Leading Change

A Guide for Managers

This guide is designed to support an RGU-wide drive to achieve a consistent approach to change by:

Raising awareness of the importance of effective leadership of changeHighlighting the use of change management processes in generalHighlighting the critical success factors for effective implementation

Some initial observations on change...

• To someone who has never been involved in change, a minor shift in work pattern may seem like the end of the world; but to an experienced and enlightened change champion, even large changes can seem like routine events

• In change situations, perception and attitude are everything

• If you are a manager in any organisation the likelihood is that you will implement change at some point – and probably very soon!

• The ability to understand, believe in and role model effective leadership behaviours is crucial to effective change

Starting out...3 key questions

• Where are you; what is the current state? Why change?

• Where do you want be?

• How are you planning to get there?

Answering these questions will provide the basic scope – a short document that lays out the case for change, the benefits to be gained and a basic risk assessment that addresses the major unknowns.

Stakeholder analysis

• This process simply defines all the stakeholders involved in the change process, and establishes what their position is with regard to the potential change.

• This will cover how stakeholders see the issues, how they might react, and any alternative positions they may hold.

• It also addresses how stakeholders feel about the overall change agenda.

2 quotes to think about...

• “At least 70% of major corporate changes fail to capture the benefits ascribed to them. A big factor is that the soft issues are not understood to truly be the hard issues. Not enough attention is dedicated to the hearts and minds of the people in the organisations”

Glenn Tilton, CEO, UAL (United Airlines)

• “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transition”

William Bridges (from Managing Transitions)

A 6 step process for effective change

1) Establish a clear direction - a sense of urgency

2) Clear ownership and leadership

3) Communicate the case for change early and often

4) Create and maintain a workable change plan

5) Empower broad-based action - maintain and measure progress

6) Anchor new approaches

1) Establish a clear direction - a sense of urgency

• A clear case for change, approved at the appropriate level

• A compelling and reasonable argument, laid out in the form of a directional paper or memo

• The right climate for change – the ground work with stakeholders to create an initial sense of involvement and engagement with the challenge

• An understanding of the timescale involved, even if its not fully defined

• An understanding of the urgency for change, and the consequences of not changing

2) Clear ownership and leadership

• Who is accountable and approves changes?

• Who is responsible as leader of the change process?

• How will stakeholders be involved?

• Clear difference between line responsibility and support

• Identifying and involving “change champions”

2) Clear ownership and leadership (continued)

• RACI• Who is Responsible? What are they responsible for?

• Who is Accountable? Do people understand this?

• Who will be Consulted (before decisions are made?)

• Who will be Informed (after decisions are made?)

3) Communicate the case for change early and often

“The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished”

(George Bernard Shaw)

3) Communicate the case for change early and often (continued)

• Recognise that everything you say and do is part of the communication process

• Develop a communication plan that includes how and when you will tell people what, and by which medium

• Be as open as you can and tell the truth – even if this means saying you don’t know yet or can’t say yet

• Communicate on a regular basis, even if there is little to say. It is much more important to “keep the regular channels open” than to “only say what you need to say when you need to say it”

• Seek feedback at every opportunity to encourage involvement

• Consistency is everything!

4) Create and maintain a workable change plan

• It is important to build and maintain a project plan for any change project

• Include major tasks, deliverables, timeline, who does what, risk assessment, logistical issues, etc

• A general project planning process is critical; typical elements might be:– Initiate the project (including defining project board, team,

manager)– Explore alternatives – Select alternative and plan for detailed implementation– Execute the approved plan– Operate and make working improvements as necessary

5) Empower broad-based action - maintain and measure progress

• A clear implementation plan with realistic timescales and milestones

• Changing structures and processes• Establishing clear new reporting lines• Focus on new team development and individual

development needs • A culture of empowerment, trust and support• Setting up measurement processes – with clear targets• Focus on dealing with problems and potential

roadblocks• Role modelling good leadership behaviours

6) Anchor new approaches

• This will typically take the form of:

– Continual reinforcement of the shared vision – Encouraging and recognising / reinforcing behaviours in

others– Recognising and taking with us “the best of the past”– Openly recognising people who do well– Celebrating as a team – Embed a team approach with appropriate development

and support– Clear linkages between individual objectives and

organisational success– Realistic yet challenging goals and objectives– A strong sense of “ we will succeed or fail together”

A change management roadmap

Clear ownership

and leadership

Establish clear direction - the

case for change

Create workable change plan

Empower action -maintain and

measure progress

Anchor new approach

Where are we now? Where do we want

to be?Gap analysis

Stakeholder analysis

Why is “status quo” not OK?

Options / climate for change?

Dialog with Employees

Outline change plan

Clarity of Ownership:Sponsor?Decisions?

Project team?Governance?

Communicate guiding vision and principles

Capacity (time / priority) of key

people?

RACI

Change champions?

Finalise plan:Scope

DeliverableTimeline

RolesRisk analysisImp’n plan

Review process

Impact analysis

Development needs

“New way” of Working

Communicate!

Clear imp’n plan and timeline

Milestones

Remediation plans

Establish new reporting lines

New team Development

Personal dev’t plans

Role modelling leadership

behaviours

Make “new way” the norm – avoid

delays

Continual reinforcement of “new vision”

Role model Supportive behaviours

Realistic yet challenging goals

Team – “we / us”

Celebrate success!

Effective communication is critical!Consistent message / Check for Understanding / Open and honest feedback

N.J. Browne March 2005

Some barriers to effective change

• The compelling case for change– Failing to “paint the right picture” of the future state– Poor employee involvement and discussion – Failing to build up the case for change over time – too rushed– Failing to share key data with employees – lack of transparency

• Not understanding what change is– Failing to see change as a journey, not a single event– Over-simplified view of “getting the change out the way”

• Employee involvement– Failing to involve employees in feedback sessions– Failing to involve employee teams in optimising solutions and

developing implementation plans that will work!

Some barriers to effective change (2)

• Ownership confusion– Failing to establish clearly who is responsible for what, and who is

making the decisions

• Ineffective implementation– Viewing implementation as the “easy part”!– Failing to clarify who is coordinating implementation– An unclear transition plan of roles and responsibilities– Poor alignment of senior team around leadership behaviours– Poor communication – confusion about what is happening, and when

• Perpetuating “the way we do things here” too long– Failing to see the impact of the wider sector or economic environment– “Good times” may have masked some less than effective management

practice!

Leadership during change

• Change has much more to do with the so-called “soft” issues and much less to do with hard, structural issues

• Change will simply not happen without effective leadership

• To a large degree change is really about: • Good communication • Personal desires• Alternative culture and culture change• Anxiety and loss of control• Hidden agendas

• These are all leadership issues

Leadership during change (2)• What are the leadership behaviours most relevant to change

situations at RGU?

– Communicates a clear and consistent vision (or plan) with commitment– Champions change – able to engage others and enhance buy-in – Treats people with respect – Demonstrates integrity and high ethical standards– Sets and sustains high personal standards of delivery– Is decisive, particularly when confronted with challenging issues– Able to adapt and capitalise on new opportunities– Builds effective relationships– Builds effective team performance– Openly encourages and recognises the contribution of others– Gives constructive feedback on a regular basis – Encourages personal development and provides appropriate

opportunities

8 steps to effective change leadership • So what should leaders do to help make change more

effective?1) Recognise that you are a role model2) Be visible, and listen to concerns - encourage constructive debate and

feedback3) Even if you don’t “buy-in” fully to what is happening, you still have a

responsibility to help employees through the process in a supportive, positive and constructive way

4) Be consistent in what you say, and never speculate – if you don’t know or can’t say, then say so

5) Be empathetic to concerns, and help people understand what is actually happening, not what they think is happening

6) Ensure that business keeps running smoothly during the change process

7) Go out of your way to involve people and explain what is happening8) Focus on team working and team development needs

Key Success Factors

Questions to check for progress on Key Success Factors

Leading change ( who is responsible)

Do we have a leader . . . Who owns and champions the change, and publicly commits to making it happen? Who acquires the resources necessary to sustain it, and puts in the time to follow through?

Creating a shared need (why do it)

Do employees . . . See the reason for the change, and understand why the change is important? Understand what will happen if we don’t change, and see how it will help longer-term?How do we know that employees see the reasons for change?

Shaping a vision (what will it look like when we are done)

Do employees . . . See the change in behavioural terms? (i.e. what they will do differently as a result)? Understand how the change will benefit customers and other stakeholders?How do we know that employees see and share a common vision? How has this been checked?

Mobilizing commitment (who else needs to be involved)

Do the sponsors of the change . . . Recognise who else needs to be committed to the change to make it happen? Know how to build a coalition of support from key people for the change? How do they know that the people who need to be committed to change actually are?

Modifying systems and structures (how will it be institutionalised)

Do the sponsors of the change . . . Understand how to link the change to other systems, e.g. training, structure, communication? Recognise the implications of change on systems? Recognise the criticality of “taking the best of the past forward with us”?

Monitoring progress (how will it be measured)

Do the sponsors of the change . . . Plan to measure the success of the change, and benchmark progress? Plan to celebrate success at the appropriate time?

Making it last (how will it get started and last)

Do the sponsors of the change . . . Have a short- and long-term plan to keep attention focused on the change? Have a plan to adapt the change over time, and keep employees engaged?

Summary (1)

• We might think that change is a new phenomenon, but it isn’t – it has been there for a long time! We just didn’t recognise it as such

• There are very few organisations where change is not a normal way of life – whether we like it or not

• Consequently it’s how we deal with (not whether we deal with) change that makes all the difference to success

• Building an effective “case for change” doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time and employee engagement

Summary (2)

• Although leaders have a responsibility to set the “frame” for change, employee involvement is critical:

• Feeding back ideas and views • Improving and building on plans• Effective implementation

• Ultimately employee buy-in makes the difference between success and failure, but that only comes through:

• A viable and realistic case for change• Employee engagement to develop viable change plans• Consistent and regular communication• Role modelling of expected culture and behaviours by

leaders