The Power of a Comprehensive Change Management Plan to Support Organizational Transformation

How Do you Manage Change and Communication for Multi-level Management Organizations During a Transformation?

Implementing change in any organization is complex; however, critical for customer satisfaction, financial security, and growth. Using leading practice change management techniques, you can begin to understand how a transformation will impact your organization and how the people will build cultural acceptance and sustain results well beyond implementation.

Change management refers to a set of activities that prepare and lead the organization through the change in a planned way. Change is a journey and the objectives in each transformation phase are targeted to move the organization from awareness through commitment. Along the way, measurement of change readiness will identify stakeholders who may need support in successfully maneuvering through the Change Commitment Cycle.

The Change Management and Communication Plan provides a structured schedule, methodology and toolset to prepare your organization for the upcoming change. Elements of change will provide staff and stakeholders with an understanding of how they will be affected, and the information needed to move through the “Change Commitment Cycle” to ensure buy-in.

Developing a Change Management and Communication Plan

It is helpful to understand various models and what will work best for your organization. Once a model is chosen, it’s time to document change and communication activities, discuss with identified sponsors and then start change implementation!

Change Management Models

The Change Curve & Usage

Stage 1 – Individuals initial response may be shock.

Recommendation: Most critical stage of communication, provide clarity and answer questions in small doses.

Stage 2 – Negative response once reality of change accepted (fear, perceived threats, anger), can lead to chaos.

Recommendation: Consider impacts and objections people may have, develop standardized messaging and plan to address concerns, dispel myths from truth.

Stage 3 – Individuals start to let go of the old way and accept the changes, testing and exploring what the change mean.

Recommendation: Develop and launch training, it will take time for people to learn and execute the new process, foster a healthy learning environment without punitive repercussions.

Stage 4 – Accept and embrace change fully.

Recommendation: Encourage discussions about successes and lessons learned, leverage for future projects.

Lewin Change Management

Stage 1 – Unfreeze (allow behavior, systems, and process change to happen).

Recommendation: Explain the need for change, multiple and standardized communication methods critical.

Stage 2 – Change (organization accepts change plan, transitioning to new way).

Recommendation: Ensure leaders and staff take an active role in changes.

Stage 3 – Refreeze (Change fully adopted).

Recommendation: Manage consistency and monitor for reinforcements as needed.

Beckhard and Harris Change Equation

It states that for change to happen successfully, the following statement must be true:

Dissatisfaction x Vision x Practicality > Resistance to Change.

Dissatisfaction –Your team must feel dissatisfied with the current situation before a successful change can take place. Without dissatisfaction, no one will likely feel very motivated to change. Communicate risks, issues, and impact if things remain the same.

Vision –The proposed solution must be attractive, and people need to understand what it is. If your team doesn't have a clear vision of what things will be like after the change, and why things will be better, then they probably won't be willing to work to deliver it. The clearer and more detailed you make this vision, the more likely it is that your team will want to agree with the change and move forward.

First Steps –Your team must be convinced that the change is realistic and executable, allow them to help shape vision and participate in developing steps.

Resistance to Change – Resistance to change includes people's beliefs in the limits of the change, stubbornness toward any change, or lack of interest at the beginning.

By far the most effective method of dealing with resistance is to engage stakeholders in shaping the elements on the left side of the change equation. By involving stakeholders in assessing the need for change (Dissatisfaction) creating a Vision of a preferred future, and determining First Steps toward achieving the vision, the system not only becomes richer in wisdom and passion, but many real or potential concerns about the change will be addressed.

Required Sections for Change Management and Communication Plan

Download our leading practice Change Management & Communication Plan, template here!