8 More Mistakes in Change Management

In a previous newsletter, we delved into the critical errors organisations often commit during change initiatives. If you missed it, you can read it here.

We identified five common mistakes:

1. Lack of Strong Sponsorship
2. Failure to Explain the "Why"
3. Neglecting Employee Engagement
4. Underestimating Resistance
5. Starting change management too late

We invited colleagues and contacts to share their insights and add to the list – and the response was enthusiastic.

In this newsletter, we present eight more common mistakes in change management, incorporating ideas from our contributors. We're grateful for the valuable input from change professionals worldwide, including Steve Mulhall (MBA) , Fionnuala O'Conor , Carlo Bonato , Kristen Barrows Henderson, GPHR , Laura Zaccardi, CPC, ELI-MP and Shane Lee .

Common Mistakes in Change Management - Part Two

1. Inadequate Post-Go-Live Preparation: Preparing for the post-implementation phase is often overlooked. It's essential to anticipate and address challenges that arise once the change is live. Change Associates' Helena Miles provides valuable guidance on this.
2. Poor Transition to Business as Usual (BAU): A smooth transition into BAU is crucial for sustaining change outcomes. Well-defined plans and processes are necessary to prevent a return to old ways of working.
3. Forced Top-Down Decisions: Imposing top-down decisions that contradict project objectives creates confusion and undermines stakeholder confidence. Alignment between leadership and project teams is crucial.
4. Dictation Over Collaboration: Instead of doing change "to" the organisation, it's vital to work "with" it. Genuine engagement fosters collaboration and empowers employees to drive real change.
5. Ineffective Risk Management: Identifying risks and implementing mitigations is critical. Many projects maintain risk registers but fail to address risks practically. Proactive risk management minimises disruptions, addresses the concerns of sceptics and improves the chances of a successful outcome.
6. Poor Understanding of the Impact on Stakeholders: Diverse stakeholders have unique needs and concerns. Thorough impact assessments are necessary to tailor change and communication strategies effectively.
7. Inexperienced Change Leadership: Inexperienced individuals leading change efforts often oversimplify the process, reducing it to training and communications. Change leaders should possess the expertise, experience, and skill set to guide the process effectively.
8. Failing To Make Best Use of Change Influencers: Change influencers within the organisation can play a pivotal role. Identifying and engaging them and amplifying their voices will increase the impact of change initiatives.

Change management is complex, and organisations commonly encounter pitfalls. By learning from the mistakes of others, we can enhance our change management practice and improve the odds of successful transformations.

Prioritise post-go-live readiness, ensure a seamless transition into BAU, align top-down decisions with project direction, foster genuine participation, implement risk mitigation strategies, understand the change impact on different audiences, entrust change leadership to capable individuals, and harness the power of internal influencers.

For expert guidance and support in navigating change, contact us. Together, we can achieve impactful and lasting outcomes from your change initiatives.