So what is change management? It is a somewhat ambiguous term, which has at least three different aspects, including: adapting to change, controlling change, and effecting change. A proactive approach to dealing with change is at the core of all three aspects. For an organisation, change management means defining and implementing procedures and/or technologies to deal with changes in the business environment and to profit from changing opportunities.
Communication Strategy
Anyone with experience in change management knows that efforts can succeed or fail based on communications. Experience has shown that it is almost impossible to over-communicate when asking an organisation to change.
Development of a communication plan was the most common task for change management teams, yet communication is one of the toughest issues in organisations. When developing the communication plan, the methodology must be carefully considered to take into account the following:
- Communication should be open and “risk free” where employees can ask questions.
- Different types of communication are better depending on the message.
The next consideration is the message deliverer. The individual sending the message must present the message in detail and in a clear and easy to understand format. At the same time the person must also convey integrity and authenticity.
The final considerations in the plan should address:
- Frequency and commencement of change communication
- Impact of the changes
- Feedback mechanisms
Once the plan is in place, the next part of the strategy is to consider the different types of people that are always present within the organisation and how to involve them in the communication plan for change management. The types can be grouped into:
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Innovators - people who always want to try new things and like to be at the front of the process.
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Early adopters - people who are opinion leaders and seem to have the respect of most others.
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Early majority - people who are a bit more conservative than the early adopters. They adopt new ideas just before the average member of any group does, but do not tend to keep track of new and exciting things and take longer to believe in a new change.
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Late majority - people who go along with a change out of necessity, or because they see the change as inevitable.
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Foot draggers - think of them as those who will always like the old way better. They may make a show of compliance when everyone else is on board, but still resist in subtle, hidden ways.
Lastly, consider creating a manifesto set out in a fun manner that can help promote the change process and lessen any impacts. One such example can be found at the following URL
http://managetochange.typepad.com/main/2006/11/manage_to_chang.html .
By Jeff Tang
Senior Consultant (PSB Academy)
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