Organizational Change Management – Is your Organization Effectively Leading Change?

In last month’s blog post If you build it, they will come. Really? we highlighted the discipline “Organization Change Management” (OCM), which addresses “the people side of change.”

Organization Change Management is defined as the process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve a required business outcome.

In order to stay relevant and thriving, companies must respond to changing markets, technical advances and customer demands.

Change management is one of the disciplines that is applied to a variety of organizational changes to improve the likelihood of success and return on investments.

To effectively manage change within a company, two perspectives are required: an individual perspective and an organizational perspective. The organizational perspective is the process and activities that project teams utilize to support successful individual change, according to Procsi.

Change can only be successful if the change takes place simultaneously on both levels – individual and organizational, according to Management Skills, Personal Effectiveness and Business Communication expert, Patty Mulder.

It is often said that an organization is only as strong as its leadership. As a leader in your organization, are you effectively endorsing, advocating and managing change? Below are a few traits of effective change leaders. How well do you measure up?

• Leaders understand they are ultimately accountable and responsible for the successful implementation of change, which is ensuring the benefits of change are fully realized.
• Leaders are role-models. Leading by example; providing visible, active support of the change.
• Leaders embrace change management disciplines and create a strong network of sponsors throughout the organization.
• Leaders support change management throughout the project lifecycle in various ways, to include assessing the need for specific change management skills and training and/or acquiring the necessary resources.

No company or organization is exempt from organizational changes. Change has become a constant. However, with change comes the natural reaction of resistance from employees that organizations and leaders must be prepared for; a proactive resistance management. Resistance to change is one of the top obstacles to successful change.

By outlining the goals and outcomes of successful change, the Prosci ADKAR® Model is an effective tool for planning change management activities, equipping leaders facilitating change, and supporting employees throughout the change.

The model helps leaders and organizations identify why change is difficult and why some changes succeed while others do not. The model also helps leaders determine what steps to take to prevent or mitigate employee resistance before it emerges and impacts the project and the organization.

The Prosci ADKAR® Model is a goal-oriented change management model that iSeek change management professionals trust and execute to develop thorough change management plans that mitigate resistance and ensure successful change.

Our next blog will discuss more insights on the Prosci ADKAR® Model and the individual/employee perspective of Organizational Change Management. So, stay tuned for more! Check out our website, subscribe to our blog, or follow us on LinkedIn. Again, if you’re about to kick-off a new project, or perhaps you’re already in the midst of one, and you want to ensure a thorough change management process exists to mitigate change resistance, contact us today at info@iseeksolutionsinc.com to get started on a change management plan.