Background to Change Management
The history of change management since the mid-20th-century has been fundamentally based on changing technology disrupting traditional industries. This created an environment of rapid, discontinuous and overlapping change which posed challenges to creating and sustaining value in these challenging environments. More often than not, the change resulted in organisations becaming more chaotic; often with value being destroyed rather than created. At the same time, it was usually found that organisation which valued its people would experience greater success, ie
"...The human side of change became recognised as a key driver of success..."
CMI 2022a
Currently, the people side is being impacted by
"...- disruptive and innovative approaches driving the pace and scale of change
- the digital economy contributing to significant changes in the future of work..."
CMI, 2022a
Organisations need to develop capabilities that are sustainable and flexible, at the same time, so that they are able to adapt to differing situations.
"...the specific context of any change initiative or process will determine which......elements are most significant. That context includes geographical, ethnic, and organisational cultures in which the change takes place. It also includes the nature of the change and forces that are driving and resisting it. It certainly includes the people involved, especially those leading the change process, those tasked with making the change and achieving the outcomes that are required...
CMI 2022a
A more wholistic approach is required, ie
"...an effective change manager is able to assess the needs of the organisation and select, mix or modify models, frameworks and tools to achieve the best change outcomes. This takes resilience, flexibility and growth mindset..."
CMI, 2022a
Change is best done by evolution rather than revolution, and small incremental steps, rather than destructive leaps; it is easier to build confidence using small steps and reducing the chance of friction.
(source: Edwina Pike, 2022)
Change management has evolved from being part of a job description to a profession and discipline in its own right, eg standalone tertiary courses (including postgraduate), job titles, journals (academic and professional), professional networks, etc. The pandemic (starting 2020) catapulted the need for change management capability becoming an organisational core competency.
There are 3 different areas that change management has focused on in an organisation, ie project change management, business change readiness, organisational change leadership; each level of expertise is associated with 13 knowledge areas (see summary below)
| "...Knowledge area |
Project |
Business |
Organisation |
| 1. Change management context | Concepts that are influential in executing a change | Concepts that are relevant to teams that are responsive to changing outcomes and benefits | Concepts that relate to a complex range of changes inside and outside the organisation |
| 2. Defining change | Defining the change project or initiative | Defining the landscape into which the changes are to be implemented and seeking involvement of those who will execute change | Defining the organisation's change roadmap for continuous change, to enable organisational strategy |
| 3. Managing change outcomes and benefits | Understanding and aligning the outcomes and benefits special project or programme | Understanding the outcomes of benefits to be derived from an integrated change effort and how these will be achieved by business leaders | Actively mapping and aligning the change effort to be articulated as change outcomes and benefits at the strategic and organisational level |
| 4. Stakeholder engagement | Identifying and engaging stakeholders involved in areas that are more impacted by specific change | Identifying and building engagement and support from a range of stakeholders that own or influence the success and reinforcement of future change | Identifying and supporting internal and external stakeholders involved in setting direction and maintaining focus and support of the organisation's change agenda |
| 5. Change impact | Identifying the impact of a specific change on the environment in which it is being delivered. Using this data to influence change activity and interventions | Identify and managing the cumulative impact of change on specific rules and departments. Using this to identify and support key leaders through implementation of the changes | Using multiple data points to monitor the cumulative impact of change on individuals and teams across the organisation. Using this for communications, prioritising and decision-making at the organisational level |
| 6. Change in readiness | Developing and executing strategies and plans to build readiness for a specific change | Developing and building ongoing capability plans to develop change readiness and resilience of those needing to execute change and their teams | Developing and building change capability at all levels of the organisation to increase agility in constantly responding to change |
| 7. Communications and engagement | Developing plans and methods that are genuinely 2-way and allow for involvement of those impacted by the change | Supporting leaders in communicating and engaging their teams in change | Managing the engagement processes, communication channels and leadership coaching for those responsible for communicating and facilitating engagement |
| 8. Facilitation and co-designing | Facilitating a process or event in relation to a specific change that encourages contribution to design | Creating an environment where consultation and contribution is valued | Providing the co-design frameworks, skills and forums to support the change project |
| 9. Capability and learning | Using the change impact data to identify skills gap and developing role-specific capability; building and learning plans to support the change | Developing and maintaining learning and support channels, enabling capacity for learning, skills building and becoming proficient in new ways of working | Providing and maintaining learning frameworks, channels and methods to support agile learning practices at all levels including leadership |
| 10. Sustaining change | Realigning all aspects of the current environment into which the change is being deployed to ensure that change is sustained; for example, processes, structure, roles, culture and management practices | Maintaining awareness of the change that will be embedded and managing interdependencies or consequential impacts. This requires monitoring and modifying after implementation | Understanding what policies, behaviours, expectations and mindsets need to change to reinforce change across the organisation |
| 11. Continuous planning |
Understanding the planning and delivery requirements of working on a project - whether waterfall, lean or agile methods are used and how to iterate plans within a project environment |
Actively facilitate continuous planning at business level to a transparency of implementation timeframes and activities of input to project plans and timelines |
Creating, iterating and flexing the strategic roadmap of change to guide leadership focus, change interventions and programme governance |
| 12. Human dynamics |
Consolidating relationship-building skills to enable effective interaction with all stakeholders at multiple levels of the organisation |
Influencing and coaching leaders on how best to engage and support their teams through the change |
Trusted adviser to C-suite and Board on how best to engage the organisation and its supporting relationships (customers, suppliers) to achieve ongoing support for the change |
| 13. Organisational context | Understanding the organisational landscape and what to leverage to achieve success of the specific change |
Understanding the effects of the change on existing work methods will focus on support functions and explore the opportunities for alignment and collaboration |
Ensuring the whole organisation is aligned on the desired change approach and road map with people at the heart of the change effort..." CMI, 2022a |
Furthermore, according to CMI there are 3 different levels of change management expertise: foundation, specialist and master
i) foundation (understands the principles and actions as a basis for successful implementation of workplace change; expertise to support analysis, planning, administration and implementation activities of the change program)
ii) specialist (expertise to apply change principles, processes, behaviours and skills necessary to effectively prepare impacted stakeholders for a sustainable change)
iii) master (mastery of the change principles, processes, behaviours and skills required to effectively identify, handle, initiate and influence change; able to support others through it)
NB At times people make
"...decisions they would not have made if they had paid full attention and possess complete information, unlimited cognitive abilities, and complete self-control..."
Richard Thaler et al, 2021
The Global Theory of Change
(source: https://venngage.com/templates)