There are six fundamental phases
required for successful change management:
1.
Education
2.
Participation
3.
Communication
4.
Facilitation
5.
Information
6.
Rededication
In a busy organization, you are probably
involved in several new projects at once. These phases of change management
will help you and your team make a smooth transition.
The Education Phase: Inform
employees ahead of time change is on the way.
The “head's up” helps the team to develop the sense of confidence in
your leadership style.
The Participation
Phase: Encourage input from all employees on planning and
implementation. This bolsters confidence
and enthusiasm toward the organization and the project, as well as building
inertia for the start up.
The Communication
Phase: This is the final presentation on how the change is about to
be implemented. A storyboard showing all
the final changes can be used in the presentation.
The Facilitation
Phase: The change is under way.
During this phase the leader’s hands on participation brings big
benefits. Communicating and coaching can
only go so far. The leader must get
personally involved to demonstrate his or her personal investment in the
project.
The Information Phase: Now the leader truly keeps his or her ear to the ground to
determine what is working and what is not working. Informal, non-threatening encounters with
your people will give you most of this critical feedback. This is when you might learn that proper
delegation is not occurring or thinking is still too narrow.
The Rededication
Phase: Enthusiasm and energy don't last forever. After the initial hoopla is over, it is
important to evaluate and analyze the progress of the new project. Necessary tune-ups and adjustments are made
to improve on the improvement.
These
three actions will help you avoid the "Other Shoe Syndrome," which
results in cynicism in your team brought on by promoting change and not
following through:
·
Focus
on how your change initiatives are affecting morale. Solving one problem can create others.
·
Anticipate
doubt. People have a natural skepticism
that often serves a good purpose.
·
Never
stop selling. Your team members take
their clues from you. They watch every
day to see if your support and enthusiasm for change has diminished.
"Embrace
change. It's saying ‘yes’ to tomorrow
and ‘no’ to repeated yesterdays."
