a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) Step #3: Assess Previous Change
Thinkers360
January 21, 2021
3rd Critical Organisational Change Implementation Step - Plan Phase
a2BCMF Step #3 – Assess Previous Change
Assess Previous Change:
This step is about Assessing Previous Change to achieve future change management success. This involves analysing previous organisation change history to mitigate previous weaknesses and enhance future success. We use your data to improve future change success.
“To achieve future organisational change management success, analyse previous change history to mitigate previous weakness and enhance future success”
Business Benefits: Assessing previous change history can provide data and insights as to what worked well, or not so well in the past. This can provide guidance for future change implementations in order to improve adoption and benefits realisation.
Business Objective: Lessons learned from previous change history can:
❖ Enhance Previous Change Success: Establish what worked well previously so it can be used to enhance future change implementation success.
“If an organisation has a history of change failure, future success will require a different approach”
❖ Mitigate Previous Change Weaknesses: Establish what did not work well so the same mistakes are not repeated, mitigating previous implementation change weakness
The a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state. The a2BCMF has three phases and ten key process steps. Each phase provides change strategies, principles, analysis and tactics to move from one phase to the next.
The framework is based on over thirty years of international change experience and brings together leading practice in change, people and programme management. The structured programme approach, processes, techniques and tools focus on overcoming the failures of previous change by incorporating ten key steps and success elements for achieving organisational change. It supports strategic change implementation in terms of context, content and process. The framework is a comprehensive management model that allows executives, managers and change practitioners to successfully deliver and achieve organisational change. It requires a holistic approach and some steps can be performed simultaneously.
Article source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/a2b-change-management-framework-a2bcmf-step-3-assess-previous-change
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementFramework
a2B Consulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Change Implementation - Developing the New Employee Skills and Behaviours
Thinkers360
January 15, 2021
The six-step process for developing the new employee skills and behaviours is outlined in figure below. The change management team should work with the human resources department (HRD) and the organisation’s training department throughout this process. The objective is to facilitate the creation of corporate training that delivers the change objectives by providing the employees with the skills and behaviours to deliver the new way of working. A training needs analysis (TNA) can be used in this process. A TNA typically identifies gaps at the organisational level, the group level and the individual level.
“A key enabler to employees adopting the new way of working, is to provide the opportunity for them to develop the new skills supported by coaching”
The six process steps for developing the new skills are listed below in the (a2BDNS) Model:
1. Define: Define the new skills and behavioural training objectives and align them with the change programme.
2. Identify: Identify the new skills and behaviour objectives.
3. Evaluate: Evaluate the existing skills and behaviour traits for the impacted employees using structured analysis to establish gaps.
4. Assess: Assess available courses or design new courses to close gaps in skill levels and behaviours.
5. Deliver and Coach: Deliver the skills training programme to close the identified gaps and follow up with coaching.
6. Appraise: Appraise the new skills to establish the effectiveness of the training and coaching that prepares the employees to operate at the future state ‘B’.
"While adopting change it is important to learn the new skills, but sometimes the new behaviours are critical"
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGlossary
a2B Consulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
Blog Source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/change-implementation-developing-the-new-skills
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
1st 2021 Leadership of Change Workshop – Switched from Birmingham to Zoom
Thinkers360
January 07, 2021
Due to Covid-19 restrictions in the UK and participant well-being, my planned face-to-face workshop was quickly altered to a Zoom meeting. The Change Management Gamification session, originally scheduled to be played as a physical board game, was played as an e-game on the #Actee platform. The four teams were able to successfully log-in and play the demo round. Special thanks to Leif Sørensen 来福 Actee'vist and his team for their support in adding my Change Management Gamification – CMExec to the platform.
Peter was speaking to a group of Birmingham, UK based business leaders (6th January 2021) in a Three60 Leadership half day Workshop.
The Workshop Sessions were:
1. Change Management Introduction
2. Ten Change Management Lessons Learned
3. Change Management Gamification – Demo Round
4. Change Management Leadership
“Change leadership requires a different set of skills than leading normal day-to-day operations. This capability must be developed before leading organisational change”
Peter speaks on the leadership of change, change management, change leadership alignment and the benefits of change management gamification. For over 30 years Peter has been helping organisations, leaders and employees change, improve and transform through keynotes, master classes, change management gamification workshops, projects and programmes.
In Session 4 - Change Management Leadership, Peter discussed the key change question set Peter asks all leaders should be able to answer. He then works with their team to develop the solution is:
"Do you have a change vision? Are you aligned on your strategic objectives? Are you a high performing team? Does your team have change leadership skills to lead the change or improvement that your organisation is facing?"
Peter will speak about this and the importance of Change Leadership Alignment for leaders starting their organisational change.
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGamification
#Actee
a2B Consulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
Blog Reference: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/three60-leadership-peter-f-gallagher-speaking-on-change-management-to-uk-business-leaders
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
My 2020 Highlight - Change Management Pocket Guide listed by Thinkers360
Thinkers360
December 31, 2020
I always use the last few days of December to look back at some of the positives throughout the year. Granted 2020 has not been a great year for many of us and I sympathise with all those who have lost love ones or who have suffered in any way.
One of the positive things for me career wise during 2020 was to have my second book, Change Management Pocket Guide - Leadership of Change Volume 2, listed within the top 50 Business and Technology Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders.
A big thank you to Thinkers360 for this and the other rankings they have given me recognition for during 2020.
About this Book:
Change Management Pocket Guide: This change management pocket guide contains over thirty concepts, models, figures, assessments, tools, templates, checklists, plans, a roadmap and glossary structured around the ten-step a2B Change Management Framework.
Who is this Pocket Guide for?
All too often, change management implementation fails to deliver the expected organisation benefits or gain employee adoption. The a2B Change Management Pocket Guide is targeted at all employees going through an organisational change. It will help them to understand why organisations need to change, why they need to learn new skills and behaviours, and that becoming involved in shaping the change can be more fulfilling for them and their organisation. This guide is of particular interest to change practitioners, HR professionals, and project managers, including organisational managers and leaders.
This book can also be used as part of a self-study programme or as reference before, during, and after training to understand change management concepts, models, assessments, tools, templates, checklists and plans, as well as the roadmap and glossary.
Blog Reference: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/50-business-and-technology-books-from-thinkers360-thought-leaders
Available: Amazon and Google Play
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementPocketGuide
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Resistance - Finding the Tipping Point
Thinkers360
December 23, 2020
A typical question asked by the organisation’s C-Suite and leadership team is, “How long will the change take before we start to see the benefits?” The project change plan and the benefits tracking plan, if accurate and up to date, should provide a very good indication. The next question is usually, “Is there anything else we could be doing to speed up adoption and benefits delivery?” If all the a2BCMF steps are being adhered to, then the simple answer is, “Yes, by reducing or removing resistance to the change.” The best way of doing this is to work with the three groups with the support of the change agents to find the ‘Tipping Point’.
“Nothing negatively impacts organisation performance quicker than employees who resists change and who believes that the way they work today is the way they will work tomorrow”
Once the tipping point is reached, an amazing phenomenon takes place, whereby more and more people start adopting the new way of working as well as embracing the change at an accelerated pace. There is no greater delight than to see a ‘Rebel’ accept the organisational change willingly and even becoming an ‘Advocate’.
Employee Groups involved in a Change Journey
There are three groups of employees in any change management journey: ‘Advocates’, ‘Observers’ and ‘Rebels’. Each group will react differently to organisational change and will have different levels of resistance.
Advocates: Tend to embrace and lead change within the organisation as they are more comfortable with it. They have a positive and growth mindset and see this as an opportunity to grow and improve. The coalition of change agents and ‘Advocates’ can have a massive impact in the organisation, positively enticing the other groups to adopt the change.
Observers: The change agents and ‘Advocates’ should work together to create employee desire to move the ‘Observers’ towards the ‘Tipping Point’. Communication, direct engagement, targeted messaging and events, such as socialising the future state, will help the ‘Observers’ to adopt the change at a faster rate.
Rebels: The change agent can help greatly in this area by directly engaging the ‘Rebels’ face-to-face. The change agent should listen with empathy to understand their concerns whilst communicating the organisation’s change business case. A typical question that comes up is about how much effort you spend on this group. The answer varies from organisation to organisation, with cultures and local laws all having an input and impact on the approach.
“Without employee resistance, you will not achieve organisational change"
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGlossary
a2B Consulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
Blog Source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/change-management-resistance-finding-the-tipping-point-for-employees
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Free Change Management Glossary Access
Thinkers360
December 17, 2020
Thank you to everyone who read my blogs in 2020 and especially for the engagements, sharing your insight and the likes.
Please feel free to access this comprehensive change management glossary that contains more than 170 terms providing clear and simple descriptions to boost your organisational change management knowledge.
***Happy holidays and best wishes for 2021***
Web link: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/change-management-glossary
Sample:
Change History Assessment (CHA): This can be used to assess and review the outcomes of earlier change programmes and initiatives. It provides organisational insights that may increase the likelihood of successful implementation through the analysis of lessons learned, mitigation of previous weaknesses and enhancement of future success.
Change Impact: How employees, processes, systems and the organisation are affected during the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state.
Change Initiative: The name given to an organisational change programme or improvement project.
Change Leadership: Is about being a proactive growth mindset employee who has the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully transition an organisation from the current state ‘a’ to the future ‘B’ state, ensuring adoption and benefits realisation. This transition involves planning the change, executing the change so that the organisation and its employees sustain the change or transformation.
The change leader has three key responsibilities for the successful leadership of change, they are ‘Articulate’, ‘Model’ and ‘Intervene’.
Change Management: A field of management focused on organisational change which is the practice of applying a structured approach to transition an organisation from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state to achieve change adoption and the expected benefits.
Change Management Framework: See ‘a2B Change Management Framework’.
Change Management Gamification: Is the new trend which helps to engage your employees by using gaming methods. We use gamification so that your employees can learn, test and prepare for your organisational change.
Change Management Handbook: A book containing instructions or advice about how to do something, or the most important and useful information about a subject. A reference book, in this case, practical change management implementation. This handbook contains the ten-step a2B Change Management
Change Management Pocket Guide: Typically, a small paperback that can be carried in the pocket which provides help on change management. The pocket guide contains the ten-step a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) and is supported by over thirty concepts, models, figures, assessments, tools, templates, checklists and plans, as well as a roadmap and glossary.
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGlossary
a2B Consulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) Step #2: Secure Sponsorship and Resources
Thinkers360
December 10, 2020
2nd Critical Organisational Change Implementation Step - Plan Phase
Secure Sponsorship and Resources:
Sponsorship: The sponsor is a senior executive who is responsible for delivering change success. They are accountable for the delivery of all ten-steps of the a2B Change Management Framework.
Resources: The sponsor will need the support of a competent and motivated change team, a supportive CEO, the organisation’s leadership team and change agents to help them implement the change.
“Without effective and proactive sponsorship, the change programme will eventually fail, the change will not be adopted by the employees or sustained, and it will not deliver the intended benefits”
Business Benefits: Sponsorship is the single most important factor in organisational change success. Without effective and proactive sponsorship, the organisation’s investment in its portfolio of change programme or projects will not provide a return on investment (ROI).
Business Objective: The sponsor and the change resources will work with the stakeholders through the a2BCMF to deliver the change benefits, ensuring both a ROI and the intended strategy are achieved.
The a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state. The a2BCMF has three phases and ten key process steps. Each phase provides change strategies, principles, analysis and tactics to move from one phase to the next.
The framework is based on over thirty years of international change experience and brings together leading practice in change, people and programme management. The structured programme approach, processes, techniques and tools focus on overcoming the failures of previous change by incorporating ten key steps and success elements for achieving organisational change. It supports strategic change implementation in terms of context, content and process. The framework is a comprehensive management model that allows executives, managers and change practitioners to successfully deliver and achieve organisational change. It requires a holistic approach and some steps can be performed simultaneously.
Article source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/a2b-change-management-framework-a2bcmf-step-2-secure-sponsorship-and-resource
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGamification
a2BConsulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management Gamification Adoption - Volume B Published on Amazon
Thinkers360
December 03, 2020
Change Management Gamification Adoption: Leadership of Change Volume B
Published on Amazon 30th Nov 2020
Change Management Gamification Adoption: This change management gamification workshop manual supports change practitioners to learn about change implementation with a focus on employee change adoption in a workshop environment using a business simulation. It includes a business case study that enables experiential learning in a safe environment so the skills and knowledge can be immediately applied back in the workplace.
Using change management gamification to develop change adoption skills and knowledge in a workshop which enables experiential learning through a business simulation, structured on the AUILM Employee Change Adoption Model.
About this Workshop Manual:
Leadership of Change Volume B is a workshop manual used as one of the aids for learning change management through gamification. The benefits of change management gamification include a safe, fun learning environment with instant feedback and team learning that can be applied immediately back in the workplace. Volume B is a leadership simulation tool that focuses on employee change adoption. The most effective change practitioner understands change management methodologies and concepts with the ability to tailor them to their own specific project or change initiative. They can work with the sponsor, leaders, employees and other key stakeholders to successfully implement organisation change, with a focus on employee change adoption and benefits realisation. We use gamification so that your employees can learn, test and prepare to successfully deliver sustainable organisational change. It helps change professionals test different leadership of change strategies through experiential learning with their peers. This colourful manual includes a case study about the implementation of an IT system to support the organisation as it adopts new technology and changing customer buying habits. The participants play the Change Practitioner role, working with twelve key stakeholders and an external partner to successfully implement change. Change Management Gamification Adoption is usually played over a day and has three phases: Plan, Execute and Sustain. The simulation follows both the AUILM Employee Change Adoption Model and the ten step a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF). There are ten rounds and during each round the change practitioners pick their chosen change tactic before they find out how the stakeholders react. The change tactics are supported by over forty change management concepts, graphically illustrated.
Other leadership of Change Volumes, available on both Amazon and Google Play:
Change Management Fables – Volume 1
Change Management Pocket Guide – Volume 2
Change Management Handbook – Volume 3
Change Management Leadership – Volume 4
Change Management Adoption – Volume 5
Change Management Behaviour – Volume 6
Change Management Sponsorship – Volume 7
Change Management Gamification Leadership – Volume A
Change Management Gamification Adoption – Volume B
Change Management Gamification Behaviour – Volume C
Blog Source: https://bit.ly/3mBkle2
Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3ojvfWl
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Readiness Assessment (CRA) - Implementation Preparation
Thinkers360
November 26, 2020
The purpose of the change readiness step (a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) Step 6) is to establish if the organisation is ready for the change. Having data and insights from readiness assessments or interviews can help to ensure the organisation and employees are prepared for the change. They can identify potential implementation gaps so that corrective actions and plans can be executed to close the gaps and improve change readiness.
The change readiness assessment evaluates if the key elements are in place to support change implementation. The ten key elements are typical enablers to support the change implementation by reducing resistance and maximising adoption. They start with ensuring that the employees understand the business case and vision for the change. Finally, they assess if there is a new desired organisational culture to support the change. Change readiness is typically performed using a survey or structured interviews. The likely outcomes will:
~ Identify Potential Change Implementation Gaps: The assessment will provide data and insights to identify gaps that will impact change adoption and benefits realisation should the change is implemented (organisation and employees).
~ Execute Corrective Actions to Improve Change Readiness: Corrective action and intervention plans should be prepared and executed to close the gaps in the applicable readiness elements.
The a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state. The a2BCMF has three phases and ten key process steps. Each phase provides change strategies, principles, analysis and tactics to move from one phase to the next.
The framework is based on over thirty years of international change experience and brings together leading practice in change, people and programme management. The structured programme approach, processes, techniques and tools focus on overcoming the failures of previous change by incorporating ten key steps and success elements for achieving organisational change. It supports strategic change implementation in terms of context, content and process. The framework is a comprehensive management model that allows executives, managers and change practitioners to successfully deliver and achieve organisational change. It requires a holistic approach, and some steps can be performed simultaneously.
Note: This article was posted on Peter’s Blog 25th Nov 2020 - https://bit.ly/3o1Bqyj
Peter speaks on the Leadership of Change, change management, change leadership and the benefits of change management gamification. For over 30 years Peter has been helping organisations, leaders and employees change, improve and transform through keynotes, master classes, change management gamification workshops, projects and programmes. You can find out more at:
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/speakerservice.
See blog
Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Organisational Change Management Challenges - Sustain Phase
Thinkers360
November 20, 2020
Following on from my last two blogs on the ‘Plan’ and ‘Execute’ phases.
Lots of statistics show organisational change and transformations failing to deliver their intended benefits, and few fully sustain the change. Even if the change programme starts off well in the Plan and continues into the Execute phase, by the time it reaches Sustain it has lost momentum. There are many reasons for this, another change or business priority has come along and key employees in the original change team get promoted, move to other roles or even a different organisation. Whatever the reason, this loss of momentum and focus in the Sustain phase often leads to all the previous good work being undone and the change not being sustained.
Sustain Phase: Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) Steps 9 and 10
9. Thinking Employees will Adopt the Change: Employees will need to be supported throughout all the change phases by the leadership team.
“For change adoption to be successful, leadership needs to ensure employees are supported to develop the new skills, behaviours and motivation that delivers improved future organisation performance”
10. Not Transferring Ownership: Not closing the change properly by using a structured process to ensure sustainment and benefits delivery.
“One of the most difficult tasks in change management is to sustain the change, continuing adoption and aligning new behaviours with the organisation and individual score cards to ensure benefits realisation”
Note: This article was posted on Peter’s Blog 20th Nov 2020 - https://bit.ly/3lO3MLr
Peter speaks on the Leadership of Change, change management, change leadership and the benefits of change management gamification. For over 30 years Peter has been helping organisations, leaders and employees change, improve and transform through keynotes, master classes, change management gamification workshops, projects and programmes. You can find out more at:
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/speakerservice.
See blog
Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Inside Track Podcast - Business Transformation Journeys
Thinkers360
November 13, 2020
I recently took part in a podcast with Tony Lockwood from The Transformation Leaders Hub to speak about my change and transformation journey.
“Observing many companies in action, I am unable to point to a single instance in which stunning results were gotten without the active and personal leadership of the upper managers” Joseph M. Juran
Some of the things I talk about:
• Internal verses external Big Four consultant and the importance of trust
• You can’t do 10 or 20 transformations programmes and deliver normal day-to-day operations
• The importance of change leadership alignment and the five key elements:
1. Change History Assessment
2. 1:1 Leadership Interviews
3. Strategic Alignment Workshop
4. Develop High Performing Teams
5. Develop Leadership of Change Capability
• The employee Behaviour Change challenge
• Treating employees with respect during a change journey - future ambassadors of the organisation
• My four-legged stool
• ‘Tell’ verses ‘Sell’ change implementation
• Change management gamification
Key take away: The importance of engaging employees and fantastic communication is very important, but without a strong sponsor supported by the leadership team, you will not delivery sustainable change.
“I have yet to encounter a successful change implementation without an effective and proactive sponsor, backed by an aligned leadership team” ~ Peter F Gallagher
I hope you find this episode informative.
INSIDE TRACK PODCAST #21 was released last week: https://bit.ly/3nljI8j
Note: This article was posted on Peter’s Blog 11th Nov 2020 - https://bit.ly/3n0GeDn
Peter speaks on the leadership of change, change management, change leadership and the benefits of change management gamification. For over 30 years Peter has been helping organisations, leaders and employees change, improve and transform through keynotes, master classes, change management gamification workshops, projects and programmes. You can find out more at: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/speakerservice.
See blog
Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management Gamification - Leadership of Change
Thinkers360
November 06, 2020
"If more employees were better leaders of change, the organisational benefits would be endless. We enable the Leadership of Change"
Change Management Gamification is a growing trend which helps to engage your employees by using gaming methods. We define gamification as a set of activities and processes to solve change management implementation challenges by applying the characteristics of game elements.
"We use gamification so that your leadership and employees can learn, test and prepare for your organisational change"
About the Leadership of Change
Leadership of Change are change management simulations about strategy execution in large organisations. The games focus on how to implement organisational change to achieve a ROI, adoption and sustainable change. The game takes the participants through the ten key steps to achieve successful change implementation.
Our Games
The participants are given the responsibility of implementing various strategic change into a fictional organisation. Their abilities to engage stakeholders, plan, execute and sustain change are measured throughout the game.
About the Leadership of Change Gamification
Leadership of Change are change management simulations about strategy execution in large organisations. The games focus on how to implement organisational change to achieve a RoI, adoption and sustainable change. The game takes the participants through the ten key steps to achieve successful change implementation.
Change Management Gamification Benefits
• Simulated Business Case Study: A business change implementation simulation can be practised
• Safe Learning Environment: Participants feel relaxed and can test ideas, ask questions, and take risks to learn
• Experiential Learning with Instant Feedback: Learn through experience and reflection to improve knowledge absorption and receive instant feedback on decisions
• Fun and Team Learning: A positive, happy, warm and friendly atmosphere improves learning motivation levels and builds better relationships within a team
• Immediately apply the Learning back in the Workplace: Change Leadership skills and knowledge can be applied on new, real organisational changes
The Theory
Leadership of Change is based on the proprietary a2B Change Management Framework, the AUILM Change Adoption Model and the a2B5R Employee Change Behaviour Model.
About the Leadership of Change
Leadership of Change are change management simulations about strategy execution in large organisations. The games focus on how to implement organisational change to achieve a return on investment, employee adoption and sustainable change. The game takes the participants through the ten key steps to achieve successful change implementation. Leadership of Change encompasses change management concepts, models, depictions, assessments, tools, templates, checklists, plans, a roadmap and glossary structured around the ten-step a2B Change Management Framework. The delivery vehicles are change management books, change management gamification manuals, leadership alignment workshops and masterclasses.
Article source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/change-management-gamification
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGamification
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Trusted Adviser - Change Management Practitioner
Thinkers360
October 29, 2020
One of the most important considerations for a change practitioner is that, without trust you will not achieve improvement or change through people. As a change agent, you are selling a change to the organisation. The person you engage with will ask one key question when you introduce yourself, “can I trust you?” The Trust Equation provides a model to show the key elements of a change agent as a Trusted Adviser. The objective is to build trust by increasing credibility, reliability, intimacy and to lower self-orientation.
“Without trust you will not change the employees or the organisation”
The success of any change or improvement depends heavily on the relationship between the change agent, the sponsor, leadership team and the employees of the organisation. It matters less if the organisation appoints internal change agents or hires outside consultants. To be successful, change agents develop relationships built on trust and commitment. Again, getting the right person with right behaviour the required growth mindset is extremely important.
Characteristics and Traits
The success of any change or improvement depends heavily on the relationship between the change agent, the sponsor, leadership team and the employees of the organisation. It matters less if the organisation appoints internal change agents or hires outside consultants. To be successful, change agents develop relationships built on trust and commitment. Again, getting the right person with right behaviour the required growth mindset is extremely important. Other characteristics and traits include:
~ People Skills: Change is about people. Change adoption and success will be achieved when employees embrace it.
~ Credibility: Must have credibility within the organisation, both in knowledge and character to lead by example.
~ Tenacity: Not giving up easily when progress is strained, being patient yet persistent.
~ Listening Skills: Ability to explore different employee perspectives and take them into account when looking for solutions.
~ Good Communicator: Ability to communicate to people in a non-threatening manner and define what is expected of them within a diverse culture.
~ Positivity: Using positivity when communicating with employees can make a huge positive impact on their emotional well-being and their future adoption of the change.
"Without trust you will not change people"
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) Step #1: Change Definition
Thinkers360
October 22, 2020
1st Critical Organisational Change Implementation Step - Plan Phase
Change Definition: The process of defining the change and aligning the programmes within the portfolio to the organisation’s strategy, ensuring it has a business case and resources to deliver business benefits.
“Unless the change programme is continually aligned to the organisation’s strategy and capacity it will not deliver speedy benefits or value to the organisation”
Business Benefits: Too many change programmes and transformations fail to deliver the business benefits and value on which they are justified. This step identifies the key foundations that need to be in place to deliver the benefits. This step ensures proper due diligence by assessing estimates of costs, benefits and risks, go/no go decision, etc.
Business Objective: To assess if the change is aligned with the organisation’s strategy, it should have a business case and resources to deliver value, clear stakeholder impacts, proper governance, a high-level timeline and milestones. An important deliverable that could differentiate this change programme from other projects will be benefits planning and tracking.
The a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state. The a2BCMF has three phases and ten key process steps. Each phase provides change strategies, principles, analysis and tactics to move from one phase to the next.
The framework is based on over thirty years of international change experience and brings together leading practice in change, people and programme management. The structured programme approach, processes, techniques and tools focus on overcoming the failures of previous change by incorporating ten key steps and success elements for achieving organisational change. It supports strategic change implementation in terms of context, content and process. The framework is a comprehensive management model that allows executives, managers and change practitioners to successfully deliver and achieve organisational change. It requires a holistic approach and some steps can be performed simultaneously.
See blog
Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Agents – Internal verses External Resources
Thinkers360
October 15, 2020
When an organisation embarks on a change journey and they decide to increase the chances of success by investing in change agents, a decision will have to be made to decide on internal verses external change agents. There are both advantages and disadvantages for both types of change agents that should be considered and not one size fits all.
"Change agents with organisation credibility, change management skills and the desire to improve an organisation can greatly enhance change adoption and benefits delivery"
External consultants as change agents are flexible and skilled resources and the organisation can bring them into the business at times of resource demand peaks. External change agents can be released immediately during resource troughs, with no challenge of having to reintegrate them back into the business, compared to using internal agents.
The value of an external change agent with their change management skills, tools and change delivery framework cannot be ignored or discounted in the cost benefit analysis. Further to this, there are other important elements such as organisation credibility and personality characteristics. The most important are usually the ability to communicate with people, personal integrity and business acumen.
#ChangeManagement
#LeadershipOfChange
#PeterFGallagher.com: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Aligning and Preparing the Leadership to Lead Change
Thinkers360
October 08, 2020
Aligning and Preparing the Leadership to Lead Change
The change question set all leaders should be able to answer
"Do you have a change vision? Are you aligned on your strategic objectives? Are you a high performing team? Does your team have change leadership skills to lead the change or improvement that your organisation is facing?"
Change waits for no leader and the skills required for leading day-to-day operations are very different to change leadership. The strategic change leadership alignment process develops change leadership capability, so the organisation’s leaders are aligned, as a high performing team, with change leadership skills and knowledge to successfully lead your organisation’s change, transformation or improvement to accelerate employee change adoption and deliver sustainable long-term benefits. Five Step Approach to Leadership Alignment are:
1. Change History Assessment
2. 1:1 Leadership Interviews
3. Strategic Alignment Workshop
4. Develop High Performing Teams
5. Develop Leadership of Change Capability
Change waits for no leader and the skills required for leading day-to-day operations are very different to change leadership
Photo Credit: Matteo Vistocco
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/change-leadership-alignment
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change History Assessment – Gambling Organisation Finances
Thinkers360
October 01, 2020
Our change history assessment (CHA) is used by change teams to review the outcomes of previous change programmes within their organisation. It provides organisational insights that can increase the likelihood of successful implementation through the analysis of lessons learned, mitigating previous weaknesses and enhancing future success. It is important to learn from previous change by performing structured analysis to identify negative issues and to avoid repeating them on the next change. The insights from the CHA will help to shape the change approach, planning and the resistance strategy.
I always look forward to seeing the answer to:
Q28: Will future change management be successful?
On one occasion, the employees of the organisation scored 46.2%. This question provides fantastic insights which can help to shape and make future organisational change successful. However, this requires the leadership team to articulate, model and reinforce (AMI) the next change. If they don’t, they might get better odds of change success by playing on the roulette wheel.
#ChangeManagement
#LeadershipOfChange
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Pre-Release Book Announcement Nov. 2020 – My Fifth Change Management Book (Workshop Manual)!
Thinkers360
September 24, 2020
Change Management Gamification Adoption - Leadership of Change Volume B
This change management gamification workshop manual supports change practitioners to learn about change implementation with a focus on employee adoption in a workshop environment using a business simulation. It includes a business case study that enables experiential learning in a safe environment so the skills and knowledge can be immediately applied back in the workplace.
About this Workshop Manual: Leadership of Change Volume B is a workshop manual used as one of the aids for learning change management through gamification. The benefits of change management gamification include a safe, fun learning environment with instant feedback and team learning that can be applied immediately back in the workplace. Volume B is a leadership simulation tool that focuses on employee change adoption.
Other volumes, available on both Amazon and Google Play:
Change Management Fables – Vol 1
Change Management Pocket Guide – Vol 2
Change Management Handbook – Vol 3
Change Management Gamification Leadership – Volume A
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeLeadershipAlignment
#Leadership
#ChangeManagement
#ChangeManagementGamification
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Organisational Change Management Challenges - Execute Phase
Thinkers360
September 16, 2020
Following on from last month’s blog.
Lots of statistics show organisational change and transformations failing to deliver their intended benefits. You can argue about the true percentage of success, but the fact is that many organisations do not achieve full benefits realisation, and in many cases, they fail to attain a return on investment (ROI). Equally unacceptable to shareholders is that the vision is not realised, meaning the organisation’s strategy has not been executed. Even when the organisation and its leadership team agree the changes are necessary for the future of the organisation, they still face challenges.
Change Implementation Challenges - Execute Phase:
5. Poor Communication: Lack of engagement and communication.
6. Ignoring Change Readiness Input: Perform the change readiness assessment and adhere to the results!
7. Thinking there is No Resistance: There will always be resistance even if it is not overt!
8. Ignoring the Importance of Behaviours: If you do not change employee behaviour, you will not get organisational change.
#ChangeManagement
#LeadershipOfChange
#a2BConsulting offering: C-Suite Change Consulting, Change Leadership Alignment and Change Management Gamification
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Change Resistance – Employee Standpoints
Thinkers360
September 09, 2020
It doesn’t matter which continent I am working on; I typically encounter three-employee change standpoints: Advocates, Observers and Rebels. However, to successfully implement organisational change management, we must engage, communicate and entice these three employee groups to get buy-in, change adoption and benefits realisation.
Rebels: Tend to resist change blindly, sometimes this can be a natural reaction even if the change is to their benefit. The default reaction is that change is a bad thing and will put them at a disadvantage.
Observers: Monitor the ‘Advocates’ and assess if the change is benefiting them. If this appears positive, they will tend to move towards being receptive to the change.
Advocates: Similar to the change agents with their positivity towards change. Their energy should be captured as they can play an effective role in leading and rolling out the change. The coalition of change agents and ‘Advocates’ can work together to lower resistance in the other groups.
Source: https://bit.ly/2Zj36or
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management Communication – Starts with the Why
Thinkers360
September 02, 2020
Effective communication is at the heart of successful business change, creating awareness and understanding about the change. Change programmes must incorporate a clear approach to communication which is strongly linked to their engagement with stakeholders. A Communications Plan should be produced which shows how information will be distributed and received by all stakeholders involved in the change programme. It identifies the means, medium, messages and frequency of communication between different stakeholders. It is used to establish and manage on-going communications throughout a programme. It is important that the communication is proactive and consistent to reinforce key messages.
“Effective change communication is at the heart of successful change, it acts like the blood in our bodies, but instead of supplying vital oxygen and nutrients, communication supplies information and motivation to the impacted stakeholders”
https://bit.ly/31OVqM1
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Organisational Change Management Challenges - Plan Phase
Thinkers360
August 26, 2020
Lots of statistics show organisational change and transformations failing to deliver their intended benefits. You can argue about the true percentage of success, but the fact is that many organisations do not achieve full benefits realisation, and in many cases, they fail to attain a return on investment (ROI). Equally unacceptable to shareholders is that the vision is not realised, meaning the organisation’s strategy has not been executed. Even when the organisation and its leadership team agree the changes are necessary for the future of the organisation, they still face challenges.
Change Implementation Challenges - Plan Phase:
1. Too Many Change Initiatives: Not enough capacity to deliver ongoing and new change programmes.
2. Inactive or Invisible Sponsorship: Lack of visible support usually leads to change failure.
3. Poor Previous Change History: This increases the likelihood of repeating past mistakes.
4. No Detailed Project Change Plan: Implementing change with only a communication plan and not aligning it to the master project plan.
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Change Management - Sponsorship is one of the Most Important Elements in any Change Journey
Thinkers360
August 19, 2020
After delivering change, transformation, business and process improvement projects for over thirty years, it is difficult not to accept that one of the most important elements in change project success is effective and proactive sponsorship. In fact, without effective and proactive sponsorship, the project will eventually fail. The three key elements are: ‘Say’, ‘Support’ and ‘Sustain’!
Say: Sponsorship starts with providing vocal support for the change. The ‘Say’ is the foundation and is all about communicating the business case for the change to all affected stakeholders. Communication is key to change success and an extremely important first step:
Support: Having built the foundation of communication, ‘Support’ builds on the ‘Say’, and it is in this element that the Sponsor starts to actively and overtly support the change.
Sustain: ‘Support’ is much more important than ‘Say’, but ‘Sustain’ is critical for the organisation to deliver value and achieve the strategic goals. This is without doubt the biggest challenge in any change journey, gaining employee adoption of the new way of working.
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management - Fixed Verses Growth Mindset Leadership
Thinkers360
August 12, 2020
Even with various approaches to driving change initiatives, we are constantly reminded that many programmes fail to provide the benefits initially defined. Some of the key challenges when implementing change are employee resistance and not learning or applying the new skills, as well as adopting the new behaviours. These traits can be described as aspects of a fixed mindset when change implementation really requires a growth mindset.
Fixed Mindset to Change: Disruption and change by default nearly always has a negative impact on work life. Change resistance is the reaction by the organisation, department or employees when they perceive that an organisational change coming their way could be a threat to them. They are comfortable with the current state and they stick to what they know.
“Fixed mindset leaders will quickly contaminate an organisation by killing growth and creativity, as well as promoting incompetence based on their likeness. This cycle will be replicated unless shareholders intervene ruthlessly” ~ Peter F Gallagher
Growth Mindset to Change: Embrace disruption and change to improve organisation performance and to learn new skills. Mistakes will be made, but this adds to the learning and creates advocates of the change, developing new capability and moving the organisation towards adoption and sustainable change. Continual learning, development and trying new things keeps advocates stimulated and excited.
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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership
Celebrating the anniversary of the release of my 3rd Change Management book - one year ago today!
Thinkers360
August 04, 2020
Change Management Handbook - Leadership of Change Volume 3
Change Management Handbook:
This handbook contains over fifty concepts, models, figures, assessments, tools, templates, checklists, plans, a roadmap and glossary structured around the ten-step a2B Change Management Framework each with a practical case study.
About this Book:
This handbook is for growth mindset leaders, senior managers, students, HR professionals and change management practitioners who want to deliver organisational change while their organisation continues with day-to-day operations. Leadership of Change Volume 3 is based on over thirty years of experience implementing change, transformation and improvements into some of the world’s largest and most successful organisations across many countries and cultures. It provides deep insights into change programme delivery using the a2B Change Management Framework. It starts by aligning the change with the organisation’s strategy and vision, moving through to successfully closing and sustaining the change. It covers ten key change management implementation concepts in detail, which include sponsorship, change history, communication, change planning, readiness, resistance, developing the new skills and behaviours, as well as adoption. It also includes the AUILM Employee Change Adoption Model and the a2B5R Employee Behaviour Change Model. Change Management Handbook - Leadership of Change Volume 3.
Contents:
Forward
Who is this Handbook for?
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
How to use this Handbook
Section 1: Change Management Introduction
1.1 Organisation Change Disruption
1.2 What is Change Management?
1.3 Organisational Change Challenges
1.4 The Benefits of Change Management
1.5 Organisation Change Capability
1.6 Change Management Leadership
1.7 Incremental Change Versus Transformation
Section 2: a2B Change Management Framework
Section 3: Change Delivery
3.1 Change Definition
3.1.1 Change Definition - Overview
3.2 Secure Sponsorship and Resources
3.3 Assess Previous Change
3.4 Develop Detailed Change Plan
3.5 Communicate the Change
3.6 Assess Readiness
3.7 Manage Resistance
3.7.1 Change Resistance - Overview
3.8 Develop New Skills and Behaviours
3.9 Adoption
3.10 Sustain and Close
Section 4: Other Information and Support
4.1 References
4.2 Glossary
4.3 Bibliography
4.4 Index
Leadership of Change Volumes:
Change Management Fables - Leadership of Change Volume 1
Change Management Pocket Guide - Leadership of Change Volume 2
Change Management Gamification Leadership - Leadership of Change Volume A
Change Management Gamification Adoption - Leadership of Change Volume B
Change Management Gamification Behaviour - Leadership of Change Volume C
Coming in 2021:
Change Management Leadership - Leadership of Change Volume 4
Change Management Adoption - Leadership of Change Volume 5
Change Management Behaviour - Leadership of Change Volume 6
Change Management Sponsorship - Leadership of Change Volume 7
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/publications
Volumes A, B and C are Workshop Manuals available F2F and virtually
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/change-management-gamification
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Tags: Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management Benefits
Thinkers360
July 25, 2020
What is Change Management?
Change management is the process, techniques and tools to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change transition from the current state ‘a’ to the future state ‘B’. The objective is to get the organisation and employees to adopt the change, achieve benefits realisation, sustain the change and improve operating performance. Change management helps the employees to understand, commit to, accept and embrace programme changes. Change management, at the very least, is a formal way of communicating with employees why change is happening, what it will look like from their perspective and how it will benefit or impact them.
Unmanaged or Reactive Change
Change management programmes commonly fail, which means objectives are not achieved and the organisation does not make a return on investment. These failed approaches usually do not have a planned and systematic approach to preparing, communicating and implementing change into the organisation. In unmanaged change, the leader of the organisation authorises and announces the change and then reverts back to fully focus on normal day-to-day operations. They leave the change team on their own and wonder why the change implementation fails. In some cases, the change leaves the organisation performing poorer than before. In reactive change, the leader still focuses on normal day-to-day operations but reacts and starts to focus on the change when performance dips for longer than expected. By putting good resources and focusing on the change, performance can improve.
Managed Change
The key to an effective implementation of change programmes is to develop and deploy structured approaches that will help organisations, leaders, teams and employees understand, accept and work with the change to minimise resistance and disruption. The structured approach supports change adoption and benefits realisation. It means focusing both on normal day-to-day operations and change implementation. High performing employees are put on the change, not only those that are available, and it becomes a part of the organisation’s agenda. The organisation gets ready for the change and only implements it when everyone is ready. There will still be a small dip in performance as the organisation learns the new processes and systems, but performance will soon be much better than it was before. The change will be adopted by the employees, it will be sustainable and that promised ROI.
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management
Change Management Gamification CMExec - Virtual Video Demo
Thinkers360
July 10, 2020
Change Management Gamification
Change Management Gamification is the new trend which helps to engage your employees by using gaming methods. We use gamification so that your employees can learn, test and prepare for organisational change.
About Change Management Gamification Leadership (CMExec): CMExec is a fascinating change management implementation simulation that offers leadership teams and leaders of change experiential learning in a safe environment. This enables them to learn, test and reflect on their change leadership capability and skills.
Game Formats: CMExec can be played face-to-face in a workshop setting or online using the gaming platform. The virtual online version can be played as an individual, players verses players or team mode. The face-to-face version is played using on physical boards positioned on each teams table with a central team progress board positioned centrally in the room.
Case Study: AutoChanze is a global supplier of automotive systems, modules, and components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and related aftermarkets. Up until recently they have been a successful and profitable organisation but a recent report commissioned by the Board of Directors has indicated the the automotive industry will be impacted by 4IR like never before! We use gamification (both virtual and face-to-face) during our “Change Leadership Alignment” process. It utilises experiential learning during a change case study where the leadership team gets to assess, select and implement their chosen change tactics through the 10 a2BCMF Steps:
Gamification Objective: During the simulation the change leaders (usually in their teams) will focus on how they can achieve the balance between normal day-to-day operations and delivering successful change and employee adoption of a new IT system. They will assess, select and implement their chosen change tactics through three simulation change phases: Plan, Execute and Sustain. They will be scored on how successful their tactics were in implementing successful change.
https://www.peterfgallagher.com/post/change-management-gamification-cmexec-virtual-video-demo
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Announcing the release of my Fourth Change Management Book (Workshop Manual)!
Thinkers360
June 24, 2020
Leadership of Change Volume A – Change Management Gamification Leadership
This gamification manual supports organisational leaders to learn about change leadership in a workshop environment using a business simulation.
It includes a business case study that enables experiential learning in a safe environment so the skills and knowledge can be immediately applied back in the workplace.
About the Book:
Volume A is a Workshop Manual used as one of the aids for learning change management through gamification. The benefits of change management gamification include a safe, fun learning environment with instant feedback and team learning that can be applied immediately back in the workplace. CMExec is a leadership simulation tool and is step 5 of our ‘Change Leadership Alignment’ process.
Change Management Gamification Leadership (CMExec) is now available to organisations going through change as both a virtual or a face-to-face workshop.
Other volumes, available on both Amazon & Google Play:
Change Management Fables – Volume 1
Change Management Pocket Guide – Volume 2
Change Management Handbook – Volume 3
Change Management Gamification Adoption – Volume B
Change Management Gamification Behaviour – Volume C
#ChangeManagementGamification
#LeadershipOfChange
#ChangeLeadershipAlignment
#Leadership
#ChangeManagement
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Implementation Approaches – ‘Tell’ versus ‘Sell’
Thinkers360
June 06, 2020
Change disruption is the order of the day. Rapidly changing customer buying habits, access to new technology, and social media accelerate the way organisations need to adapt to change to remain competitive or even survive. If done properly, change management is the proven game changer in making this possible. Change management will support the organisation, its employees and leaders to move from the current state ‘a’ to the improved state ‘B’. It can enable and enhance implementation of the new ways of working, behaviour and adoption of the change.
However, the change implementation approach depends on the type of change. If the change is about compliance, legislation or safety it will be a ‘Tell’. If it is about winning hearts and minds it will be a ‘Sell’. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and both approaches will encounter some level of resistance.
Tell
Advantages: Speed is the nature of this type of change implementation. The organisation enforces the implementation decision, with consequences for those who do not obey.
Disadvantages: Changes like this are implemented quickly with no time for staff consultation. As a result, people will feel that this change is ‘done unto them’ and it will take longer to achieve buy-in and acceptance.
“Nothing negatively impacts organisation performance quicker than employees who resists change and who believes that the way they work today is the way they will work tomorrow”
Sell
Advantages: This type of change allows the organisation to communicate the change in advance, take feedback and gain staff buy-in, winning hearts and minds.
Disadvantages: The process of communicating, involving lots of people and receiving feedback, takes time. This type of change approach takes a lot longer than the ‘Tell’ approach and much more organisational effort.
“Without employee resistance, you will not achieve organisational change.”
Other Blogs by Peter F Gallagher: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/blog
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy
Change Management - Organisation Change Capacity and Workload
Thinkers360
May 23, 2020
An organisation’s capacity can be defined as the organisation’s total ability to deliver normal day-to-day operations and change activities. If the organisation does not have change capacity it is unlikely the employees will be able to take on any extra workload. Getting this balance right can mean the difference between successfully delivering both, however the data from the change history assessment (CHA) constantly highlights this as a challenge. The feedback from employees is that their workload is not considered when the organisation is implementing change. Specific feedback indicates that workload is not taken into account when learning new software, technology, systems, methods or processes. This change overload not only causes workforce stress but also creates resistance to the change that would otherwise have been accepted.
“Organisation change capacity and employee workload are ignored considerations in change implementation, until they become the reason for failure”
Capacity and workload are serious considerations. Not only should the organisation have a strategic planning process, the output in terms of available capacity should be an important input factor to change sponsors and their teams when planning their change programmes. So, how much capacity should an organisation have for change as it delivers normal day-to-day operations? There are typically four key organisational capacity components
There are typically four key organisational capacity components:
~ Normal Day-to-Day Operations
~ Unplanned Work or Rework
~ Mandatory Change Capacity
~ Strategic Change Capacity
The percentage splits of the four key organisational capacity components will vary from organisation to organisation and from year to year. The important concept is that organisation and change professionals might live in a world where they see their change programme or project as the most important thing. In reality however, their change programme is only small in comparison to normal day-to-day operations. Another important consideration is that the organisation’s leaders tend to think that successful change implementation will not take much effort and because it is important everyone will support delivery. Great leaders and their organisation's don’t just focus on what to do to become the best, but also what not to do, and what to stop doing. It is important to have the discipline to only start the change projects that improve performance.
“Unless the change programme is continually aligned to the organisation’s capacity it will be unable to deliver speedy benefits or value to the organisation”
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Tags: Leadership, Change Management, Business Strategy