When introducing change in your organisation, sometimes the impact of that change may not be so obvious. Without doubt it holds true that the more changes you work on and introduce the more you understanding the ripple effects of the change you are introducing. This why impacts are more broader than the behavioural change that is required. The broader the net the easier it is to enact the required change activities to support those who need it and to address the changes required. 

Connected thinking is necessary to develop and will develop over time if you learn from implementing change. A combination of various contracts in my career in various industries, introducing various changes built my ability to think differently about change impacts. There was a sense of similarity but also a respect for the connectedness in organisations which mean that the connection points were to be identified and included in change plans.

This is in sync with the concept of the butterfly effect....

There are five non-negotiables when it comes to change communications. The more each of these areas are addressed, the more potential you create for the change to be engaging and be embedded. 

1) Be clear on your core messaging framework: Be planned and have a core messaging framework. It sometimes takes time to work through and massage messaging enough so that it resonates. Don't just reproduce broad, jargon based statements that are generic in nature. Test messaging where you can with those who are receiving it. Bring stories into relevant channels to bring concepts to life.

2) Ensure there are effective communication channels: Life is busy, social media and information overload has resulted in an even lesser attention span. Too many emails are sent, there aren't 'push' and 'pull' channels evident in organisations and leaders struggle to stay connected and be able to engage their teams. Research with the audience types to understand what channels they refer to for what. That...

When it comes to change, who the voice of the change should be can be one key element which is misunderstood or misaligned. It is a myth that the most powerful voice in an organisation is a CEO - especially when it comes to change. In fact there are numerous studies run in the world of change which show middle management are the layer of leadership who matter most if you want your transformation to be successful.

Now that isn't to undermine the ultimate power that a CEO has, but any leader at that level will know to engage their direct reports and then also to jump a layer or two to ensure their vision holds true when they are intending to transform an organisation.

Why?

All employees take direction from the leader we report into. They hold the power and you rely on them for guidance, leadership and inspiration. We follow what our direct leader tells us, we watch what they do and follow their direction. That is why middle management holds more power in this equation than a CEO of...

Technology change is one of the reason's that the disciplines of project management and change management exist in the first place. And what we mean by that is that technology failures are the reason why both disciplines are in place. Both the project discipline and the change discipline have been changing and adjusting to the growing realisation that bridges need to be built between technology delivery areas and business areas. Agile ways of working were a blend of discipline at speed. Yet there continue to be tech failures delivered and remediated. Why? Well if you have worked on or experienced poorly designed and delivered technology solutions, (as I have) then themes begin to appear.

Following are some key themes for you to reflect upon for your digital change and whether these are being approached in the right way. Here are some 'Must DO's': 

1) Be sure to explore the problem enough, before deciding technology is the solution. Many, many times, there is a shiny piece...

Come and find out some of the most practical guidance on how to approach a change impact assessment. Making sure that it is accurate and comprehensive. Not all change is equal so assessing the impacts accurately is important, and there are a number of tips from years of experience and lessons learned. 

Want to assess the impacts of a change you are managing, leading or involved with? Try our free change impact assessment tool.

Just like there are many project management models,  PRINCE2, PMBOK, AGILE, there are also many change management models.  Some of the most popular are Kotter, Prosci, and the S.C.A.R.F model. All have their place and many change managers will appreciate different aspects from all of them. But we are here to have a think about which model is best for your organisation - so how do you choose?

So which model is the best to use and when?

All of the models have their merits. And all have tools and techniques that can be applied in various situations. A.D.K.A.R for example in the Prosci model,  has easy to understand principles regarding the phases of change to step the individuals through. It assists any individuals and organisations to understand some of the language and process of change.

Prosci then builds on ADKAR but takes it to another level. It aligns phases similar to project management. It is quite analytical in nature and this can often difficult to...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - everyone is talking about it. I recently recorded an Episode in Next Level Success covering this very topic, providing ways in which you can leverage AI. But let's bridge the gap between talking about it conceptually and how it can be used in a practical sense.  And the first major insight is that the more you use it, the more you will work on asking quality questions. The better the questions you ask, the better the output. The second main consideration is that the combination of your input and the AI generated output will always mean you will end up with better information.

Also I will allay your fears which may have been created by watching War Games, Terminator or the Matrix (does that age me?), the machines will not replace us! We are simply challenged to advance ourselves in line with the technology available to us. Let's face it, if my parents can text, Facetime and use What's app, then anyone can at least have a play with ChatGPT. 

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In the previous post we explored some of the aspects of popular change models, but today in Part 2 we are going to take you through the questions you should ask BEFORE you start looking at your change model options. It could save you time, money and effort!

Unfortunately in many organisations, people jump to solutions too fast, attracted by the 'shiny,shiny' aspect rather than following a thought process where options are considered.

1) Are you clear on what problem you are trying to solve? 

This is one of my favourite questions by far. And I ask this often, when I am invited to meetings where a decision has been made yet there seems to be confusion about what the purpose of the new product, process or policy is. Be clear on what problem or problems you are looking to solve with the introduction of a change model. It could be increasing staff engagement, improving strategic decision making by better understanding impacts of changes being introduced, or achieving...

Do you lead change in your team or in your role as a leader? In this Episode we cover the three critical questions that you should be asking related to the change.

Highlights...

2.00 While we are approaching the festive break, the cut off for introducing change should be early November to allow for embedding change to take place up to Christmas. For many organisations though this is not the case.

3.40 The first question is about impacts. Who is impacted, and here is a hint, it is never just one group! 4.30 The change must be simple in the way it is communicated.

5.34 We over the 'when they....then they' method

6.12 What is the size of the impact.

7.00 Is this transformational?

7.30 The most important question as a change leader that indicates ownership.

8.24 The trend used to be to outsource change leadership to change managers, however this is also changing.

9.19 When asked, the third question reflects the behaviour you want from your change leaders.

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