Change management

The change management:!
!
an essential condition of a
successful strategy implementation"
1"2013/07/01" Written by Maxime CROS"
My PERFormance"Freelance Consulting and Facilitation in Strategic
Management and Managerial Relationships/Processes"

Introduction"

The presentation objective"
•  The execution of a strategy is at least as important as the brilliance of the strategy
itself, which means there is no successful strategy without using relevant tools to make
it pragmatic and operational in the field."
•  So, first of all, the successful implementation of a strategy stands on structuring and
rational tools or techniques adapted to the organization."
•  However implementing a strategy involves also a lot of changes for a company, as for
example a part of its organization, some work methods or job descriptions, the
individual and collective objectives, the management system,… that result in
emotional reactions from the people impacted by these changes, which brakes or
blocks the implementation process."
•  These reactions may surprise some people, especially when the strategy seems obvious
and understood by everyone. This is probably the reason why some managers don’t
give attention enough to these emotional reactions, which finally may result in the
failure of the strategy implementation."
•  Therefore, the successful implementation of a strategy also stands on the management
of all the changes following from this one."
•  This presentation aims at understanding and analysing the reasons of these emotional
reactions and sharing some principles to manage them efficiently in order to increase
our chances of success for implementing a strategy."

The presentation summary"
"
Part 1: The concept of change"
Part 2: The change mechanisms"
Part 3: The success keys for managing a
change"

Part 1:!
The concept of change"

What is a change?"
•  Changing, it is to be taken from a place to another place,
which results in a transformation, improvement,
deterioration,… of the past situation."
•  This the reason why we consider that accepting or digesting
a change consists in grieving the past situation."
•  We can consider that there are 2 kinds of change:"
–  the evolution from the past,"
–  the break with the past."
2013/07/01" Written by Maxime CROS" 6"
Situation A"
Situation B"
Transformation"
Improvement"
Deterioration"
…"

A paradoxical and complex
concept"
•  Change is a reality and a constant of the life on Earth. The most part of
time, this necessity of change is rationally acknowledged as an
obviousness, a need or an obligation."
•  However, at the same time, change develops some irrational fears,
resulting in resistances to change. The simple fact to pronounce the
word “change” develops these fears, that’s why when we have to
communicate about a change, we advise to avoid its using and to
replace it by words connoting it positively, as for example
“improvement” or “development”."
•  Therefore, change is a complex concept that results in a lot of questions:"
–  why is it so difficult to change for people whereas the obligation of change is
obvious and understood?"
–  why does the change announcement develop any resistances?"
–  why do all the individuals have an unequal capability to accept or digest a
change?"

An opposition between an emotional
and a rational logic (1/2)"
Why may an individual resist to a change?"
•  Because change forces individuals to call into questions some of their
points of reference that guarantee the internal and individual balance,
as:"
–  the knowledge of their environment: “Changing involves to think
differently”,"
–  their skills at the origin of their level of performance: “Changing involves to
do differently”,"
–  the satisfaction of their recognition need depends on their relationships with
people in their environment: “Changing involves to be different”."
•  Our capability to call into questions depends on our level of energy (or
motivation). So, the capability of an individual to accept and digest
these changes of references depends on his level of energy."
•  In other words, motivating somebody to change involves to send
positive messages enough to him in order to develop his level of
confidence, and then balance the efforts made to call into questions."

An opposition between an emotional
and a rational logic (2/2)"
•  When an individual feels his future environment breaking his current
situation, then his doubts will increase, which will develop a state of
psychological anxiety where emotion dominates reason."
•  When we feel an individual being doubtful, we naturally have a
tendency to explain the change, especially with rational arguments.
However, emotion affects our capability to listen and understand
because of some unconscious filters."
•  Then, every individual will develop a system of defence aiming at
keeping his internal balance, which indirectly threatens the change. He
doesn’t refuse the change itself, he just rejects his own decline. It is like
a survival instinct, that’s why the change resistance is so strong and
difficult to treat."
•  So, change resistance is not an own mechanism for all the individuals
but rather a behaviour that depends on the association change/decline
made by every individual. This is also the reason why changes are
sometimes associated to progress in the mind of some individuals."
•  Therefore, if the change is perceived as a risk of decline, an individual
resists. If the change is perceived as an opportunity of progress, an
individual is committed."

To sum up"
•  Change acceptance stands on motivation and not on reason.
Every individual doesn’t need a reason to change, he needs a
motivation to change."
•  Change is neither positive nor negative: it’s neutral. This is
the feeling associated to the change that is positive or
negative."
•  This is the management before, while and after the change
that influences the potential success of a change."

Part 2:!
The change mechanisms"

The change curve (1/2)"
•  The change curve is based on the Elisabeth Kubler Ross’ works. This concept, that
represents the different phases of the change acceptance, is valid in any cases of
change (if the change is decided or suffered)."
Change
announce"
Change fully
digested"
The arrow represents the time.!
The curve represents the level of energy
of people impacted by a change!
A" B"
Denial"
Anger"
Negotiation"
Demotivation"
Acceptance including
some reservations"
Integration"
Effective
change"
Phase of resignation:!
“I realize that the
change is real and I
can’t escape it ”!
Phase of movement:!
“I’m committed and I
support the change in
order to make it
successful”!
Phase of reject:!
“I unconsciously try to avoid
the change regardless the
means”!

The change curve (2/2)"
Staff" Manager"
Phases" Behaviours" Examples of sentences" Good practices" Bad practices"
Reject"
Denial"
Disagreement"
Refusal"
“It’s not possible”"
“I can not believe it”"
“I’m not concerned”"
To listen and acknowledge the staff
point of view"
To acknowledge the reality"
To explain the meaning of the change"
To rush"
To contest the staff
point of view"
To argue for the change
again and again"
Anger"
Aggressiveness"
Feeling of unfairness"
“It’s a shame”"
“They are stupid”"
“It’s not applicable in the
field”"
To listen and acknowledge the staff
point of view"
To acknowledge the difficulties"
To explain the meaning of the change"
To punish the unacceptable behaviours"
To accept the
unacceptable
behaviours"
Negotiation"
Give the impression to
make efforts for a win-
win issue"
“We might do it only next
year”"
“We might do differently”"
“We might do as we did by
the past”"
“If I do this part, maybe I
don’t have to do the rest”"
To keep the right direction"
To show a managerial solidarity in line
with the right direction and the
decisions"
To accept the
negotiation, even
temporary"
"
Resignation"
Demotivation"
Exhaustion/
Despondency"
Lack of understanding"
Acts of balance
(smoking excessively,
…)"
“I’m worthless”"
“I’ll be never able to do it”"
“I see no issue”"
“Nobody helps me”"
To valorize the positive points and the
progresses"
To coach the basics application"
To lack of valorization"
To be over-kind"
To make unrealistic
promises"
Acceptance including
some reservations"
Partial involvement"
Justifications"
“It’s not too bad”"
“I’m fine but…”"
“It’s good, however…”"
“I’m OK but…”"
To keep the right direction"
To valorize the positive points and the
progresses"
To coach the basics application"
To believe the change
acceptance as full and
definitive"
Movement" Integration"
Full commitment"
Source of proposals"
Change sponsor"
“It’s better than previously”"
“I have everything to gain”"
To put in light the improvements and
the progresses thanks to a feedback or
an assessment"
To talk about the past"
To reproach about the
past"

Part 3:!
The success keys for
managing a change"

•  An individual is more motivated to do something if he knows
the reason why he has to do it. There is no commitment in the
“how” if the “why” is not fully understood and digested."
•  Changing is not an end in itself. It is a mean to reach something
greater. So, it is really important to explain why we have to
change in order to strengthen the commitment of the people."
•  For example, a corporate strategy (and the implementation of
all the changes associated) is not an end in itself. It is a mean:"
–  to reach a corporate vision at long term,"
–  to re-align a company with its mission,"
–  to anchor the corporate values in the field,"
–  to develop new corporate values,"
–  …"
•  Therefore, for explaining the “why” of the change, managers
may:"
–  explain the ambitious vision that the change will make achievable,"
–  explain how it will anchor or complement the corporate DNA."
To explain the “why” of the
change"

To separate the change announcement
and its effective implementation"
•  As explained previously, the first reactions following the change
announcement are purely emotional, which indirectly tends to
brake or block the change implementation."
•  For this reason, planning a period of time between the change
announcement and its implementation may generally make
possible a “purge” of the first emotional reactions without
penalizing the change implementation. Indeed, when will come
the time to start the change implementation, people might be
more on a rational way, which will be therefore more efficient
for the implementation."
•  The duration of this period of time can change depending on the
situations (context, change aims, change size, corporate
culture,…)."
•  However, in some particular cases, it can be more efficient to
avoid the application of this managerial principle, as for
example, when an organization needs an electroshock for
different reasons relative to the current situation. "

To place the change within the
continuation of the past"
•  What is new and different develops our fears because we don’t
master it. What is current reassures us because we master it.
Then, managers have to place the change within the
continuation of the past in order to reassure people with their
references."
•  The most part of time, changes don’t fully call into questions
what we do. Changes only impact us partially:"
–  The implementation of a new sales reporting tool doesn’t change the core of
the job, that is to say visiting the customers and selling,"
–  The implementation of a new information system may obviously change
some practices or processes in a customer service department but don’t fully
change the job of the customer service consultants, that is to say receiving
the customer calls, listening the customer needs,…"
•  If managers stress the attention of the staff only on the changes,
it will tend to crystalize the tensions and the fears of the staff on
the changes. So before focalising on what changes, managers
have to stress what remains as it is or what doesn’t change, that
is to say generally the main part of the daily job."

To anticipate and announce any
potential difficulties coming next"
•  The implementation of any project or strategy faces difficulties
or unexpected events… it’s normal in the real life. However,
some of these ones are sometimes identified before starting the
implementation."
•  Although they know these difficulties at the beginning, in
situation of change, managers are sometimes afraid to
announce them because they don’t want to develop the
emotional reactions, which is uncomfortable to treat. Indeed
they prefer to avoid the matter, to hide it, or even to embellish
excessively the situation."
•  But finally, when the difficulties appear, it is worse because
people consider it wasn’t planed and have the feeling to have
been misled. Then there is a risk to face new emotional
reactions, generally more excessive, whereas we are at a
strategic time of the implementation."
•  So if managers know the difficulties coming next in the project,
they have to announce them in order to prepare the mind of the
staff to overcome them."

To adapt his management depending
on the stages of the change"
•  As explained previously (in the table following the change curve
- Part 2), the people reactions impacted by changes are not the
same depending on the stages of the change implementation
(and digestion). For this reason, it is really important to adapt
his management depending on these stages."
–  During the phase of reject:"
•  to communicate and explain the meaning of the change,"
•  to set up collective management times with the staff, without staff involvement: only information
meetings or positive feedback meetings,"
•  to run individual management times with every staff member: interviews based on listening in
order to drain the resistances."
–  During the phase of resignation:"
•  to remind the meaning of the change,"
•  to set up collective management times with the staff, without staff involvement: only information
meetings or positive feedback meetings (possibility to organize few meetings with staff
involvement, only with people ready to move forward),"
•  to run interviews for draining the resistances, giving positive feedback on progresses, managing
the basics application at short term."
–  During the phase of movement:"
•  to remind the meaning of the change,"
•  to set up collective management times with the staff, with staff involvement, as for example
workshops,"
•  to run interviews to treat the last individual resistances."

To plan and communicate a
schedule of implementation"
•  Sharing a schedule of implementation is reassuring for
people, mainly for 2 reasons:"
–  it shows how much the implementation has been seriously anticipated
and prepared,"
–  time is a point of reference for a lot of people, especially for those who
usually need structure."
•  The schedule has to be precise and detailed enough, in
avoiding to make unworkable undertakings. Indeed a non-
respect of the schedule might finally be disappointing and
anxiety-generating."

To cascade the implementation
by hierarchical level"
•  The role of the management line is to relay the messages of the
corporate head and supports the process of change. However,
managers are first of all individuals, themselves members of the
staff, which means they also have emotional reactions when
they are impacted by the change."
•  So, if they hear the messages from the top at the same time as
the members of their own staff, managers may have some
difficulties to treat their reactions, especially if they are
themselves concerned or emotionally fragile. Besides they may
feel out of the process and therefore keep a behaviour of
onlooker."
•  So, as far as possible, it is really important to cascade the
change implementation in involving progressively the
managers by hierarchical level:"
–  To let them a time to drain their own resistances,"
–  To make them responsible for the change implementation, which will
accelerate their change acceptance and develop their commitment, their
solidarity with the corporate head and their feeling of use."

To involve the staff in the practical
and operational details in the field"
•  In every change, there are different things that are very strategic and
therefore non-negotiable, as the change itself or the timing of the
change. However, there are also a lot operational and pragmatic details
without strategic aim that are not decided by the corporate head, and
that may be thought, decided and implemented by people working in
the field."
•  “More I’m imposed to do something, more I’m opposed. More I’m
involved, more I apply.” It means that the involvement of people for
thinking or expressing an opinion before the decision-making will
develop their commitment in the implementation of this decision."
•  So managers have to involve the staff in the reflexion and the
organization of the practical details in the field (what is aligned with
their responsibility), in order to develop their motivation and their
commitment during the implementation. However, there are some very
important precautions to take:"
–  involving the staff on a reflexion whereas everything is already decided will
develop their feeling to have been misled and therefore their frustration during
the implementation,"
–  involving the staff in any reflexion may tend to an excessive participatory
democracy slowing down the implementation, and that would become impossible
to manage."

To set up meetings regularly in
order to communicate and inform"
•  A period of change is a moment where there are a lot of
rumours and people lack of confidence or are very
suspicious. So it is really important to limit these potential
rumours as far as possible in order to keep the level of
confidence of the staff."
•  So managers have to organize a communication plan,
including recurrent information meetings, in order to inform
regularly the staff, even if there is nothing new since the last
communication."
•  Organizing and implementing a communication plan aligned
with the change implementation presents different
advantages:"
–  managers master the flow of information,"
–  employees trust the managers who show some transparency (as far as
possible)."

To assess the improvements and
give positive feedbacks regularly"
•  In the general case, several organizations have a tendency to
focus always on the future, with its difficulties and challenges
coming next, and so also with the efforts associated to these
exigencies. Even if this permanent race to the future is
motivating for some people, it is also very energy-hungry for
the staff with a risk to reach a point of exhaustion."
•  In a period of change, the energy reserves of the staff are lower
than usually because of the doubts associated to the change. So
the risk to reach quickly the point of exhaustion is increased."
•  For this reason, it is really important to take the time for
regularly measuring and assessing the progresses made since
the beginning of the change implementation. It keeps the best
mean to input an energy in order to balance the efforts
demanded for the future exigencies."
•  As it is difficult for people to take an overview from their daily
work, especially when they are stressed or under pressure, this
is the role of the management line to assess and communicate
regularly the progresses made."

To sum up: the success keys for
managing a change"
•  To explain the “why” of the change"
•  To separate the change announcement and its effective
implementation"
•  To place the change within the continuation of the past"
•  To anticipate and announce any potential difficulties coming next"
•  To adapt his management depending on the stages of the change"
•  To plan and communicate a schedule of implementation"
•  To cascade the implementation by hierarchical level"
•  To involve the staff in the practical and operational details in the
field"
•  To set up meetings regularly in order to communicate and inform"
•  To assess the improvements and give positive feedbacks regularly"

Conclusion"

Conclusion"
•  In a situation of change, resistances are normal reactions for
everyone. They are a stage of an adaptation process, as
Darwin explained it in his theory. After all, these resistances
are a necessary evil."
•  Indeed, the concerns are not these resistances, but rather
our capability to manage them, in finding the good balance
between our level of exigency that involves some efforts for
the team, and our input of energy in order to offset the
efforts."
•  Finally, the potential success of a project or a strategy
depends on the management of the changes inherent in its
implementation at least as much as its technical
implementation itself."

Contact us"
I want to enhance"
Contact details"
•  Senior Consultant: Maxime CROS"
•  Email: maximecros.ct@myperf.org"
•  Location: Cape Town (South Africa)"
My PERFormance"

Change management

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