What is Change Management ?

Many of us hate change don’t we? OK, maybe our way of doing things isn’t the most efficient, or cost effective or simply not the best way to do it, but we’ve always done it that way, it was alright ten years ago, why isn’t it alright now? We simply can’t be bothered can we? That’s why many businesses these days are bringing in people to make us change . . . Horror of horrors, these change management professionals look at how things are done by individuals, organizations and teams and then implement new ways to do things better in the future. They might meet resistance but they’re used to it, they are the real professionals and resistance is futile.

So what do “Change Managers” change?

• Missionary changes – a real change of direction about where you’re heading in the first place
• Strategic changes – yes, sometimes small changes in strategy can make a really big difference
• Operational/Structural changes – doing things differently
• Technological changes – it’s called progress, we don’t need an abacus anymore, our fingers or even a calculator, a computer program can do all of that for us and leave us free to do other things – it’s time to change . . .
• Changing attitudes and behaviors in personnel – this is one of the hardest things. The problem is with change, nobody likes it and people are hesitant to try it, but let’s be honest, generally speaking within a few days of doing things the “new way” we wonder why it took us so long to see the light don’t we? Aren’t we an awkward bunch really?

The first important step in change management is identifying a need for change in the first place, I mean, they say a “new broom sweeps clean” but change management can be pretty vulnerable if the new ways are less efficient than the old can’t they, they’ve got to be pretty certain that the change will be for the better.

There is a theory that in order for change to be effective it must be treated with awareness and willingness. The employees need to be “aware” of the need for the change to take place and take inventory, they need to understand that there is a problem and “willing” to help to sort it out.

One change management model which has been used effectively time and time again, and is therefore quoted regularly is the ADKAR model,

A – awareness
D – desire
K – knowledge
A – ability
R – reinforcement

If your workforce are aware of the need for changes, are given the desire for those changes to become effective, given the knowledge and ability to deliver those changes and have the positive reinforcement of it being the best for everyone concerned, then change managers can make their lives a whole lot easier in many different ways.