How skilled are you at managing change?

I truly believe that the best way to manage change is by providing an example of how making changes will positively benefit the company. The best tool for doing this is the Amazon Six Page Memo. Every new program that is funded by Amazon begins as a Six-Page memo whereby the need for making a change is outlined along with the benefits. In addition, the memo outlines at a high-level what needs to be done to implement the change.

Effective change management requires more than just overseeing transitions. It involves inspiring individuals to see change as an opportunity for both personal and organizational growth. Change management aims to guide everyone through the process and ensure alignment. To navigate change successfully, we must understand people, communicate effectively, and foster a culture of adaptability and learning. Establishing a clear vision, encouraging collaboration, offering education, acknowledging adaptability, and creating a welcoming environment where employees feel at ease asking questions are all ways to achieve this. Ultimately, change management is about forming connections and encouraging growth.

Change Management starts when we put ourselves in somebody else's shoes, understand how they perceive and feel about present and future status, and from there develop a path to persuade and adopt the new. A Change Management project well executed pre-empts and mitigates the conflict stemming from natural resistance, and ensures team embraces new way of doing things. It is 95% listening and 5% talking, and the less powerpoints, the better.

Change management refers to the structured approach and strategies to facilitate the smooth transition of individuals, teams, and organizations from their current state to a desired future state. Effective change management involves understanding the change's human and cultural aspects and the operational and technical elements.

Our own research shows that successful Change Managers / Change Catalysts primarily need what we call “AIM” - the Abilities to Initiate (change) and Move (people). In addition, the ability to collaborate is also helpful, especially in the longer term. Companies should therefore put substantially more focus on helping their staff develop those personality traits, as this is far more tricky than simply learning the ropes of project management.

Having a change management process in place allows you to identify your champions and resistors and address concerns early by involving them. People appreciate being consulted and having a change plan enables you to not leave anyone behind, this helps with buy-in and support of your initiative.

Apart from the advantages, effective change management promotes adaptability and resilience. It involves handling present challenges, predicting trends, and positioning your organization to take proactive measures. This process boosts internal collaboration, aligns with customer expectations, and amplifies your competitive edge. Strategic thinking, clear communication, and consistent execution make change management essential to modern business. It acts as a guide to achieve innovation and growth.

Every project/product calls for a change in the way we would do things in the future and therefore change management is important. It's not about new tech or process itself, but how its going to impact the work of those affected by the change - positively or sometimes negatively.

Humans (and animals too) find change hard. Its hard wired into us as change equates to danger in the natural world. As a social animal we cope better if we work with others and managing change is no different. Evolution is a change process in itself and those that can adapt and evolve will always thrive in life and at work so its a no brainer really!

I agree with the premise. However, change management is hard and you have to be able to deal with institutional resistance. That takes patience and strategic communication plan to overcome.

Another approach would be the AIM test (ability to initiate and move), which measures change-management related traits along three main dimensions - ability to initiate, ability to move, ability to collaborate - which are based on 13 sub-dimensions. It is available online, and currently still free.

Assessing change management skills involves real-world evaluation through mentorship, peer feedback, cross-functional teamwork, and spearheading initiatives. Successful change drivers prioritize intention, understanding, inclusiveness, and alignment with their values, such as empowerment and collaboration. Real-world experiences enrich growth and enable change champions to navigate professional landscapes. Examples: Mentorship: Partner with a senior leader who can guide your development. Peer Feedback: Encourage colleagues to assess your leadership in projects. Cross-Functional Teamwork: Join teams outside your expertise to expand your perspective. Spearheading Initiatives: Lead a new project or innovation within your organization.

Tim Creasey founded PROSCI which is probably the best change management methodology I know, so the CMCA is a great tool for assessing your proficiency.

I strongly recommend familiarizing yourself with one or more of the well-known change management models, such as: - Kotter's 8 Steps for Change - Lewin's 3 Step Change Model - The McKinsey 7-S Model - The Kubler-Ross Change Curve - Maurer's 3 Levels of Resistance and Change This will give you a much better perspective on the stages people go through with change and the best practices you should use when leading it.

Change managers/leaders, including those that are internal to organizations, should absolutely learn the 'what' about Change Management including models, frameworks, etc. Ultimately, every change 'manager' is a consultant, advisor and perhaps even a coach. What will ensure you stand out in delivering results stems from personal transformation/development you’ve done with emphasis on who you are as a leader, on how you show up, how respond-able you are, how to be a trusted advisor, your superpowers, etc. This is the self-work that allows you to build true credibility and influence others to elevate your change management results. Transformation requires personal transformation. Organization's don't change, people do.

No matter the model of change adopted by the organization, remember to use the tools appropriately and communicate regularly. Involve the right people at the right time and ask for feedback at key implementation points. Having clear enablement and training plans in place ensure sustainability.

Improving change management skills is similar to preparing for the unpredictability of a storm. Below are examples of how to turn assessments into action: Feedback Collection: Like weather analysts who gauge patterns, ask for peer feedback. Ex: Conduct a 360-degree evaluation after a project. Embrace Best Practices: Investigate successful change initiatives in various sectors. Ex: Study how tech giants adapt to fast-evolving markets. Professional Training: Consider certifications like Prosci or CCMP. Ex: Enroll in a weekend course to gain insights from industry experts. Networking: Join professional communities like ACMP. Ex: Attend virtual meetups to share insights.

To improve your skills as a change manager, three things are key. And you can work on them regardless of your current role. (1) Be curious! Keep asking why things are being done the way they are - you will either gain valuable insights, or you will spot opportunities for change. (2) Be bold! Once you have identified an opportunity for change, start pushing this issue and don’t stop - unless you realize yourself that you’re wrong. But be clever about it, and be mindful of the thin line between being swashbucklingly bold and being a pain. (3) Take charge! Don’t be afraid of leading by example. And once you have people on board, set the direction, set the tone and set the speed! And yes, formal qualifications are always useful, too.

Although documentation and communication about your change management skills is necessary; it is even more necessary to show it in your behavior. Your (change management) behavior affects your change management skills and the results it will deliver. Do not only plan the work, but show you are working the plan as well.

Navigating change is much like steering a ship through uncharted waters. Below are a few examples of how you can demonstrate your change management skills: Methodology Application- Use frameworks like ADKAR or Kotter's 8-step process. For example, implementing the 7-S framework to align strategy during a merger shows structured thinking. Communication of the Plan- Create a change charter or a stakeholder analysis, such as a risk assessment, and present it to all relevant stakeholders. Highlight Achievements- Share specific outcomes, like a 15% increase in efficiency post-implementation. Demonstrating proficiency in change management reflects not only expertise but also a readiness for the future.

Three key areas when it comes to demonstrating the change management skills 1. Operational results of the change management assignment. There should be a visible change in before and after. It’s highly recommended to agree on the baseline with all the stakeholders before starting the assignment. 2. Feedback and testimonials of the stakeholders. We can get the qualitative feedback through focused interviews. Also quantitative feedbacks by providing them with feedback sheets with la scale of 1-10. 3. New learnings generated. Every change management cycle there will be unique new learnings generated. Capturing such learnings and documenting is essential.

I agree with Peter. Walk the walk. If you demonstrate change management values and behaviours it is worth far more than showboating about how great you are!

It goes without saying that you have to first develop an understanding of the organization. What is need in terms of change managment? Who does it impact? How do the people feel about the existing structure? How quickly that the change need to occur. You can not implement change managment in a vacuum!

The mistake that I frequently see companies make is that instead of “Thinking BIG” they instead think small. Stated another way, the changes they want to make will do little to help the company. For example, The Home Depot uses Walmart GoLocal to for order pickup and delivery at nearly 300 stores. Both companies think they’ve done something unique. I don’t believe they have. Instead of partnering on order pickup and delivery, Walmart and Home Depot should merge the companies and create a massive collaborative logistics network. Conservatively, the companies could save $2B or more annually.

Embracing change management is equivalent to adopting a growth mindset. Consider it like maintaining a garden: nourishing ideas, pruning inefficient approaches, and cultivating resilience to weather storms. By investing in change management, you're not just navigating the intricacies of the corporate landscape, but also laying the groundwork for innovation and collaboration. It's the key to unlocking untapped potential and paving the way for a more empowered future.

Never confuse project management with change management. As a change manager, you need to change behaviors, i.e., people, not just systems or processes.

Navigating change requires a blend of mindset, anticipation and effective communication. Embracing a growth perspective helps me see change as an avenue for progress. By proactively preparing for shifts and maintaining open dialogue, I mitigate resistance and uncertainties. Ensuring I'm well-informed about the change, coupled with an adaptable approach, facilitates smoother transitions. Periodic reflections on the impact of change and its outcomes, along with prioritizing self-care, ensures sustained resilience. "Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end." - Robin Sharma.

Change management fundamental skill is to validate that the requested change or the required changes are genuine, often the oversights of contractual scope compliance leads to a risk of superficial change approval, deep dive validation of the scope and specifications alongside timely informed push back or challenging the requested changes helps sometime averting the change The skill of validation are now made easy with the technology mainly using AI tool based software solutions Skill of averting the changes are more prominent than the skill of managing changes