To successfully manage change, two essential elements are required: Achieving Organisational Engagement, and Achieving Individual Adoption.
The five stages of engagement
Achieving organisational engagement means that the people in your organisation, line managers in particular:
- Understand the change
- Believe in the change
- Prioritise the change
- Plan for the change
- Implement the change
Change management tactics should be developed and executed to progress people through the five stages, in order to create the right environment for change.
1. Understand the change
When people know what is happening, and why, they are less likely to be scared of change. Communicate early, often, and in ways that ensure that everyone gets the message. Use a number of communication devices or methods to cater for different communication preferences.
2. Believe in the change
People – senior leaders in particular – must care about, believe in and accept the change. This needs to be displayed in their actions, not just through their words. Leaders who aren’t genuinely on board are not likely to inspire others to do so. Use a series of interviews to discover the ‘what’s in it for me?’ factor, to show how the change will benefit them.
3. Prioritise the change
For resources to be allocated to the project, leaders need to care enough about the change to prioritise it ahead of other initiatives they may have. Make it easier for them to do so: create the templates, set up the meetings, book the rooms – whatever it takes to support the senior executive team to sign off on the project.
4. Plan for the change
Planning to implement a change is almost as important as implementing it. This stage involves thinking about the activities required, estimating the time and resource requirements, identifying risk events and developing a budget.
5. Implement the change
Finally, it’s time to implement the change. The right team has the right people with the right competencies. And if your people have progressed through the five stages of engagement, the organisation should be in a position where everyone is on board and ready for change.
Once the organisation is ready and receptive to change, it can move onto Achieving Individual Adoption.
For help on achieving organisational engagement in your organisation, contact us today.
