Change Tactics that Work

Developing software or building hardware is extremely challenging.

On many occasions we can forget that whilst essential, developing the product is only part of the journey to successful adoption.

For external facing products this can involved a significant amount of testing, learning and iterating whilst embracing a feedback loop, and swiftly responding to new insights.

When delivering changes internally, it’s easy to forget that internal users are equally as important as external customers. If mission-critical tools and services can’t be used effectively by internal users, their ability to serve external customers can be severely impacted, causing impact to profitability and market share.

For this reason, it’s essential to understand the change curve that people go through, and applying effort to engage internal users to feel equipped and motivated to adopt your change for the long term.

Here is a summary of the change management models that work, and how they can be applied.

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There are many change management approaches. Three of the most used are outlined below, which can be applied in a variety of situations:

1. Kotter’s Change Model

This model, developed by Jon Jotter, is an 8-step approach to help users prepare for accepting change in a business or organization.

I’ve seen this approach in action during organizational transformation, usually involving internal system and people changes, over multiple months and even years.

Kotter’s Model involves:

• Create a sene of urgency. Ensure the audience are aware that change must happen and the sooner it does, the better for everyone.

• Form a powerful coalition. Involve teams and people whose voice carries weight with their peers, and will amplify the credibility for the change.

• Communicate the vision. Make the vision of the future state inspiring and clear to all. Repeat it frequently.

• Remove obstacles. Where people or other obstacles get in the way, actively remove them, rather than shying away.

• Create short-term wins. Short term achievements give credibility and validate the need for change, boosting morale. Identify and execute on these, making sure they are communicated and visible to the desired audience. Better still, involve some of the intended audience in those changes, to create further social proof.

• Build on the change. Expand on achievements to ensure it becomes evident this change is of value and theres no going back.

• Anchor the changes in corporate cultures. Ensure that the product is implemented to people in line with the desired culture, otherwise the change will not stick.

2. ADKAR

Best used when implementing process or technology changes and consists of five core steps, which include:

• Awareness of the need for change. Ensure people are informed and aware of what must change, and why. Communicate clearly and consistently.

• Desire to participate and support the change. Create a narrative and influence to bring people on the journey. Awareness is a start, but people must also choose to be part of the change in order for it to land and embed.

• Knowledge on how to change. Ensure the tools, skills and support are in place to enable people to adopt the change.

• Ability to apply the required skills and behaviours. Ensure that the training takes effect and that the audience is fully equipped.

• Reinforcement to sustain changes. Repeat the messages and application of the new changes, ensuring old ways of working are removed, with accountable owners to help sustain the change.

3. Lewin’s Change Management Model

This model focuses on the psychological aspects of change and can be typically applied in large organizational changes, significant company culture changes and when there is sufficient time to adopt thoroughly.

• Unfreeze: Preparing the organization to accept that a change must take place

• Change: Deliver the change, collaboration with interested parties

• Refreeze: Establish the changes into the way the organization works, ensuring they become normalised.

Here is a summary example of the ADKAR approach in action.

“InsuraTech” is a fictional company that provide insurance for gadgets and gaming equipment. They are embarking on a new HR system transformation as the current system is out of support and unstable, however the employees are reluctant to migrate to a new system as the current one has multiple modifications, many of which they will no longer have in the new platform.

As a Change Manager, you must ensure the users are bought into the need for change and cooperate with the project team to start using the new system going forward.

How can ADKAR be applied to make adoption a more seamless experience for all involved?

Awareness

• Send company-wide emails from the COO articulating the need for change.

• Create open forums via town halls enabling two-way interaction between the audience and the team.

• Create a dedicated intranet page, with regularly updated FAQs available for people to read a their leisure.

• Create bitesize videos articulating the change and it’s importance.

• Provide a communications pack to line managers ensuring they raise awareness of the change to their teams.

Desire

• Highlight the benefits to each individual for the change, such as reduced workflow enabling actions to be done quicker, improved stability and improved reporting automation, which reduces the need for manual tracking.

• Identify the most influential employees and bring them onto the wider team as change champions. Their ability to influence will provide social proof that the change is worth taking note of.

• Offer incentives for early adoption.

• Feature early success stories from those who have taken the leap onto the new platform.

Knowledge

• Develop interactive training material such as e-learning modules, Q&A sessions or formal learning courses.

• Create user guides that are available on demand.

• Set up proactive support such as a phone line or chat group to request support when needed.

Ability

• Provide environments for people to test and use he system so they can get accustomed to it in a low-stakes setting.

• Offer additional support in small groups or on an individual basis.

Reinforcement

• Implement a rewards programme for those who continue to use the new platform.

• Ensure further ongoing support beyond the initial launch, however gradually minimise the level of support and the extent at which they can support over time.

• Ensure visibility of any new features so that users are aware of the technical superiority of the new platform and delighted with the idea of frequent enchantments.

• Include individual adoption of the new HR system into performance objectives.

• Whatever you do, make sure that the old system has a scheduled switch off date and that everyone is aware of this date in advance so they can be prepared. Once the old system is switched off, there is no option but to use the new system going forward.

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