MAKING CHANGE SUCCESSFUL

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." ~John F. Kennedy

A recent research study conducted by McKinsey and Company found that "because of the pandemic, executives are overseeing a seismic shift in how organizations work, spanning tactical adjustments in areas such as meeting structure and cadence, and day-to-day management, as well as enterprise-wide changes in leadership and talent management, use of technology, and innovation." 

COVID-19 has surely accelerated the need for change across many organizations. Large scale change was rampant across organizations before the pandemic. Global research and advisory company Gartner reported in 2018 that the average organization has undergone five enterprise changes in the past three years and 73% of organizations expect more change initiatives in the next few years.

But the brutal fact is that most change initiatives fail. The majority of an organization's change initiatives—installing new technology, downsizing, restructuring, or trying to change corporate culture—have had low success rates. These initiatives do not deliver the agreed benefits, changes, or improved performance. According to HBR, the fact is that about 70% of all change initiatives fail.

"70% of all change initiatives fail!"

Turn Change Around

Clearly there is no single solution to solving the problem of change. My experience and research have shown that there may not be a single solution to guarantee a successful change adoption. However, there are key steps that help to ensure greater success.

In this article, I will share with you a set of methodologies that provide a good guide to architect change and creating stakeholder commitment to the change at the organizational level. In the final section of this article, I will detail four key actions to change mind-sets and behaviors at the individual level.

CHANGE METHODOLOGY

What is a methodology? Put simply, it is an approach to "doing something". I like to reference frameworks - or methodologies - to help both explain my thought process and to also help provide a common language.

Managing change can be hard work, but it does not need to be complex.  Within the slides embedded below, two models are presented that are effective in planning and leading any change project.    First is the Commitment Curve. The Commitment Curve sets out how empathizing with your audience as they engaged with the change is critical to any successful change.  Taking stakeholders from an "aware" state through to an "act" level of commitment.

Second is the Change Architecture. Using a structured approach to plan for a change will help the target audience move up the Commitment Curve and become champions for the change. Understanding how (1) supply and demand and (2) macro and micro forces facilitate commitment will help position a change for success.

In the final section of the methodology shared below, I describe the use of analytics to support change adoption. I have also provided a view on how to sequence change for specific audiences. And finally, by overlaying the Commitment Curve and the Change Architecture the document described how best to strategize a change program.

MAKING IT PERSONAL

Based on my personal experience and from research, I have found that in order for a change to be successfully adopted you must make the change personal. I have used an Influence Model to help change mindsets and behaviors. The model consists of four key actions: (1) Start with the Why, (2) Reinforce, (3) Develop New Skills, and (4) Role Modeling. 

(1) Start with the Why

"I understand the change, how it impacts me, and it makes sense." When your audience is able to internalize the change, the change can be successful. Research finds that humans strive for harmony between our beliefs and our actions and experience dissonance when these are misaligned. Believing in the “why” behind a change can therefore inspire people to change their behavior. 

The Why must be repeated early, often, and with consistency. Develop a change story that helps all stakeholders understand where the organization is headed, why it is changing, and why this change is important. Storytelling has proven a powerful tool in helping to share the Why. With new and quickly evolving digital tools, stakeholders (inside and outside of the organization) can be engaged at a deeper level and more frequently. Leverage tools such as:

• Connecteam's employee communications app an all-in-one employee management app that gathers and analyzes employee (stakeholder) feedback, streamlines communications and promotes two-way dialogue.
• Vidyard can automatically personalize your videos for specific individuals or departments. A picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million! 48% of employees consider video to be the most engaging form of communication.

(2) Reinforce

From an early age, we have all experienced the power of reinforcing messages. Typically from our parents, teachers, or other adults instructing us on desired behaviors and norms. These same principles of aligning messages and continually reinforcing are important for successful behavioral change.

So what reinforcement mechanisms are there? Many organizations rely on cash incentives to drive desired behaviors. Research examining the relationship between money and experienced happiness—moods and general well-being—suggests a law of diminishing returns. The relationship may disappear altogether after around $75,000, a much lower ceiling than most executives assume. Additional research has also shown that cash incentives are most effective in securing temporary compliance, for lower-skill manual activities, or for jobs where there is a direct correlation between an individual's actions and outcomes (e.g., certain sales positions).

To be successful the reinforcement mechanisms must avoid "rewarding A, while hoping for B." Robust, creative, meaningful, and in-the-moment recognition tools must be applied to create sustained change. Intermittent reinforcement provides a more powerful hook, as slot-machine operators have learned to their advantage. Ask your employees what will make the most difference. Collaboration, purpose, and opportunity are often high on employees' priorities.

(3) Develop New Skills

Thankfully, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Human brains are not fixed; neuroscience research shows that they remain plastic well into adulthood. 

Despite an amazing ability to learn new things, human beings all too often lack insight into what they need to know but don’t. Compounded by the fact that people often overlook their limitations and be overconfident of their abilities, according to Psychology Today. 

90% of US drivers rate themselves above average.

84% of Frenchmen believe they are above-average lovers.

Effective Change Leaders work across their organizations to ensure employees have a sense of control and opportunity to improve. Employees also need a realistic appreciation for their current capabilities and the future capabilities that will be needed. Research has been shown that people are more motivated to achieve their goals when they believe that greater individual effort will increase performance. With new digital solutions, learning can be delivered through innovative platforms and with just-in-time frequency.

(4) Role Modeling

Research tells us that role modeling occurs both unconsciously and consciously. This is the basis for The basis of social learning theory: People learn by watching other people. Unconsciously, people often find themselves mimicking the emotions, behavior, expressions, and moods of others without realizing that they are doing so. They also consciously align their own thinking and behavior with those of other people—to learn, to determine what’s right, and sometimes just to fit in.

Role modeling is not only for high-profile leaders or the most senior leaders within your organization. In the digital world we live and the opportunity for continual communication, we can more quickly share information about how others think and behave. We can be more specific to each team and individual. Making the messaging very tailored. Take the opportunity to share role modeling stories.

Role modeling is not only at the individual level. Groups of people may exert the most powerful influence of all. Robert Cialdini, a well-respected professor of psychology and marketing, examined the power of “social proof”—a mental shortcut people use to judge what is correct by determining what others think is correct. No wonder TV shows have been using canned laughter for decades; believing that other people find a show funny makes us more likely to find it funny too.

The digital world we live in and work has made available new approaches for role modeling.

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Now more than ever we need strong change leaders. We are experiencing systemic shifts in how our organizations are structured and how they operate. With so many unknowns right now, the one known is the need for change. With the right mindset and approaches, I am convinced we can lead successful change programs.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES

• The Need for Speed in the Post-COVID-19 Era
• Cracking the Code of Change
• The Four Building Blocks of Change