What do you do if your current role lacks support for change initiatives?

Change is usually an uncomfortable process, mainly because we are all creatures of habit and, despite loving fast environments, stability and safety is usually a key factor for a lot of people at work. One thing I have always talked about with change is the ability to champion the great things that can come out of the change happening. Championing change with positivity alongside practical and reasonable solutions for potential pitfalls is my top piece of advice. Also being resilient - believing in change - but actually executing the change are two different things, so be strong and brave to champion your own change!

Before acting, assess organization needs. Analyze current state, identify improvement areas, and evaluate change impact. Understand processes, workflows, and stakeholder attitudes. Build a case for change based on insights gathered.

It’s important to first understand the rationale behind the need for change and those impacted both positively and negatively by current state and desired state. That may help bring an understanding of barriers to change and/or lack of support. Collaborating and networking with those impacted can create a pathway to generating support and navigating bottom up support which often creates a more natural change pathway.

Assessing the WHY for change is the most critical part of any "change initiative". Whether this is the implement a new process, system, structure, technology, software, etc. You need to be clear on the purpose, the goals and objectives. The desired outcomes. It needs to be scoped properly. What and who are included and what and who not? What are the drivers for the change? The business case? Too often, change is initiated just for the sake of it, just to fizzle out because their is no buy-in from sponsors and partipants alike. Sometimes one needs to experiment with pilot groups or projects to assess the approach, the involvement, the outcome. This is part of assessment.

In navigating the complexities of change management, the art of alliance-building is paramount. As a global leader, I advocate for harnessing diverse perspectives, turning potential adversaries into allies through shared objectives and mutual benefits. This involves strategic networking, where every interaction is an opportunity to influence and advocate for change. Empower these alliances with data-driven insights and compelling narratives that underscore the urgency and benefit of change initiatives. A well-orchestrated coalition not only amplifies your voice but also accelerates the adoption of change, making it an indispensable strategy in any leader's toolkit.

In my experience, everybody trying to change something designs a change that extends beyond their span of control, and then thinks a few emails and PowerPoint presentations are going to garner the requisite alliances to deliver. Not. A. Chance. You need to meet and greet potential sponsors and stakeholders to talk them through the proposed changes, making explicit "what's in it for them". If you get their agreement, and then need to change a few things to get another agreement, you need to go back and meet them face-to-face again to explain what has changed and get a new OK. Ideally, these "alliance networks" will be backed up by your team, who will also be building cross-functional relationships with other teams that engender trust.

This is possibly one of the most critical factors in determining the success of any initiative. Best of the initiatives and intents are likely to fail in the absence of strong alliances. These would also be change champions and ambassadors to move forward in the direction of change. These individuals or teams would act as "influencers" towards successful adoption of it

Initiatives have to always be seeing holistically, as it may be one of the biggest issues in every company, siloed mindset. Every individual should act as a leader of their organization and role, to look and ensure improvement and opportunity to change and achieve goals; it should always be in the top of mindset of the organization. Building alliances creates sponsorship not only of key stakeholders, it also ensures resources availability to collaborate and contribute on those initiatives, as well as commitment from parties to deliver as planned.

Invest time and effort in building relationships with key stakeholders, including senior leaders, department heads, and influential individuals within the organization. Seek to understand their perspectives, concerns, and priorities related to change. Identify and cultivate allies who share your vision for change and can support your efforts. Build a coalition of supporters across different levels and departments within the organization to amplify your influence.

Most people are naturally resistant to change, especially if they do not understand why it is happening. I believe that by creating an open and transparent communication which highlights the reasons for change and enables a full understanding for stakeholders you can reduce the resistance and are more likely to successfully implement a change.

If you do not have a current change management process that works, real-time communication is key. Changes are not about cost and schedule impacts after they have been realized. You need to enable the team to have the foresight to manage change by focusing on scope definition, tangible deliverables and milestones under an approved budget, while keeping the key stakeholders apprised, again real-time. Any deviations that arise, at the minimum would require approval hold points for change in scope such as engineering, procurement or construction, so the budget and timelines can be managed accordingly. The project team MUST work cohesively under the project leadership to effectively manage changes for the entire project WBS.

In my experience any change should be done for measurable gains. Gaining trust and buy-in is key and to do so requires stakeholders to understand where the value is created. Without communication of value there is instant mistrust and a hidden agenda narrative can follow.

When communicating, be inclusive and show different groups how the changes will bring benefits to their day-to-day work. Too often, change/transformation is treated like a silo project or just the responsibility of the change management office. Always strive to co-create with those impacted by the change. Don't just go them to ask feedback on an idea that has already been fully developed. To get better buy-in, communicate early and often. Also, use multiple channels, what might be easy for one person may be a challenge to someone else.

Why is it the case that we aren't more involved in change initiatives? I truly believe that we 1st need to believe in the changes we make and share the reasons behind them, as well as the added value they bring to our customers and organization. Why should people follow us? Simply because we ask? No, that's the wrong approach. I expect people to be smart and use their intelligence. Sometimes they don't follow because they don't understand why we're doing what we're doing.If we share the purpose, those same individuals will become the best sponsors, collaborating to make the change a success. So, if you're not getting the support you need, it's likely because you've worked in isolation rather than involving them in the change initiative

It was a bold move, but I remember just setting up an introductory chat with a former SVP and our first conversation had NOTHING to do with business. We literally talked about our personal journeys in New York City. Create simple human foundations. On paper we were so different, however, when all of that 3D stuff was taken off the table, our conversations in the future became so much more multidimensional. Just talk to people.

Use Power-Interest Grid method to categorize the stakeholders and engage accordingly. Those who are high on power and interest in the change are the right stakeholders to champion the change. Those who are high on power but low on interest must be kept informed frequently. Those with high interest but low on power are the stakeholders who should become the change ambassadors. Have frequent engagement with such stakeholders to share information, gather feedback and input to incorporate in your change initiatives. Create opportunities for open dialogue and collaboration to foster a sense of ownership and buy-in. Use influence of such stakeholders to drive the change for good.

Find a common ground, name your champions and influencers, and create your community of advocates! That community will be your key support network and will play the role of change agents and disseminators of your message and communication

Basically when you realise that that change management is not getting the expected support then I clearly see that the leadership or the teams are not able to truly understand-the value/impact the change is offering to the organisation. I will use my position to influence leadership/teams and convince the importance of the change management and the value of the outcome. I can use certain KPIs like CBA( Cost Benefit Analysis) and other tangible and intangible benefits to support my arguments.

Similar to the ability to form coalitions, you must stand out and be able to understand the dynamics. With proficiency in communication, engaging social skills, and having a situational awareness, you will be able to build influence within the company. Not only will you gain support within the organization, but with the ability to build influence, you can be promoted to leadership roles within the company.

In my view piloting projects help to achieve few things - test ideas, bring people on board, demonstrate value and build alliances.

I’ll add a counter intuitive perspective- yes to pilot projects but in a change resistant environment I would advocate going for projects that are perceived as having a LOW chance of success and HIGH risk The high success/ low risk approach is great to build momentum in an organisation that accepts and needs change management but has inertia A low success/high risk approach is one to take when there is scepticism to any change Getting a win (any win) in this setting can be the start of coalition building and finding innovators and early adopters in an environment where there has been none previously

A pilot project, if successful, can demonstrate the impact of the proposed change and provide opportunities to review, reflect and adapt to meet your settings unique needs. It's not going to be easy and the impact data needs to be tracked carefully and presented well. This is a great way to get all stakeholders involved and help drive significant change in a less threatening way than an untested whole school change.

To garner support for the change initiatives, pilot projects or Proof Of Concept (POC) can be very helpful. With a small POC we will be able to demonstrate value propositions quick and fast. This way we can showcase the out comes and will be on a strong platform to buy leadership’s confidence and allow easy decision making for driving the change initiatives

Choose a pilot project with the highest impact that also has a high degree of success. By focusing on a high impact area, you automatically communicate the relevance of your initiative. Remember that people must know what’s in it for them personally, whether an improvement in their daily work lives or in their customers’ lives. Build in focus groups to assure you’re on track according to stakeholder needs and to assure their buy-in along the way. It will be imperative to communicate early and often, reaching supporters and also skeptics to build positive buzz. Choose people with influence that you can rely on to be candid and accurate. Build in metrics gathering to prove your pilot concept and assure value is communicated clearly.

In many instances sponsors are great at kicking things off without understanding their involvement and commitment needed on an ongoing basis. Before you take on the responsibility of being a PM, make sure you socialize the details of the commitment with the sponsors. That is step 1. Post that never employ harsh retaliation tactics to the resistance. Meet and empathize, then ask what they would do to make it easier on them. Give them the charge to come up with a solution. Once you do that, things will turn around. You either understand the challenge they are facing, or they get convinced that they need to get on the wagon. You will win either way.

The most effective change agents distinguish themselves through a diverse portfolio of change tactics, accumulated and refined through years of experience. This arsenal enables them to navigate the complexities of change management with agility, recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach is rarely effective. Their goal is to amass a broad spectrum of strategies, allowing them to select the most suitable approach based on the specific context and challenges at hand. To optimise these tactics, it's useful to categorise them into two main objectives: a) removing friction to encourage engagement in desired behaviours, and b) adding friction to discourage adherence to outdated or ineffective practices.

First, do we really need this change? Right now? On top of everything else? Change Management (even the name!) can send people running for cover. Proceed with care: what do we need to do, how many people will need to be involved for success, will they be recognized and rewarded, or will it be added to existing work? Is it transformational change, seen as vital by senior leaders, or one of 50 incremental changes, coming from different directions all at once? Change is more accepted when it’s a natural component of doing things right, easily understood as a way to strengthen existing goals and priorities. Or, as a major initiative that’s core to organizational success (with a start and end date!). If it’s just another project, call it that.

Stay informed about the latest theories, tools, and techniques in change management to enhance your adaptability. Cultivate a culture of resilience within your team, encouraging them to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Utilize data analytics to monitor the progress of your change initiatives, allowing for data-driven adjustments to your strategy. Engage in scenario planning to anticipate potential challenges and develop contingency plans.

Execution and operation needs to be as valued as strategy! By defining the overarching tactics and getting granular in the execution, we can control better the change implementation and adoption. Also, it will allow efficient project management and evaluation

I worked for a company that had as one of its core management and leadership principles that it “believed in evolution versus revolution.” To this day, I think this approach was and is one of this companies greatest reasons for its continued success and growth (note: over 150 years, nearly $100 billion in sales, and largest food and beverage company in the world). You do not embark on change initiatives for change sake. You evolve to advance the organizations mission (or in some cases help evolve the mission). Think of change as attempting to steer a boat. It is always easier, even necessary, for the boat to moving in order to turn it. Use the existing momentum (and resources) of the organization to shift rather than change direction.

G.K. Chesterton said “It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem”. I find that to be the case in most situations where initiatives lack support. That being the case, I would try to revisit the problem we are trying to solve and ensure there is high agreement amongst the key decision makers. After we have achieved high agreement, then we can reassess the initiative to determine if it truly addresses the problem.

1. Identify the key stakeholders and have one-on-one meetings to uncover their concerns and any issues that are blocking their support. 2. Find an internal promoter who is in the C-suite and has influence at all levels of the organization. 3. Deeply understand the objections and develop sound arguments that resonate with the needs of each stakeholder, highlighting the benefits to each stakeholder and the organization as a whole. 4. Work with the internal promoter/sponsors to develop a sound plan to present, in a forum attended by all stakeholders, the need for change, the benefits to each stakeholder and for the organization as a whole. 5. Use success stories and data to illustrate the potential outcome of the change.

If your current role lacks support for change initiatives, it's important to take proactive steps to navigate the situation effectively. Some things to do include: Build a case for change. Identify stakeholders. Communicate effectively. Create allies. Baby steps. Seek additional support. Address resistance. By taking these proactive steps, you can effectively navigate a lack of support for change initiatives in your current role and drive meaningful change within your organization.