Change Management Support

Support methodology

Executives, employees, analysts, researchers and business people generally have a strong opinion that when a company decides to launch a new product, plans to downsize, restructure or introduce strategic software, it will save, move forward or downright destroy the company. These are simply speculations and no one can really say how successful the change initiative will be.

Although it is impossible to predict the future accurately, systematic steps and methods can increase the chances of successful change, setting the right expectations, learning as you go and shaping the project, but they can also be called off at any moment if it turns out that the initial decision was hasty or wrong.

Our change management approach can give you a real competitive edge, providing quick strategic and tactical solutions, not writing documents, but helping you to implement your ideas. We don’t just deliver the project, we make a strong  impact in the organisation, creating lasting value. 

How do we do it?

In our experience, no two projects are the same, so the first step is to throw all the clichés out of the window. No one method works everywhere. Business is not a laboratory. Even if you have mapped out the processes, even if you have selected the sponsors and the host of the process at all levels of the organisation, these activities do not in themselves represent what people actually do and say. Everything you have done so far may get people enthusiastic about change, but enthusiasm alone does not mean change itself.

Behavioural science can help us link behaviour to business outcomes during change:

  • starting with the identification and formulation of desired business outcomes and objectives,
  • and then defining the behaviours that will help you navigate the change process,
  • finally, making the desired behaviour sustainable.

Expectations and measurement

1. Understanding the big picture and people dynamics

Before we say anything, we will clarify your goals, review the resources available and how committed you are to change. We clarify the strategic direction that the organisation has set with senior leaders. We then need to identify priorities and key actions. This will be the initial information for those working at lower levels of the organisation. At the end of the first step, all members of the senior management team will have a common understanding:

  • the business opportunities that will make the change happen,
  • the expected business objectives and the process for measuring them,
  • the role of the key people who will lead others in the organisation towards change (looking for those whose strengths can be most relied upon to drive change),
  • and are committed to the leadership behaviours expected of them.

Behaviour

2. Defining appropriate behaviours

New outcomes will require new behaviours in the organisation, so first and foremost, managers need to demonstrate the new behaviours that the change will bring and be able to give appropriate feedback to their staff: encouraging repetition of the right behaviour with positive consequences or giving corrective feedback to stop unwanted behaviours.

The key point here is not to rush in the hope of a quick result, and not to think in terms of quick wins only. At the same time, we are not doing a deep psychological analysis, just digging deep into behaviour to the extent necessary to find those that need to be changed. We equip leaders with the necessary skills through workshops, coaching, focus groups, etc.

Consequences

3. Implementation, activation

Once all leaders and key people have mastered the behaviours at the right level, implementation can begin. Leaders and other key people help to mobilise the others, in effect becoming ambassadors for change. We can talk about effectiveness when the behaviour of leaders and key people has developed, performance has improved and results are getting better. We measure, report and fine-tune regularly because we believe in evidence-based management. 

At this point, we provide personal counselling and feedback to help the management team learn effective leadership behaviours and overcome any obstacles that may arise.

Sustainability

4. Consolidating change

At the end of the process, new behaviours and ways of working must be sustainable. You need to make sure that the organisational structure and its processes support the new behaviours and are consistent with each other. Unfortunately, this is the point that is missed at the end of most change initiatives.

The new tools and concepts need to be integrated into business planning, leadership development, talent management and all the core activities that drive the organisation’s operations, and aligned with the HR functions of the company that assess and incentivise performance. Sustaining change is supported by Act2Manage, our state-of-the-art leadership development application. Our experienced team in change management and leadership ensures that a carefully constructed project does not go into decline once we move on.

CLIENTS TRUST US TO SUPPORT THEIR MANAGERS

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