1. how can I make sure my plan for change will work when so many fail
1.1. Why do projects fail and how can I make mine succeed? (download IBM paper here)
1.1.1. What are the biggest challenges I am going to face in my change project?
1.1.1.1. How can I change the mindset of people - this was seen by 60% of change managers as the key challenge
1.1.1.2. How can I change or work with the culture - 49% of change managers see this as the major challenge
1.1.2. What can give my project the best chance of success?
1.1.2.1. Am I acting on real insights and being realistic about the challenges that I am facing?
1.1.2.2. Have I got well understood and proven methods of delivering the change?
1.1.2.3. Do we fully understand what the return of our investment will be in time and money?
1.2. What type of change will work for my organisation?
1.2.1. Is the change that is being proposed realistic in this organisation at this time?
1.2.1.1. How much must stay the same in the organisation while change is happening?
1.2.1.2. How diverse is the culture across the departments and locations?
1.2.1.3. Are the management and the individuals affected capable of making the change needed?
1.2.1.4. Have we got the finances, time and people to make this change in the way intended?
1.2.1.5. Do the people who will need to be involved in the change recognise the need for it?
1.2.1.6. Do the people who need to bring the change about like sponsors, have the power and influence to make it happen?
1.2.2. What does everyone know but no one is telling us about why it wont happen?
1.2.2.1. Does the type of change we need require cultural change?
1.2.2.2. Is the delivery of the change slow enough to get the cultural shift its going to need?
1.2.2.3. How are we going to deliver rapid cultural change needed for the change we are planning?
1.2.2.4. Do we need to change the culture at all. May be we can we work with the culture that is there to deliver the change quickly?
1.2.3. How committed are the leaders of change in making it happen ?
1.2.3.1. Does the change initiative need to come from the top or does it need to come from the stakeholders themselves?
1.2.3.2. Have we got time for collaboration with stakeholders or do we just need to get it done through coercion if necessary?
1.2.3.3. What technical, political, cultural or interpersonal interventions will be needed ?
1.2.3.4. Does this change need to be lead by the senior team, from outside the business or through active change from stakeholders?
2. How can I deal with the awkward squad and get stakeholders on board and avoid resistance
2.1. Why do stakeholders resist change even when it makes sense for them?
2.1.1. Are the stakeholders as ready for change as the people leading it?
2.1.1.1. How can we know what this change feels like for the people we are relying on to make it happen?
2.1.1.1.1. How do we help these stakeholders overcome the shock of what is happening and the way things will change?
2.1.1.1.2. How do we support them through the anger they feel about what has happened and blaming themselves for it?
2.1.1.1.3. How do we support them as they look for ways around the changes and bargain to keep things the same ?
2.1.1.1.4. How do we support them through feeling depressed because they can't do anything about the change?
2.1.1.1.5. How do we need to encourage their accept that change is happening and help them to find solutions?
2.1.1.2. How can you give them time to get use to the idea before they can work out if it is a good one ?
2.1.1.2.1. How can we recognise and align our approach with the stages each stakeholder needs to go through in their own change journey?
2.1.1.2.2. How do we help stakeholders get to the next stage in the process of accepting change and prevent them getting trapped?
2.1.1.2.3. How can we use the fact that some people will adjust more quickly to change in helping those that find it more difficult?
2.1.1.2.4. How do we avoid getting emotionally involved in the change process and taking things personally?
2.1.1.2.5. How can we develop an approach which is consistent in helping people through change even when that is positive for them?
2.1.2. Why do stake holders find it so difficult to change?
2.1.2.1. How can we help stakeholders let go of the world that they know - may be everything they know and trust us that the future will be better?
2.1.2.1.1. How do we make the communications relevant to each individual so that they know what will and wont change for them?
2.1.2.1.2. How do we develop a communication plan that keeps stakeholders informed about what is and isn't happening?
2.1.2.1.3. How do we understand the individual concerns of stakeholders from their own frame of reference and not assume what they should be feeling?
2.1.2.1.4. How do we get across to stakeholders why the changes are needed?
2.1.2.1.5. How do we make it easier for stakeholders to talk to us and listen to what they are saying?
2.1.2.1.6. How do we celebrate the past successes from the past while looking toward the future?
2.1.2.2. How can we give them confidence and support them before they know whether change is a good idea ?
2.1.2.2.1. How do we help the stakeholders to see their place in the change journey?
2.1.2.2.2. What are we going to do to give stakeholders the confidence that we can overcome the problems they are likely to face?
2.1.2.2.3. What can we do to identify people who have already gone through this journey so that we can use their positive experiences?
2.1.2.2.4. How can we make it easier to listen to what stakeholders are telling us and appreciate their advice?
2.1.2.3. How can we help them embrace the new while celebrating the past ?
2.1.2.3.1. How do we communicate the purpose the change can serve for the stakeholders and their future - make it relevant for them?
2.1.2.3.2. What are we going to do to keep inspiring the stakeholders with the changes that we are making?
2.1.2.3.3. What can we do to empower stakeholders to have a credible place in the changed future of the organisation?
2.1.2.3.4. How can we make sure that we are always walking the walk of change as well as talking the talk?
2.1.2.3.5. What can we do to identify and communicate the early successes of the change that we are making?
2.2. How can we motivate stakeholders to accept the change?
2.2.1. What should our approach to motivating stakeholders be?
2.2.1.1. What are we doing to understand our people and what really motivates them in their own frame of reference?
2.2.1.2. How can we truly collaborate with our people so that we can empower and trust them to bring about the change we want to see?
2.2.1.3. What do we need to do to be authentic servant leaders who enable others to bring about the change we want to see?
2.2.2. Is the anxiety of stakeholders about their security preventing them grasping the opportunities for personal growth that change represents
2.2.2.1. How can we reduce the anxiety people have that the changes we plan could impact their livelihood?
2.2.2.2. How will the changes we are planning impact on the relationships stakeholders have with each other and their sense of belonging?
2.2.2.3. How can we understand what consequences the changes we plan will have on how the stakeholders feel about themselves
2.2.2.4. What can we do to help stakeholders see the potential in the changes we plan for their own personal growth?
2.2.3. Will stakeholders believe that the change will benefit them in a way that they value?
2.2.3.1. What are we doing to give stakeholders the confidence that they can change in the way that we want them to?
2.2.3.2. How can we make sure that the stakeholders appreciate the beneficial consequences of making the changes we want them to?
2.2.3.3. How can we make sure that the stakeholders actually value the benefits that they will get from changing in the way we want them to?
2.2.4. What sort of benefits will stakeholders value most?
2.2.4.1. How could the planned change make a positive difference to the way the stakeholders feel about what they do?
2.2.4.1.1. How will the changes planned give stakeholders a greater sense of achievement in their job
2.2.4.1.2. How will the changes enable stakeholders to get more recognition for the contribution they are making?
2.2.4.1.3. How will the change enable the stakeholders to feel they are doing a better job?
2.2.4.1.4. How will the changes enable the stakeholder to take more responsibility and have more control over what they do?
2.2.4.1.5. How will the changes give stakeholders more chances to develop their career?
2.2.4.1.6. How will the changes help the stakeholder grow as a person?
2.2.4.2. What expectations do we need to give stakeholders to keep them on board?
2.2.4.2.1. What expectations will stakeholders have about the impact of change on their jobs or salary?
2.2.4.2.2. What expectations will stakeholders have about the impact of the change on their status or the way they are supervised?
2.2.4.2.3. What expectations will stakeholders have about the impact of the change on company policies or their working conditions?
2.3. How can we engage with stakeholders as people
2.3.1. Do we understand what the change really means for stakeholders as full human people?
2.3.1.1. What are we doing to understand the whole person who is a stakeholder in the change we are planning
2.3.1.2. How are we trying to understand the stakeholder from their own frame of reference rather than from ours?
2.3.1.3. How can we ensure that we are always being authentic even when that means telling stakeholders things they don't want to hear.
2.3.2. Is the stakeholders individual personalty going to determine how they react to change
2.3.2.1. Are we in tune with the way important stakeholders (highly influential and impacted by the change) see the world when we are engaging them?
2.3.2.1.1. What are we doing to identify the different ways that stakeholders make sense of their world?
2.3.2.1.2. How can we use what we know about the traits of different stakeholders to engage with them more effectively?
2.3.2.1.3. What impact will the traits of stakeholders have on the success of the change project?
2.3.2.2. What are we doing to understand the anxiety of different stakeholders about whether they will be able to cope with the change?
2.3.2.2.1. How are we taking into account the preferences of stakeholders and their learning styles in the way that we offer them support ?
2.3.2.2.2. What do we know about the past experience of different stakeholder groups of change and the support they are likely to need?
2.3.2.2.3. How are we planning for the higher rate of errors that are likely before stakeholders are fully competent in the new world?
2.3.2.2.4. What are we doing to explain how the change being planned will resolve their anxiety for what the future holds for them?
2.3.2.3. Are we recognising that it is natural for people to feel a fight or flight response to any change?
2.3.2.3.1. Are we giving people enough time to rewire their mental maps to adjust to change?
2.3.2.3.2. How can we focus stakeholder attention in what is positive about the change?
2.3.2.3.3. How are we helping them to make sense of the change for them?
3. How can I understand and talk the same language as the organisation so that I know how to get change done
3.1. What is the best way to understand this organisation?
3.1.1. When and under what circumstances does the organisation we are working with think of themselves as an efficient machine
3.1.1.1. How do we redesign the way the organisation is designed to achieve different outcomes as a result of the change we are planning?
3.1.1.2. How will redesigning one part of the organisation impact on the roles that are played in other parts of the organisation?
3.1.2. When and under what circumstances does the organisation we are working with think of themselves as fighting for survival in an ever changing world
3.1.2.1. How can we develop a plan for change that is flexible enough to deliver its objectives while working within and responding to a dynamic environment?
3.1.2.2. How can we be sure that the change that we plan will enable the organisation to be more adapted to its environment ?
3.1.3. When and under what circumstances does the politics of power and interest become important in the organisation we are dealing with.
3.1.3.1. How can we uncover and map and understand the interest of powerful groups in the organisation that could help or hinder our plan for the change?
3.1.3.2. How can we use our understanding of powerful interest groups to build influence and avoid resistance
3.1.4. When does the it become important to align the changes that we are planning with the different cultures within the organisation
3.1.4.1. How are you going to surface and understand the different cultures within the organisation along with their norms and values?
3.1.4.2. How do we align the changes we plan with the different norms and values of the groups we need to work with, to avoid resistance and improve adoption?
3.1.5. When and under what circumstances does the organisation we are working with think of themselves as learning to adapt to new information?
3.1.5.1. How are we going to make real difference in the organisation and avoid the business "adjusting" to the changes we plan but staying the same ?
3.1.6. When and under what circumstances does the organisations Vision for the future become important?
3.1.6.1. How does the change that we are planning further the Vision everyone in the organisation shares that describes what it is about.
3.1.6.2. How are we going to broaden the Vision everyone shares in the organisation to include those aspects that we plan to change?
3.2. What do we need to do to get and embed change in this organisation?
3.2.1. How are we going to move the organisation from where it is now to where it needs to be?
3.2.1.1. How will you get stakeholders on board with the change that you are planning?
3.2.1.1.1. How will you make stakeholders feel anxious about the current situation so that they get on board with the change?
3.2.1.1.2. How will you make stakeholders feel safe about the challenges they will face in making the changes?
3.2.1.2. How will you manage the change people make to ensure it is the one that you had planned?
3.2.1.2.1. What will you do to provide positive examples of the change you are planning for the stakeholders?
3.2.1.2.2. How will you work with stakeholders to find out how the change you are planning could work for them?
3.2.1.3. What will you do to embed this change into the organisation?
3.2.1.3.1. How will you help stakeholders make sense of this change for them as people?
3.2.2. How are you going to win over the hearts, minds AND FEELINGS of the stakeholders in your change project
3.2.2.1. What do you need to create a sense of urgency in the stakeholders of the change?
3.2.2.2. Who can help you to drive a sense of urgency in the organisation for the change and have skin in the game?
3.2.2.3. How can you inspire other people to want the change you are planning ?
3.2.2.4. How do you keep inspiring stakeholders in the change you are planning?
3.2.2.5. How will you leverage excitement in the change from the people who need to make the change work?
3.2.2.6. How can you make sure the change you are making delivers wins soon and frequently and keep proving its working?
3.2.2.7. How will you keep the momentum going in the change - keep inspiring, collaborating and proving its working?
3.2.2.8. How will you design processes that embed these changes into the organisation and become the way we do things around here?
3.2.3. Why do outcomes seem to be unpredictable in the changes we are trying to make? - there is a further article on Senge.
3.2.3.1. How are we going to identify the factors that tend to create negative outcomes from the change we are planning?
3.2.3.2. How are we going to identify those factors which will tend to generate positive outcomes for the change we are planning?
3.2.3.3. How can we scan what is going on in the business to identify instances which if nurtured could be beneficial for the change?
3.2.3.4. How can we encourage people to stay with the change even when things are not working out as planned?
3.3. Here are some further notes from the Change Managers Handbook
3.3.1. The factors that will determine what approach is likely to be most successful are
3.3.1.1. How widely does change affect the organisation
3.3.1.2. How deep the change is
3.3.1.3. What the change is about - structure, technology
3.3.1.4. Nature - emergent or tight management
3.3.1.5. Impact on culture
3.3.1.6. Time available
3.3.1.7. Organisational Structure may also impact on change
3.3.1.7.1. A hierarchical structure is effective in an unchanging environment and is good for BAU but not so good for change
3.3.1.7.2. A loser more autonomous structure with devolved power to units may produce too much change
3.3.1.7.3. As most businesses need to keep the ship afloat (BAU) but also constantly manage change - Kotter proposes a separate strategic operating system
3.3.2. Where this change is transformational rather than limited and isn't over a tight time frame it has time to emerge with Senges model of nurturing small roots
3.3.3. Where the structure of an organisation needs to be changed a carefully managed and guided approach along Kotters lines may be a better fit
3.3.4. Forming a new team - local - Kotter would be excessive but could be a pilot that might be nurtured - Senge
4. To bring about effective change means engaging with stakeholder as individuals but how is that scalable in a large organisation
4.1. How will you plan and manage the resources and time available for change when those involved have wider responsibilities.
4.1.1. How will BAU impact on the time you and those you rely on for success can spend on change?
4.1.2. How will reporting lines for those playing a part in change be impacted by departmental pressures and incidents which need to be addressed?
4.2. How can you ensure that the change you plan gets the right level of support in the organisation to make it successful.
4.2.1. How will you ensure that the change is. and continues to be, aligned with the strategy of the business?
4.2.2. How will you get buy in from the line managers who you will rely on to deliver the change that you are planning?
4.2.3. How will you create a sense of urgency and explain why the change needs to happen now so that you get the active involvement and funds you need?
4.2.4. How will you ensure everyone involved in the change and especially those leading the project stay authentic to what it is seeking to achieve - walk the walk?
4.2.5. How will you support those sponsoring the change so that they can communicate effectively to stakeholders?
4.2.6. How will you get access to discretionary finance if you need this to make change happen?
4.2.7. How is the organisations structures likely to support the changes that are planned?
4.3. How will you identify and select those people you need to help you bring about the change that you are planning
4.3.1. How will define what you need from your change agents for them to be successful in bringing about the change you plan - expertise, knowledge or influence ?
4.3.2. How will you select the change agents that you need - manager recommendation, volunteers etc
4.3.3. How will you reach people outside the networks of the change agents you are able to recruit inside the organisation?
4.3.4. How will change agents channel communication between the staff line managers and senior leaders of the change
4.3.5. How will you ensure that change agents are able to understand and communicate the idea of the change effectively across different groups?
4.3.6. How will change agents be able to access additional resources should these be needed to bring about the change?
4.3.7. How do you expect change agents to help others - sponsors, line managers, targets of change fulfil their roles?
4.3.8. How will these people need to connect with the line managers who can impact the success of the change?
4.3.8.1. How will change agents build mutual trust with the line manager ?
4.3.8.2. How will change agents overcome the political issues of getting line managers to work together across departments?
4.4. How will you need the line managers in the business to support you in bringing about change?
4.4.1. How will you help line managers to communicate the change to their staff?
4.4.2. How will you support line managers in facilitating the change that you are planning
4.4.3. How will you identify some line managers who are fully bought in and can act as role models for the change - first adopters?
4.5. How will you identify and become aligned with the different types of teams in the organisation you will need to work with
4.5.1. Management teams - lead and operate organisation
4.5.2. Work Teams - within a function
4.5.3. Project teams- assembled for a specific project
4.5.4. Change teams - run a particular change initiative
4.5.5. Matrix teams - cut across functions
4.5.6. Parallel teams - work across structures such as quality circles
4.5.7. Network Teams - based on communities of interest
4.5.8. Virtual teams
5. If this change is designed to achieve an outcome that impacts the culture of the organisation how can I bring that about
5.1. What is the specific business problem I am having, which means I need to change what people are doing
5.1.1. What do the people behaving in this way say about why they do what they do
5.1.2. What does this say about the assumptions that they are working with
5.1.3. How do these assumptions need to change so that they have a reason to behave differently
5.1.4. What small steps can you take (artefacts can you change) that will enable such a change to take place
5.2. How does this culture use its basic assumptions to define the norms and values that you are seeking to change?
5.2.1. How do the basic assumptions of the culture define the way people relate to each other
5.2.1.1. Does the group impacted by change think that you should always respect the rules or sometimes go around them?
5.2.1.2. Does the group impacted by change value creativity and working as individuals or do they value being team players?
5.2.1.3. Is the group impacted by change good at expressing their emotions or do they prefer to keep these to themselves?
5.2.1.4. Are relationships only formed for a specific purpose or are they valued in themselves ?
5.2.1.5. Is status earned by achievement or assigned to people because of their background and where they come from
5.2.2. What do the assumptions tell you about the way people in the culture organise their time
5.2.2.1. do they need to get things done now or do they take the long view?
5.2.2.2. Do these assumptions look to the past, focus on the present or look to the future
5.2.2.3. Is time and resources organised in a sequentially (step by step) series of tasks or multi task and do them in parallel
5.2.3. What do these assumptions tell you about how the people in the culture should think about its environment and Nature
5.2.3.1. When the group impacted by change look at their environment do they believe that they can control their own destiny or adjust to the one given them?
5.3. How will you overcome the resistance caused by diverse cultures within the single organisation.
5.3.1. How do the different assumptions used by the groups you want to engage lead to equally valid but contradictory ways to engage with the problem
5.3.2. How will you reconcile these ways of engaging to find an approach which makes sense for both groups
5.4. How can you use what you uncover to develop a practical approach to changing the culture and solving the business issue.
5.4.1. How will you find out whether cultural change is necessary for you to deliver the outcomes that you need to see?
5.4.1.1. What is it that you need to have happen in your business that will meet the problem you are trying to address?
5.4.1.2. What does the business look like when this happens and why is that different from what it looks like today?
5.4.1.2.1. What does the way top executives actually behave and do rather than what they say tell people about what they prioritise?
5.4.1.2.2. What does the way leaders provide access give their time and use their cash tell employees about what they should prioritise?
5.4.1.2.3. How does the way the organisation actually works like its performance management system tell people about what it values?
5.4.1.3. What does the things people do now and what they need to do say about what the business believes that it needs to BE
5.4.1.3.1. Should the organisation be primarily driven by achievement
5.4.1.3.2. Should the business be about delivering value to its clients
5.4.1.3.3. Should the business value the idea of working as one team above all else
5.4.1.3.4. Is it really about innovation and creating new exciting products and services
5.4.1.3.5. Should it be about putting people first above everything else
5.4.1.3.6. Or should it be on a mission to deliver the greater good for its stakeholders even outside the business
5.4.1.4. How can the business and especially those leading change change what they are doing so that the people in it learn a new way of BEING
6. how will you decide whether to plan change or encourage and nurture its emergence?
6.1. How does the organisational context make emergence possible in the organisation?
6.1.1. Can the change we are planning emerge and be nurtured through co creation from the organisation itself?
6.1.1.1. Is there time for the change that we are planning to be co created
6.1.1.2. How can we discover the change we want to see that is already happening so that we can nurture it?
6.1.1.3. What will be the consequences of the co creation of the change that will need to be managed - emergent benefits.
6.1.2. How can power relationships be used to provide the stability to enable the planned change to emerge through co creation?
6.2. How will you know what change initiative to nurture
6.2.1. From the alternative ways that change could happen what are the best ways given the environmental conditions
6.2.2. How will you scan the environment to know what the best way is at any point in time
6.2.3. How will you identify and work with positive generative and negative balancing feedback from system to nurture this best way
6.2.4. How do environmental factors impact on how you think about the goals of the change you are trying to make
6.3. How do you develop a workable plan for change in complex dynamic organisations
6.3.1. What "good enough" vision is specific enough to provide a general direction for your project but broad enough for this to be achieved in a dynamic setting?
6.3.2. How can you create the minimum detail in your specification a late as possible, so that it can allow ideas to deliver it to emerge
6.3.3. How will you identify and bring together the right people who can collaborate on co creating the right solutions
6.3.4. How can you provide the project environment to empower people to ask the questions every one is thinking about but no one is asking
6.3.5. How do you find out what is really going on rather than what the business says is going on