How can you create a safe environment for change management experimentation?

The Central Bank of Eswatini recently redefined its corporate strategy to stay ahead of the curve. Despite some roles becoming redundant, the Governor was determined to ensure that no staff member would lose their job. Before the staff rationalization exercise, there were a few vacancies that were not filled. Also, some of those who retired were not replaced, which created some strain initially. However, this paid off down the road as no one ended up losing their job. The Governor launched this exercise acknowledging that the Bank staff was competent as they had the necessary knowledge, experience, attitudes, and skills to be redeployed to new roles in central banking. The results of this exercise were astounding!

I think the most important step for creating safe enviroment for any change is creating an environment for open communication. The purpose and the goals of the experimentation process should be clear to each person in the team. This will also contribute to building trust which is another crucial element in the process. "Fail forward" mindset should be encauraged where mistales are seen as opportunities for growth.

Change is never easy and indeed sometimes resisted. When implementing any organizational change, I'd recommend focusing on three things: (1) providing transparency and clarity in explaining the change, (2) empowering employees to embrace the change, and (3) reinforcing that they are not alone - they are part of a larger team across the organization undergoing the change. As long as you reinforce this messaging, pair it with a toolkit of workshops and FAQ docs, and lastly, create an internal communications campaign that celebrates milestones in implementing the change, you'll provide an environment that empowers change.

The fear of the unknown is real and can get in the way of the benefits of making changes. Fear of failure will create a negative environment. Provide as much information as possible to meet the comfort level of each individual's needs to comprehend the benefits of moving forward. There should be clear communication for each objection to include, honesty and sincerity. Never wing it. Be genuine when proposing new ideas and then listen.

1: Draft a vision that is clear but leaves enough headroom for stakeholders to bring in their own ideas 2: Be inspiring, not dogmatic 3: Communicate the goal for change, not how change should happen 4: Ideally, give everyone affected the opportuntiy to be a driver of change, not an object 5: Define a clear process and timeframe and follow it thoroughout the process

I think this was a difficult thing to do correctly until I realised engagement had a timing element. Start with a RACI or a list of people and key deliverables and who needs to be told about what you doing and who needs to do it and who will get kicked if it isn't done on time, but just a summary, if it is more than a slide you are just showing off. So to the timing element involve just the key team initially, limit other engagement to vision sharing and supplier demos to build a delivery ethos. Then engage with the wider team/departments when you have clearer delivery dates and keep celebrating milestone delivery.

One thing that I found most helpful is staff involvement. Your staff can be your most loyal customer when it comes to buying into and owning change. Engaging staff, and according them opportunities to take the lead in communicating change to their colleagues and managing progressive change dynamics is an approach that is certain to be successful.

Involving stakeholders at all levels is the 1st step to create a successful change management plan. Understanding thier priorities and ensuring each layer of the organisation feels that their priorities are served one way or the other. 2nd step in Involving stakeholders is to allow them to experience the difference through pilots or prototypes that will help them understand the value of the change you are proposing. Involving stakeholders also provides a specific level of commitment to the change that occurs not only over time but immediately once they contribute to the solution

Change management thrives on engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders—staff, customers, partners, and suppliers. Involving them provides valuable insights, feedback, and support, helping to address concerns and expectations. Empowering stakeholders in the change process through co-creation of solutions, prototype testing, and sharing lessons learned ensures a more inclusive, effective transition. This collective approach not only fosters acceptance and commitment but also leverages diverse perspectives for a well-rounded, successful change implementation.

Esto es muy importante porque este proceso es multipartes. Antes que nada, hay que identificar a las partes interesadas, agruparlas y segmentarlas. Esto también va a ayudar al momento de planificar la manera en la que la comunicación relacionada con la gestión delk cambio debe fluir. Al involucrar a las partes interesadas se pueden identificar y abordar sus inquietudes y expectativas, lo que contribuye a generar un sentido de pertenencia y confianza en el proceso de cambio, comprometerlos brindándoles la oportunidad de participar activamente. Esta colaboración fomenta un sentido de colectividad y empoderamiento, lo que a su vez fortalece la implementación exitosa del cambio y minimiza la resistencia.

O problema da mudan?a é a falta de planejamento e gest?o de projeto. Antes de implementar qualquer altera??o que impacte a rotina da equipe, é preciso ter clareza sobre qual é o problema a ser resolvido. Na sequência, comunicar, ouvir e, finalmente, planejar cada passo da mudan?a a ser implementada. A pior coisa que pode acontecer a uma equipe - em termos de engajamento - é lidar com uma gest?o confusa e que muda a rota constantemente sem nunca atingir o objetivo. Ou que, após uma sequência de decis?es impulsivas, tem uma momento de clareza e resolve parar totalmente o processo iniciado.

In my experience, setting the table by being open with discomfort and that some conversations may remain open after the end of the meeting is crucial to creating a safe space. This reminds people that difficult conversations may result in feeling uncomfortable or it may lack closure, but that shouldn’t stop them from having them.

One thing I found useful is creating an environment that encourages 'candour'. Open and honest environments allow all team members irrespective of their positions to express themselves freely, without the fear of intimidation and reprimand. In essence it allows optimists and pessimists to have their say, and creates an environment where 'failing up' is accommodated and used as a basis for continuous learning and development. Of course, creating such an environment is not easy. But it is a goal worth pursuing.

En mi experiencia, es clave crear un ambiente donde equivocarse no sea visto como un equivalente a fracasar. Es fundamental tener jefes que incentiven a crear cosas nuevas, salirse de lo típico y que se entienda que equivocarse es simplemente una nueva oportunidad de aprendizaje. En mi experiencia liderando equipos, creo que es clave depositar confianza en el resto, para que ellos mismos puedan comprobar y demostrar sus habilidades.

Creating a safe space in public administration for experimenting with change involves setting clear boundaries and rules that respect legal, ethical, and political constraints. Provide your team with the necessary resources and guidance to explore new ideas confidently. Cultivate a culture of positive and constructive feedback where mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning rather than reasons for judgment or punishment. This approach encourages innovation and learning, allowing you and your team to navigate the complexities of change with openness and resilience.

Quien lidera procesos de cambio se debe ir nutriendo en el camino y para ello es necesario incorporar mecanismos de recolección de datos, lo más humanos posibles.

Learning by doing is key in creating a safe environment for change management. Adopt an agile, iterative approach: design, test, and refine change initiatives based on real feedback and data. This process helps validate assumptions, discern effective strategies from ineffective ones, and fine-tune your approach accordingly. This hands-on, adaptive method not only accelerates learning but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and resilience against setbacks, ensuring a more effective and sustainable change management process.

- Establish clear goals and objectives for the change management experimentation. - Create a supportive and open culture that encourages innovation and learning. - Provide resources, such as time, budget, and training, to support experimentation. - Encourage collaboration and communication among team members involved in the experimentation. - Define success metrics and regularly assess progress towards achieving them. - Encourage risk-taking and accept that failures may occur as part of the learning process. - Foster a safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and feedback. - Celebrate successes and recognize contributions to encourage continued experimentation.

In my experience, primarily in rapidly evolving environments, change has been the most successful when I follow these key steps: 1) Pitch your idea to all stakeholders who represent those likely to be impacted. Don’t cast too wide a net, too many voices can kill an idea just as fast as not enough. Be open & solicitous to their feedback. 2) Select a team that represents your average employee to test idea with oversight. Be open & solicitous to their feedback. Set a timeline for the trial run to conclude & stick with it. 3) Make adjustments. Find your cheerleaders and implement a rollout plan. 4) Most importantly, know your audience. How I talk about this change to the board and to an entry level employee is very different

Sin duda es relevante ajustar aquellas cosas que no están dando resultados, pero siempre sobre una base sólida de identificación del propósito, objetivos y metas a cumplir. Saltearse o apurar la planificación suele traer más problemas que beneficios.

Al realizar un levantamiento es importante generar un levantamiento de necesidades o riesgos, al tener estos resultados se deben desarrollar estrategias de cambia y mejora que deben ser comunicadas de manera clara tanto interna o externamente. Es último punto es clave ya que a pesar de desarrollar una acción favorable si el usuario o afectado no nota o no entiende el cambio lo realizadó no tendrá efecto.

Sharing both positive and negative results of change management experimentation with stakeholders and peers is vital for fostering a safe environment. It demonstrates transparency, accountability, and a commitment to learning, generating valuable insights for future decisions. This practice also allows for the celebration of achievements, recognition of efforts, and acknowledgment of challenges, building a culture of openness and continuous improvement. By openly discussing outcomes, you contribute to a collective knowledge base that benefits the entire organization.

Es fundamental compartir los resultados, pero más importante es saber qué voy a hacer con ellos, qué está dispuesta a hacer la organización y cómo se va a comprometer con las acciones a las que puede verse expuesta la organización.

- Establish clear goals and objectives for the change management experimentation - Communicate openly and transparently with all stakeholders about the purpose and potential impact of the experimentation - Create a supportive culture that encourages risk-taking and innovation - Provide resources and support for employees to participate in the experimentation process - Encourage feedback and continuous improvement throughout the experimentation phase - Monitor progress and adjust plans as needed to ensure successful outcomes - Celebrate successes and learn from failures to foster a culture of continuous improvement and resilience.

Está intrínsecamente asociado a los puntos anteriores, sobre todo a involucrar a las partes. Muchas veces se comenten errores de trabajar con los equipos y luego dar por cerrada la tarea, desconectándolos del proceso general. La retroalimentación a partir de la comunicación de los avances y resultados del proceso genera además y aporta a un espacio seguro

Empathy is the key to creating an environment that fosters creativity and continuous growth while ensuring safety. For this to happen, leaders must understand the importance of empathy. Leaders should confidently reward new ideas to encourage everyone to strive for excellence and create a culture of innovation. Rewarding new ideas for improvement is crucial to maintaining momentum, which ultimately leads to remarkable results. With such momentum, it becomes easier to achieve outstanding outcomes and surpass expectations.

Keeping an open mind to feedback, adjusting when necessary and even moving in a different direction helps build trust and credibility as you're working to implement change. Be humble, respectful and curious so you don't miss opportunities!

Sustaining a secure environment for change experimentation isn't a one-off occurrence; it's an ongoing commitment. Regular assessment of change efforts through pertinent metrics and stakeholder feedback is crucial. Additionally, introspection into one's own actions and performance is key to identifying areas for growth. Continuous improvement cultivates adeptness in change management and nurtures an organizational culture ripe for innovation and learning. Never rest on your laurels, and assume that what has worked in the past will continue yielding the same fruits.

- Regularly assess the effectiveness of change management experiments - Solicit feedback from stakeholders and team members - Analyze data and metrics to identify areas for improvement - Implement changes based on feedback and analysis - Encourage a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation - Foster a culture where experimentation and improvement are valued and encouraged.

La gestión del cambio es un viaje constante, no un destino. La vigilancia continua, la retroalimentación y la reflexión personal son esenciales para evolucionar y cultivar una cultura organizativa resiliente, innovadora y centrada en el aprendizaje.

One thing I've found helpful in experimenting with change management is to use a piecemeal approach to things. This enables a part of the team that is quite slow to change to observe and possibly fall in love with how the other part which is quick to change embrace that change and ease into embracing it too. It also gives from for identifying challenges and troubleshooting to refine the process. For instance, the older generation in a team which would be slow to digitalisation could be left alone to observe and learn how the younger group work with new tech until they learn to use it too.

A very good article. My experience transitioning as a founder was: 1. We had a simple and clear plan which was shared with the board and staff to assuage concerns and for accountability. 2. Timely updates and open communication internally & externally helped prevent undue speculation. 3. We used an external coach early on in the process. I used a coach at a personal level which was invaluable. Consider coaching and capacity needs. 4. We gave it time- 2years. Consider how much time is needed to allow adjustment. 5. Have a clear end point and some kind of assessment of the process. 6.Transparency & Accountability are your good friends. 7. Keep it light & simple.