A Four Box Model for Change Delivery

This simple model is a useful check and reference tool to help assess and develop Change Readiness in an organisation.  There are four critical areas or enablers to consider and optimise when delivering change.  Here is the model with words instead of pictures representing the four elements:

I have often engaged key stakeholders to conduct a Change Health Check – rating each of the four enablers (or drivers) on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (very high).  More often than not, this simple exercise creates awareness, which then leads to taking focussed actions that directly increase the change of a successful change delivery.

   vs. each “box” change enabler these questions can (even should!) be asked:

“What do we need to start doing, keep doing, or do more of?”  and

 “What should we stop doing or do less of?”

Change leaders can use the model as a diagnostic and delivery tool, to focus on the key areas that will enable then to deliver the desired results.  As the four box model shows, when one or more of the enablers is missing or sub-optimal, negative results are likely.  Conversely, when the drivers are in place, the desired change and results are far more likely to follow.

Let’s look at each of the four box Change Enablers in a little more detail.

BOX 1 - CLEAR SHARED VISION

Each word in this short phrase is significant.

VISION – In his book The Art of Possibility, Benjamin Zander defines a Vision as a powerful framework that takes an organisation into the arena of possibility.  

A vision has the effect of a powerful force that moves people to action. A vision goes a long way to answering the question “Why Change?”.  A vision galvanises and engages people to pursue – in some way – a better world or state of affairs.

CLEAR – The Vision needs to be articulated in a way that is understood and resonates with the target audience.  The visionary leader will often “paint a picture” of the desired change in simple and memorable terms.

SHARED – Key stakeholders need to agree and align on the key components of the change vision.  Without this, the vision may be diffuse – patchy and thinly spread throughout the organisation.

BOX 2 - URGENCY

Change guru, John Kotter, notes that a sense of urgency is critical to enabling change.  Urgency, he advises, is a combination of thoughts, feelings, and actual behaviour. Alongside recognising the great opportunities that are “out there”, the danger of inertia or inactivity is also understood.  Urgency – sometimes called the ‘burning platform’ – causes people to get up and get going in order to avoid a level of pain or discomfort and, in many cases, to #strive toward some kind of prize or upside potential.

No urgency will result in apathy and putting off taking concerted action that enables change.

BOX 3 - RESOURCES / CONTEXT

There is a Biblical story describing the Israelites being forced by their Egyptian masters to make bricks without straw.  A cruel and difficult undertaking.  

The context and resources that are needed for the change need to be in place. This may mean money, time, equipment or even a certain set of human skills or expertise.  If the headcount, the budget or any other critical resources are not in place, this an easily result in fear, frustration and poor quality results.

BOX 4 - PLAN TRACK REWARD

Thomas Edison famously said that “Vision without execution is hallucination.”  Change needs to be managed and executed.  Execution requires rigorous discipline in planning and tracking the incremental steps of progress and improvement.  This in turn provides the basis from which positive results can be celebrated and rewarded.  Reward does not have to always have to be financial.  Sometimes it is sufficient just to recognise and thank contributors in a meaningful and timely manner.  In any case, there need to be measures in place to monitor and ensure that the change is realised.  Recognising the passing of key milestones appropriately is also to be recommended. Failure to plan, track and reward can lead to a general loss of momentum and focus and may result in false starts or failed attempts to deliver change.

CONCLUSION

The four-box model provides a framework that can be used to create a shared awareness and a common point of reference for what counts in change delivery.  When time and attention is given to the four enablers in the context of change projects and interventions, the chance of successful delivery increases.  Whilst the elements in the four boxes many not provide a totally exhaustive catalogue of change considerations, the model is certainly a great starting point for any change leader and manager.

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