The Right Way to Manage Change Esther Cameron

The Right Way to Manage Change? Esther Cameron + Mike Green Authors of Making Sense of Change Management

The change management landscape – the good news! • Many organisations are demonstrating increased investment in good quality management and leadership training • There is much improved attention to project and change management processes/frameworks and more rigorous planning, monitoring and controlling • There is more awareness of the need to engage people in change and deal with resistance 2

The change management landscape – the gaps? • Lack of awareness of the skills ‘stretch’ required to lead significant change • Too much ‘doing’ and not enough framing and containing • Belief that there is a perfect way to plan change in which everything goes exactly to plan 3

So what do effective change leaders do? Focus on what needs to change the Discomfort Develop a well-thought through plan the Design Take people towards the vision the Buy In Align disparate interests the Connectivity Have a plan and follow it through the Project 4

TENACIOUS IMPLEMENTER • Doggedly pursues the plan • Holds people to account • Leads by driving a project through to completion • Critical projects • Tighter compliance • New legislation 5 “Just follow the plan and we’ll get this done”

EDGY CATALYSER • Asks the difficult, penetrating questions • Spots dysfunction and resistance • Creates discomfort and unease when things aren’t improving • Crisis • Improving supply chain management • Creating a sense of urgency 6 “This is a serious problem. Can’t you get some traction on this? ”

THOUGHTFUL ARCHITECT • Is principal architect and designer of the strategies • Crafts seemingly disparate ideas into a way forward • Adjusts the internal systems to meet external drivers of change • Longer term strategies • Complex organizational change • New product/service design & implementation 7 “Let me explain how it all fits together”

VISIONARY MOTIVATOR • Articulates a compelling picture of the future • Gives clarity of purpose to people by promoting a motivating vision of the future • Holds the vision long enough and strong enough for others to step into • • Growing an enterprise Cultural change Longer term, complex change Demotivated workforce 8 “Let’s work together towards a brighter future”

MEASURED CONNECTOR • Reinforces what’s important and establishes a few simple rules • Calmly influences complex change activity through focused reassurance • Connects people and agendas • Working with partners & stakeholders • Cultural change • Mergers, acquisitions, restructures • Crises 9 “Get together and take time to focus on this”

10

Tenacious Implementer Edgy Catalyser Thoughtful Architect Visionary Motivator Measured Connector “Just follow the plan and we’ll get this done” “This is a serious problem. Can’t you get some traction on this? ” “Let me explain the key concepts and frameworks” “Let’s all move towards a brighter future” “Get together and take time to focus on this” Conversation 1 • In your current change work, which of the five qualities/roles are you demonstrating to good effect? • Which might you need to master over the coming months + why? 11

Less is More? • Holding back from so much doing • Practising minimal interventions • …developing Negative Capability 12

Less is More: Principles for Change Managers 1. What we resist persists, what we accept dissolves 2. By doing the least, the most is achieved 3. When the change manager rests in a place of nonaction, everything gets done without any effort 4. When the individual or the organisation makes a speedy recovery the change manager stays alert to the possibility of a relapse 5. When progress is slow the change manager keeps open the space where an unexpected miracle might occur 13

Less is More… Frame meetings well, create a safe space and keep watching Use elegant, minimal explanations Plan at the right level Tenacious Implementer Edgy Catalyser Thoughtful Architect Visionary Motivator Measured Connector “Just follow the plan and we’ll get this done” “This is a serious problem. Can’t you get some traction on this? ” “Let me explain the key concepts and frameworks” “Let’s all move towards a brighter future” “Get together and take time to focus on this” If others don’t see the problems you see, they might not be as important as you think Be able to describe an attractive future in 3 minutes 14

Conversation 2 From what you have heard: What new ideas or insights do you have? What might you do differently? 15

Summary o Know your strengths as a change leader o Stretch yourself as a change leader – step into unfamiliar roles when you need to o Remember that you don’t always need to be doing or interacting o “allow the inner knowing to emerge” o Sometimes it’s enough to describe the dilemma and wait…. o Recognise the need for feedback loops and adaptability as changes progresses. There’s no such thing as a perfectly planned change! 16

The End handouts available + books for sale! www. integralchange. co. uk 17 www. transitionalspace. co. uk