Explore the Levels of Change Management

Successful Change Takes More Than Designing a Beautiful Solution

Tim Creasey

2 Mins

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Changes ultimately come to life through the individuals who have to do their jobs differently as a result of a project or initiative. Whether the project involves a process impacting 15 people, a new technology impacting 150, or a transformation impacting 15,000, the success of the project is inextricably linked to the successful adoption and usage by those individuals. Did they get on board, or did they stay on the shore?

 


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A Simple Analogy for the People Side of Change

To help visually depict this, imagine two ships: one that represents a completed project where the people side of change was managed effectively, and one where it was not. In both cases, a beautiful ship was constructed, and it now needs a full working crew. However, one ship was left isolated and empty while the other ship was full of life and people who "got on board."

The comments below represent what you might hear from a project manager or leader in each situation.

The Empty Ship The Full Ship
We thought we could just 
tell people to do it
We made a compelling case for why 
the change was needed
We designed the perfect solution 
(process, technology, etc.)
We spent as much time managing people through the transition as we did developing the "right" answer
Things were so bad before, we thought 
they would just jump on board
We recognized that the desire to 
change is a personal choice
Our executives signed the check, signed the 
charter and then moved on
Our senior leaders were active and visible 
sponsors throughout the project
We just expected that people managers would be on board and figure out what to do We engaged people managers as change leaders and as critical feedback channels
We told people what would happen to them 
if they didn’t comply
We anticipated resistance and worked to 
proactively address objections and concerns
We communicated project timelines, milestones, progress and design details We communicated the messages people wanted to hear: why the change was needed, how it aligned with the business direction, and the "What's in it for me" or WIIFM
We ignored the people side of change We applied effective change management

Getting Started in Change Management

Think about the projects and initiatives you've supported. Have they been more like the comments on the left or the comments on the right? Have you done what is needed to get people on board, or have you just built a beautiful ship? This simple analogy is helpful for understanding change management and why you need it, and explaining it to others. And you can use Prosci 4 P's Exercise to begin connecting the people side of change to the results of a current project in your organization. What are you waiting for?

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Tim Creasey

Tim Creasey

Tim Creasey é o Chief Innovation Officerda Prosci e um líder reconhecido globalmente em Gestão de Mudanças. Seu trabalho forma a base do maior conjunto de conhecimentos do mundo sobre como gerenciar o lado humano da mudança para fornecer resultados organizacionais.

See all posts from Tim Creasey