The Art (or Science?) of Change

1
The Art (or Science?) of Change

• Presented by Felicity Mildon
• ACS NSW Branch Forum
• 27 November, 2007

2
Charles Darwin said

• It is not the strongest of the species that
  survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one
  most responsive to change.
•   Charles Darwin 1809-1882, British Naturalist

3
So What is Change?

• The movement of people from a current state to
  a desire state, a different, improved and desired
  new state, through a set of planned and
  integrated interventions
• (Meyer and Botha 2000, p223)

4
Some food for thought

• If change is also the only constant (apart from
  death and taxes) why is it that 70 - 80 of all
  change initiatives fail to achieve their desired
  benefits?

5
It was also recently said that.

• We are very good at describing the current
  state of where we are now and the end state of
  where we want to be its the mushy bit in the
  middle that is so difficult to change.

6
I agree that the change process can look like
this
7
So why do so many change initiatives fail?

• Unrealistic expectations
• Lack of senior management support
• Resistance to change
• Insufficient resources (Time and )
• The skills of change agents
• Change fatigue
• Pace and scale of change (competing priorities)
• Others?

8
Change Management defined

• A planned, managed and systematic approach to
  managing change through
• Defining and communicating the change
• Understanding the dynamics of the change and
  selecting the most appropriate change management
  strategy
• Integrating the change requirements as part of
  business as usual
• Creating and sustaining commitment from those who
  are impacted by the change

9
Types of Change

• Developmental or organic
• Transitional change
• Transformational or radical change

10
Models of Change

• John Kotter
• Increase Urgency
• Build the Guiding Team
• Get the Vision Right
• Communicate for Buy-In

• Empower Action
• Create Short Term Wins
• Dont Let Up
• Make Change Stick

11
ADKAR

• Awareness
• Desire
• Knowledge
• Ability
• Reinforcement

12
Theory E and O (Beer and Nohria)

• Two different approaches to change
• Theory E top down, economic change
• Theory O emergent change based on increasing
  capability, commitment and involvement
• The authors argue that both are valid and must be
  implemented for organisations to adapt and survive

13
The Change Equation

• D x V x F is greater than R
• D dissatisfaction with the present
• V vision of what is possible
• F achievable first steps in reaching the vision
  and
• R resistance

14
Enough of the theory

• Now for a story about the successful
  implementation of a major technological and
  cultural change

15
(No Transcript)
16
Factors for Successful Change

• Leadership
• Management Support
• Need for change
• Participation
• Defining Roles
• Planning

• Goal Setting
• Monitoring Control
• Training
• Communication
• Motivation
• Embedding Change

17
Reasons for Resistance to Change

• Self Interest
• Fear of the Unknown
• Conscientious objection or differing perceptions
• Suspicion
• Conservatism

18
Resistance can also result from

• Personal characteristics
• Personal experience
• Poor leadership change behaviours
• Poor change process
• Lack of involvement and understanding
• Lack of trust in the leader

19
The Resistance Pyramid
20
Overcoming Resistance to Change

• Facilitation and support
• Participation and involvement
• Negotiation
• Creating understanding
• Understanding the nature of the resistance
• Confrontation
• Tranistion

21
Continued

• Identify Key People
• Involve People Early
• Form Teams
• Build Relationships
• Address Not Knowing
• Address Not Able
• Address Not Willing

22
So what of the role of change agents

• Someone who is able to operate across the
  organisation in order to drive and lead the
  change.

23
Key skills required

• Ability to solve complex business problems
• Excellent interpersonal skills such as empathy
  and perseverance
• Strong communication skills
• Collaboration and pragmatism
• Able to work with challenge and ambiguity
• Able to deal with conflict constuctively

24
As well as

• Political skills
• Analytical skills
• People skills
• Business skills
• Visioning
• Project management and systems skills
• Attributed such as honesty, commitment and most
  of all a sense of humour

25
Is it possible to have all these skills and
attributes?
26
So is Change Management an art or a science?
27
Any Questions
28
A final thought.

• Ghandi said,
• We need to be the change we want to see.

29
And

• For things to change, we must change first

30
(No Transcript)