actionable plan. A well-defined plan with clear goals, timelines, and metrics is essential for effective change leadership. Ensure that everyone involved understands their role in the process and has the resources they need to succeed. Stay flexible and adaptable. Change can be unpredictable, and it's important to be able to pivot and adjust your approach as needed. Encourage feedback and be willing to make changes to the plan if necessary. In conclusion, change leadership is a critical skill for any leader to master. By communicating clearly, building support, empathizing with your team, developing a clear plan, and staying flexible, change leadership requires a range of skills, including empathy, listening, communication, self-awareness, and agility. By developing and honing these skills, you can effectively lead your organisation through times of transition and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

People Centricity: 2023 In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, it's important for individuals and organisations to adopt a learning culture. A learning culture is one in which everyone is encouraged to continually develop new skills, knowledge, and behaviours that lead to personal and organisational growth. Why Creating a Learning Culture Matters Creating a learning culture can have numerous benefits for individuals and organisations, such as: Improving Employee Engagement and Retention: When employees feel that they have opportunities to learn and grow, they tend to be more engaged in their work and more likely to stay with their current employer. Boosting Innovation and Creativity: A learning culture fosters an environment of innovation and creativity. Employees who are encouraged to learn and experiment are more likely to come up with new and innovative ideas. Enhancing Performance and Productivity: When employees continually develop new skills and knowledge, they become more productive and can perform their jobs more effectively. Strengthening Organisational Agility: A learning culture enables organisations to adapt quickly to change. When employees are continually learning and developing new skills, the organisation becomes more agile and better equipped to respond to new challenges and opportunities. Benefits of a Learning Culture A learning culture can bring a host of benefits to organisations, such as improved employee engagement, innovation, and productivity. Here are some specific examples of learning opportunities that organisations can provide to their employees: E-Learning: E-learning refers to online courses and training programs that employees can take at their own pace and convenience. E-learning can cover a wide range of topics, from technical skills to leadership and management. Benefits: E-learning is flexible and cost-effective, making it a great option for organisations with employees in different locations or with varying schedules. It also allows employees to learn at their own pace and can be easily updated to reflect changes in the industry or organisation. Mentoring: Mentoring involves pairing a less experienced employee with a more experienced employee to provide guidance and support. Mentors can offer advice on career development, networking, and work-related challenges. Benefits: Mentoring can help to build relationships and promote knowledge sharing within the organisation. It also provides a more personalised approach to learning and development and can help to retain employees by demonstrating a commitment to their career growth. Coaching: Coaching involves working with a coach to set goals, develop skills, and overcome challenges. Coaching can be one-on-one or in a group setting and can cover a range of topics, such as leadership, communication, and conflict resolution. Benefits: Coaching provides a more personalised approach to learning and development and can help employees to identify and overcome specific challenges. It also promotes a culture of continuous improvement and can lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation. Job Shadowing: Job shadowing involves observing and learning from a more experienced employee in a different department or role. Job shadowing can provide a better understanding of how different parts of the organisation work together and can expose employees to new ideas and perspectives. Benefits: Job shadowing promotes cross-functional learning and collaboration within the organisation. It also allows employees to gain a broader perspective of the organisation and can help to identify potential career paths. In conclusion, creating a learning culture is essential for individuals and organisations to thrive in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world. By providing a range of learning opportunities, such as e-learning, mentoring, coaching, and job shadowing, organizations can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The benefits of a learning culture include improved employee engagement and retention, increased innovation and productivity, and greater organisational agility.

The Future of Learning is here! People Centricity: 2023 Change is inevitable in today's fast-paced business world. Whether it's adapting to new technology, implementing new policies or procedures, or responding to market trends, organisations are constantly undergoing transformations. Change management is the process of planning, implementing, and monitoring the people side of change in order to minimise the negative impacts and maximise the benefits of these changes. Effective change management requires more than just a one-time training event or a long, tedious online course. Instead, it requires a continuous learning approach that provides those who are leading change with relevant information, tools, and resources to support people to adapt to new changes quickly and effectively. This is where microlearning comes in. What is Microlearning? Microlearning is a popular approach to e-learning that focuses on delivering bite-sized, easily digestible content to learners. Microlearning modules are typically 2-5 minutes in length and cover a single, specific topic. They are designed to be consumed on-the-go and accessed on any device, making them a perfect fit for busy employees who are always on the move. The Benefits of Microlearning for Change Management Improved Knowledge Retention: Microlearning is based on the principle that learning in small chunks is more effective than learning in large, continuous sessions. When employees are presented with small, easily digestible pieces of information, they are more likely to retain the information and apply it in their work. Time and Cost Savings: Traditional training methods, such as classroom training or lengthy online courses, can be time-consuming and expensive. Microlearning, on the other hand, allows employees to learn at their own pace and on their own time, reducing the time and cost associated with traditional training methods. Higher Engagement and Motivation: Microlearning modules are designed to be interactive and engaging, with a focus on real-life scenarios and practical applications. This type of learning can help to keep employees motivated and engaged, leading to a more positive attitude towards change management. Flexible Learning: Microlearning can be accessed on any device, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, making it a flexible and convenient way for employees to learn on-the-go. This is especially important for organizations with a dispersed workforce or employees who work remotely. Best Practices for Microlearning in Change Management Keep it Relevant: Microlearning modules should be relevant to the specific changes that employees are experiencing. Focus on providing information that will help employees to adapt quickly and effectively to new changes. Use a Variety of Formats: Microlearning modules can be delivered in a variety of formats, including videos, infographics, quizzes, and simulations. Mixing up the format can help to keep employees engaged and motivated. Encourage Collaboration: Microlearning modules can be designed to encourage collaboration among employees, allowing them to share their experiences and insights with each other. This can help to build a sense of community and support during times of change. Measure Learning Outcomes: To ensure that microlearning is effective, it's important to measure learning outcomes. This can be done through quizzes, assessments, or surveys to gauge employees' knowledge retention and application of the information. Microlearning is an effective approach to change management that can help employees to adapt quickly and effectively to new changes. By providing relevant, bite-sized information in an engaging and flexible format, microlearning can improve knowledge retention, save time and cost, increase engagement and motivation, and promote collaboration. By following best practices for microlearning in change management, organizations can ensure that their employees are well-equipped to handle any changes that come their way. Personalising Microlearning experience Laura is a Change Manager at a large tech company. She manages changes within the organisation, such as new software implementations or process improvements, and works with various teams across the company, including IT, HR, and operations. Laura is always looking for ways to improve her skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in Change Management. Laura is busy in her project and she recognizes the value of continuous learning and decides to use a microlearning approach to develop her own skills in Change Management. First, Laura identifies the specific areas where she wants to improve. For example, she might want to learn more about stakeholder engagement approach. Next, Laura finds short, focused microlearning modules that address these specific areas. She might use online resources, such as blogs, podcasts, or videos, or create her own content, such as short quizzes or case studies. Laura then schedules time each week to complete one or two microlearning modules. She might set aside 20-40 minutes during her lunch break or at the end of the day to focus on learning. Finally, Laura tracks her progress and reflects on how she can apply her new skills and knowledge in her role as a Change Manager. She might share what she has learned with her colleagues or use her new skills to improve her work processes. By using a microlearning approach, Laura is able to continuously develop her skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in Change Management. This not only benefits her own professional development but also improves the quality of her work and the outcomes for the organization. Unlock Your Potential in Change Management with People Centricity's Bite-Sized Microlearning Modules If you're like Laura, new to Change Management or looking to develop your skills in this field, People Centricity is the perfect solution for you. Our bite-sized microlearning modules are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to excel in Change Management. With engaging visual content, audio, videos, and scenario-based learning, our modules are designed to make learning fun and effective. At People Centricity, we understand that your time is valuable. That's why our modules are designed to be completed at your convenience, on any device. You can choose individual modules that are relevant to your specific needs, allowing you to learn and develop your skills in a flexible and effective way. And the best part? Our modules are affordable and offer excellent value for money. You can access our learning platform for a fraction of the cost of traditional training methods, and our modules are designed to help you achieve your learning goals quickly and efficiently. So, if you're looking for a cost-effective and flexible way to develop your skills in Change Management, visit our training section to learn more and start your microlearning journey today. People Centricity Change Management Learning Pathway: A Comprehensive Approach to Managing Change Based on our experience we believe those who are leading change management do not just need the theory or academic frameworks but also practical approaches and insights that are implementable. Our modules are developed from the experience of our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These are change practitioners who have led a number of projects throughout their careers. The modules will give you the insights and practical examples of change management practice. Throughout the e-learning you will get access to processes, stages and tools for each change management activity where you will be able to apply it to your job. We encourage you to use the reflective practice template to capture your goals, reflection and next steps. Our e-learning provides you with real-life examples, case studies, and templates. We encourage learners to apply reflective practice in order to learn and grow in their profession. People Centricity’s Change Management Learning Pathway Module 1: Change In Practice This module aims to provide practical insights into change strategy and change plan. It explores the different types of change, the reasons why change is necessary, and the challenges that organisations face when implementing change. Case studies are used to demonstrate the impact of change on organisations, while visual are used to illustrate the different types of change. Module 2: Stakeholder Engagement This module explores the importance of stakeholder engagement in the change process and provides strategies for engaging with different stakeholder groups. It includes case studies to demonstrate successful stakeholder engagement, as well as visual content and templates for developing stakeholder engagement plans. Module 3: Change Impact Assessment This module provides the approaches to Change Impact Assessment and how to conduct Change Impact Assessments, including the different phases involved, and the tools and techniques that can be used to assess change impacts. Templates and checklists are provided to learners to help them apply the process in their own projects. Module 4: Change Champions This module focuses on the role of Change Champions, how to set them up and how to onboard them. The module explores the importance of Change Champions during the change process, and provides strategies for communicating with different stakeholder groups. Audio and video are used to provide examples of effective change champions, while templates provided for developing Change champions in projects. Module 5: Case for Change This module explores the importance of Case for Change in the change process and provides techniques on how to develop and communicate Case for Change, It includes case studies to demonstrate successful communication, as well as visual content and templates for developing Case for Change. Module 6: Personas This module explores the importance of Personas during the change process, and provides techniques on how to develop Personas. Audio and video are used to provide examples of effective Personas, while templates provided for developing Personas in projects. Module 7: Change Risks and Change Resistance This modules provides on how to identify change risks and strategies for managing resistance to change, including identifying the sources of resistance and developing strategies to overcome them. Visual content, such as diagrams and infographics, are used to illustrate the different sources of resistance, while case studies are used to demonstrate effective strategies for managing resistance. Module 8: Change Readiness This module describes the importance of change readiness in organisational context and how to conduct a change readiness assessment including assessing factors such as the organisation’s leadership, culture, employee awareness and engagement. Visual content, such as diagrams and infographics, are used to illustrate the different ways of assessing change readiness, while case studies are used to demonstrate effective change readiness. Module 9: Post Implementation Review This module explores the importance of Post Implementation Review in the change process and provides techniques on how to develop the assessment, It includes case studies to demonstrate successful Post Implementation Review, as well as visual content and templates for measuring the effectiveness of change approaches.

People Centricity’s Step-by-Step Guide to Change Management People Centricity: 2023 In today's fast-paced business world, change is constant. Organisations are often required to adapt to new technologies, market trends, and customer demands to remain competitive. However, the adoption of these changes is not always smooth sailing. Employees may resist the changes or fail to fully understand their significance, leading to a lack of buy-in and poor results. To accelerate adoption, organisations must focus on their people and follow the 6 approaches to change: Articulate the Why, Identify Impacted Stakeholders, Engage with Stakeholders, Assess Change Impact, Build Change Capability, and Sustain Change. Articulate the Why The first step in accelerating adoption is to articulate the "why" behind the change. Employees are more likely to accept and embrace a change when they understand the reason behind it. Therefore, companies must be clear and transparent about the benefits of the change and how it aligns with the organisation's overall vision and goals. By articulating the "why," organisations can create a sense of urgency and purpose, which can help to drive adoption. Identify Impacted Stakeholders The second step in accelerating adoption is to identify the stakeholders who will be impacted by the change. This includes employees, customers, clients, and suppliers. It's crucial to understand the different perspectives and concerns of each stakeholder group to address their needs and expectations effectively. This can be done by creating a stakeholder map that identifies each group's level of influence and interest in the change. Engage with Stakeholders The third step in accelerating adoption is to engage with stakeholders. Effective engagement involves building relationships, communicating clearly and regularly, and involving stakeholders in the change process. By involving stakeholders in the change process, organisations can gain their buy-in and support, which can help to drive adoption. Stakeholder engagement can be done through various channels, including town hall meetings, leadership workshops, focus groups, surveys, and training sessions. Assess Change Impact The fourth step in accelerating adoption is to assess the change's impact. This involves identifying the potential risks and benefits of the change, as well as the resources required to implement it successfully. Organisations must also assess the change's impact on stakeholders, including how it will affect their roles, responsibilities, and workflows. By conducting a thorough Change impact assessment, organisations can anticipate and address potential issues, which can help to drive adoption. Build Change Capability The fifth step in accelerating adoption is to build change capability. This involves developing the skills, knowledge, and tools required to implement the change successfully. Organisations must ensure that employees have the necessary training and support to adopt the change effectively. This can be done through various methods, including on-the-job training, just in time learning, e-learning, coaching, and mentoring. By building change capability, organisations can ensure that employees are empowered to embrace the change, which can help to drive adoption. Sustain Change The final step in accelerating adoption is to sustain change. This involves embedding the change into the organisation's culture and processes to ensure its long-term success. Organisations must continuously monitor and evaluate the change's impact and adjust their Change strategies accordingly. This can be done by creating a feedback loop and involving stakeholders in the ongoing change process. By sustaining change, organisations can ensure that the change becomes part of the organisation's DNA, which can help to drive adoption. Let’s bring these steps to life Meet Sarah, who works as a Change Manager at a software company. Sarah has been tasked with leading a change initiative that involves adopting a new marketing automation software to improve the company's lead generation and sales conversion. Articulate the Why Sarah needs to articulate the "why" behind the change to the people to ensure they understand the significance of the initiative. After gathering the data and discussing with the leadership team, she creates a presentation that highlights the benefits of the new software, such as saving time and increasing efficiency, which would allow the marketing team to focus more on strategy and creativity. She also explains how this initiative aligns with the company's overall vision and goals, such as driving revenue growth and enhancing customer satisfaction. Identify Impacted Stakeholders Sarah identifies the stakeholders who will be impacted by the change, including her team, the sales team, and the IT department. She creates a stakeholder map that outlines each group's level of influence and interest in the change, which helps her prioritise her engagement efforts. Engage with Stakeholders Sarah engages with the stakeholders by creating a communication plan that includes regular updates on the initiative's progress and open feedback channels. She facilitates a town hall meeting to introduce the new software, highlighting the benefits and addressing concerns. She also organizes a focus group with her team to identify any potential issues with the new software and how they can be addressed. Assess Change Impact Sarah conducts a change impact assessment to identify potential risks and benefits of the change. She works with the IT department to determine the resources required to implement the new software, such as training and support. She also assesses the change's impact on the stakeholders, such as how it will affect their roles, responsibilities, and processes. Build Change Capability Sarah builds change capability by facilitating impacted people with the necessary training and support to adopt the new software effectively. She organizes a series of training sessions, Just in time learning, Demo, and e-learning modules that cover the software's features and how to use them. She also coordinates for ongoing coaching and mentoring to the people to address any issues and ensure a smooth transition. Sustain Change Sarah sustains change by embedding the new software into the organisation's culture and processes. She monitors and evaluates the software's impact on the marketing team's performance and makes adjustments accordingly. She creates a feedback loop by asking for regular feedback from project team and other stakeholders to identify any areas for improvement. She also ensures that the new software becomes part of the organisation's standard operating procedures and that new employees receive proper training when they join the team. In conclusion, by following these six steps, Sarah successfully leads the change initiative and accelerates adoption of the new marketing automation software. She does this by putting people first and engaging with stakeholders throughout the process. She ensures that the organisation is well-equipped to adopt the new software and sustain the change by embedding it into the organisation's culture and processes. Accelerating adoption requires a People Centric approach that focuses on the six approaches to change: Articulate the Why, Identify Impacted Stakeholders, Engage with Stakeholders, Assess Change Impact, Build Change Capability, and Sustain Change. By following these steps, organisations can create a culture that embraces change and drives innovation, which is critical to remaining competitive in today's business world. If you want to learn more about change management best practices and connect with like-minded professionals, we invite you to join the Global Change Practitioners Forum. Our community of change practitioners provides a platform to exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from each other. Additionally, if you would like to share your insights and experiences through thought leadership, case studies, or videos, please contact us. We welcome contributions from all members of our community. Let's accelerate adoption through people-centric change.

Celebrating the value of difference Geffrye Parsons (he/him): 2023 Founder & CEO (Chief Empathy Officer), The Inclusion Imperative February 2023 People struggle with change. Humans are creatures of habit, and there is comfort in routine. But time does not stand still, so change is inevitable. Endless self-help books have professed the importance of embracing change as, paradoxically, the only real constant, both in life generally and in business. Yet it is always tempting for many to look backwards, idealising the past, rather than forward to a better future. Change is rooted in embracing difference. The Progress Paradox clarifies this: whereas the reasonable person adapts themselves to their environment, the unreasonable person attempts to adapt the environment to themselves – and therefore all change (and with it, all progress) depends on someone being ‘unreasonable’. Consciously inclusive leaders – whether at C-suite or team head level – understand not only that change is inevitable, and indeed necessary in the pursuit of progress, but also that change brings the biggest pay-off when it exploits the synergies that spring from embracing difference. Taking an inclusive approach to change management (of whatever scale) maximises the transformational value of diversity – diversity of thought, of perspective, of experience. What that requires in practice is to approach change from a people-centric angle. Change management teams must work with leaders, especially middle managers who create the micro cultures within the workplace every day, to promote this. It involves a lot of moving parts – including, for example: fairer, more open recruitment and promotion practices (resisting affinity bias) better information gathering (resisting proximity and recency biases) active outreach for all inputs (including those of introverts or those working physically remotely, for example) embracing the vulnerability of not knowing everything (and so empowering others who can help), and meaningful, purposeful two-way communication (including the fundamental needs for curiosity and for listening, rather than merely hearing). Creating an environment of psychological safety in this way can seem daunting, and some will doubtless shy away from it. But it is the path to success, by putting people – most organisations’ most valuable resource, after all – at the heart of the change process. It is therefore not just because I am an inherently positive-minded person – who, for example, supported The Stress Management Society’s terrific #ChooseHope campaign last year with a ‘life-changing conversation’ podcast , and who is currently championing the work of the Centre for Optimism over in Australia – that I maintain a positive outlook. It is also because I believe that, ultimately, humans and their organisations are fundamentally rational. As Albert Einstein said: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Ultimately, it will also be the measure of organisational robustness and success. The benefits of taking a people-centric approach to change – inviting different perspectives, allowing received wisdoms to be challenged, and viewing (inevitable) mistakes as learning opportunities – are, and will become increasingly, clear to those people and organisations, as they strive to achieve renewed business progress in the future. Is your organisation taking a humanistic approach to change, forging real progress by recognising the value of difference and embracing that through truly inclusive practices every day? If you would like to explore how The Inclusion Imperative – an independent Diversity, Equity & Inclusion consulting practice, with a core focus on ensuring that theory translates into practical reality in workplaces – could help in this context, please do check out its and my own LinkedIn pages and its website, and get in touch via any of those!

An approach to Organisational Transformations to deliver business value People Centricity: 2023 Change is constant. We all go through change either in our personal lives or at work. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to change in many ways, particularly the way we do our work and how we deliver services. In many cases COVID-19 has accelerated organisational transformations. However, even prior to the pandemic, organisations were delivering change initiatives, yet research shows that 70% of organisational transformations fail to deliver the expected outcome (Beer and Nohria 2000). In this article, I will discuss how taking a holistic approach will not only allow organisations to realise the expected benefits from the change initiatives, but will also enable their people to be involved, supported, and empowered to sustain change. The main enablers of organisational transformations are: Project Management Change Management The People Whether your organisational transformation is a culture change, regulatory change, mergers and acquisitions, workforce transformation, or technology systems change, applying a holistic approach through these areas will enable you to meet your objective and deliver business value. 1. Project Management The Project Management Institute (2021) defines project management as “the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver something of value to people.” Project management is vital to deliver the technical solution. An example can be delivering new technology. Projects apply a number of techniques and methods to ensure they deliver the solution on time, in scope and on budget. Projects use communications and training so that end users are aware of the project and they have got the skills and capability to operate the new system. However, change is personal and managing the people side of change is beyond communications and trainings. Delivering the project objective by itself will not be sufficient in getting a return on investment. Change does not just happen, it needs to be managed with the end users being at the centre of organisational transformation. 2. Change Management Prosci (2021) defines change management “as the application of a structured process and set of tools for leading the people side of change to achieve a desired outcome.” Change management is a people-centric approach framework that applies various methods and tools aimed at supporting people through their change journey. Change management is key to ensure the solution from the project has been accepted by the business, and people have started using the solution. When this happens, organisations will get a return on investment and mitigate organisational risk. For example, when it is regulatory change initiatives, it is a must that employees are not only aware of the change, but they have the capability to do their work in the new way of working. This is critical for the organisations to meet their new regulatory requirements. Change management acts as a link between the project, the organisation and their people. It applies tools and techniques to ensure people are aware of the change, involved and supported throughout the transformation. Applying a top down and bottom up approach to improve employee engagement can be one way to go about it. Top down communications approach - Those who are leading the change need to communicate the compelling vision of their transformation, what is changing, why the change is important and what is the benefit for various stakeholder groups. This is the first activity of change management, equipping change leaders to create and deliver the vision for change. Bottom up engagement approach - Working collaboratively with the people on the ground is important. Involve stakeholders in designing the change plan. Ensure employees' views are sought out and listened to in the process. People will be keen to participate in the change that will impact their teams and areas. The people on the ground are the best to advise on what impact the change will have on them and their teams. In change management, we work with the people not only to understand the impact but to provide a mitigation strategy to minimise any operational or strategic impact on day to day business. While project management and change management professions are distinct, they are complementary. Project managers and change managers have a common goal: to deliver business outcomes. Projects deliver the solution and the change management ensures people are involved and the solution is fit for purpose. In my experience, when project and change management have aligned their activities, there is greater chance for the organisations to be successful in their transformations and deliver business value. In summary, without project management, we cannot deliver the change and without the change management we cannot ensure change is adopted and sustained. 3. The People Finally, people are key to any organisational transformations. Both project managers and change managers work with the people across their organisations. In change management we put the people at the heart of what we do through empathising with them, understanding the emotions they go through and providing the right support to ensure they are supported in their change transition. In my experience, people have good intentions, they don’t resist change, they just need to understand the ‘Why’ and need to be supported as they abandon their old ways of doing and learn the new ways. This is what change management does: work with the people through the application of neuroscience, psychology, and other change models. The transtheoretical model (2018) of change really illustrates the individual change journey, which covers people’s awareness of their behaviour to changing and sustaining their behaviour. The model states that People stop old behaviour when they have made a decision to do so, meaning when they are ready Changing behaviour is a continuous process not a one-off exercise. Regardless of the transformation, it all boils down to the people, they have to be willing to shift their mindsets and change management focuses on the people-side to support the impacted group. In conclusion, taking a holistic approach to organisational transformations means ensuring project management, change management and the people are at the forefront of the decision making and ensure a dedicated change management resource is allocated. References Beer, M. and N. Nohria. (2000) Cracking the code of change. Harvard Business Review (May-June): 133-141. Project Management Institute (2021) What is Project Management? https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/what-is-project-management Prosci (2021) Change Management https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/what-is-change-management Prochaska, J. O and Norcross, J. C (2018). Systems Psychotherapy. A Transtheoretical Analysis (9th Ed). New York: Oxford University Press

People Centricity: 2023