Digital transformations are essential for companies in a world where digital technology is taking up more and more importance. An effective change management approach is crucial to obtaining buy-in rather than resistance. By adopting a human-centered approach, it minimizes obstacles and integrates change sustainably into the company culture. Why is change management so critical, and how can you foster a smooth and effective transformation? This article provides you with the keys to successful change management.
I - What is Change Management?
II - Why Implement a Change Management Approach: The Benefits
III - What are the Models and Steps of Change Management?
IV - How to Implement a Change Management Approach?
V - Who Leads Change Management?
VI - Examples of Implementing Change Management
What is Change Management?
Definition
Change management refers to the set of methods, processes, and practices deployed to support and facilitate the adaptation of individuals, teams, and organizations to new technologies, tools, and ways of working. This approach aims to minimize resistance, maximize adoption, and ensure a smooth transition to a new operational state.
To achieve this, change management adopts a progressive, human-centered approach with a strong emphasis on support.
What is the Role of Change Management in a Digital Transformation Objective?
Digital transformations aim to help companies adapt to the challenges and demands of the digital age, which are (or will soon be) at the core of the company's strategy. This involves changes at various levels:
- The integration of a new organizational structure with strong de-siloing between areas of expertise to facilitate decision-making.
- Changing the way of thinking and working, particularly by bringing more flexibility and agility while putting impact (via ROI) at the center of everyone's concerns.
- Implementing new tools and skills to help the organization be more efficient.
Why Implement a Change Management Approach: The Benefits
Reducing Resistance
Change requires extra effort from people. Those most impacted need to understand the value of the change to accept making these additional efforts, which may push them out of their comfort zone. Achieving this willingness to change helps combat the natural resistance to change, which can sometimes lead to resignations.
Sustaining Change
The long-term goal of change management is to make change sustainable by embedding it into employees' daily routines. The focus is no longer just on checking boxes but on ensuring that the change is well-integrated and long-lasting.
Demonstrating Investment in Employees
Having a genuine change management strategy also shows employees that their concerns are taken into account and that they are supported. This can contribute to better talent retention and a stronger sense of belonging within the company.
What are the Models and Steps of Change Management?
There are various change management models. Here are two that stand out.
The ADKAR Model
The ADKAR model was developed by Jeff Hiatt, founder of Prosci. ADKAR is an acronym for the following five steps:
- Awareness is the realization of the need for change.
- Desire is the development of the willingness to engage in the transformation.
- Knowledge is the acquisition of the necessary skills to implement the change.
- Ability is the capability to be supported during the change.
- Reinforcement is the anchoring of change over time.
The Kotter Model
The Kotter model was described in the best-seller Leading Change (1996) written by John Kotter, considered an authority on leadership and change. This model is based on eight steps:
- Create a sense of urgency to convince people of the need for change by helping them see current problems and opportunities.
- Form a guiding coalition to assemble a group of influential and respected leaders who will support and lead the change.
- Develop a vision and strategy to create a clear and inspiring vision of the post-change future, along with a strategy to achieve it.
- Communicate the change vision to ensure understanding and buy-in to the change vision and strategy.
- Empower action by removing obstacles and enabling implementation.
- Generate short-term wins to create quick successes and maintain momentum.
- Consolidate gains to fuel the change process, find new areas for improvement, and avoid complacency.
- Anchor new approaches in the culture to ensure that changes are integrated into the organizational culture.
How to Implement a Change Management Approach?
Prerequisites
To carry out effective change management, it is essential that the following prerequisites are met:
- Clarify the expected objectives. Communicating the “Why” clearly helps generate better employee buy-in.
- Gain leadership support. Leadership must demonstrate that they truly believe in this transformation.
- Ensure team availability. Choosing the right timing and allocating bandwidth helps avoid being overtaken by daily urgencies.
- Think of change as iterative and incremental. It must be done step by step, with agility and pragmatism, to avoid building a house of cards.
Tools
Change management relies on various tools, including:
- Communication to convey the right messages and ensure everyone's buy-in and support.
- Training to quickly upskill employees and help them meet challenges.
- Coaching and mentoring to provide operational support to teams.
- Communities of practice to sustain change and ensure continuous skill development.
Mistakes to Avoid
Several mistakes should be avoided:
- Lack of empathy: support must be human-centered.
- Forcing change: change must inspire desire and therefore buy-in.
- Moving too fast: quality should be prioritized over time constraints.
- Not recognizing efforts: those who make efforts should not be frustrated.
Who Leads Change Management?
The Transformation Team and Coaches Set the Pace
If a Product transformation initiative exists within the organization, the change management strategy is often managed by the team in charge. They can rely on coaches who act as conduits to the teams. These coaches and their feedback should also be used to adapt this strategy.
Product Leaders Support Skill Development
Marty Cagan, in his book Transformed, indicates that it is normal for first-level managers to "need to spend up to 80% of their time on staffing and coaching." Product Leaders are also there to support the development of skills among operational staff and the organization towards this desired new state.
Product People Evangelize the Rest of the Organization
Product People (Product Managers and other members of the Product team) contribute to the change management of the entire organization by participating in the cultural orientation of the stakeholders with whom they interact.
Examples of Implementing Change Management
Change Management at Suez Digital Solutions
At Suez Digital Solutions, our Thiga consultant Elodie Dufour was inspired by the Kotter model. "We started by bringing together the leaders of the Line solution to determine what was driving the entity to invest in transformation. Indeed, there was a good reason, and everyone was aligned," she says. “From there, we brought together a core team capable of engaging the teams with whom we defined a trajectory with some quick wins to deliver quickly," she continues. “The more substantial topics led to the creation of small focus groups working on both processes and roles and responsibilities. Everything was co-created. We could have almost written the final deliverable in 2 hours with our experience, but this collaboration is crucial for embedding and appropriating it by the teams."
In conclusion, change management is about focusing on sustainability and people rather than the deliverable, and investing in a true change management strategy is not a question but an obligation in a digital transformation...
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