What is Change Management ?

The first and most obvious definition of “change management” is that the term refers to the task of managing change. The obvious is not necessarily unambiguous. Managing change is itself a term that has at least two meanings.

One meaning of “managing change” refers to the making of changes in a planned and managed or systematic fashion. The aim is to more effectively implement new methods and systems in an ongoing organisation. The changes to be managed lie within and are controlled by the organisation. (Perhaps the most familiar instance of this kind of change is the “change control” aspect of information systems development projects.).

However, these internal changes might have been triggered by events originating outside the organisation, in what is usually termed “the environment.” Hence, the second meaning of managing change, namely, the response to changes over which the organisation exercises little or no control (e.g., legislation, social and political upheaval, the actions of competitors, shifting economic tides and currents, and so on).

Researchers and practitioners alike typically distinguish between a knee-jerk or reactive response and an anticipative or proactive response.

Why organisations need to change

Many things cause organisational change. These include:

• challenges of growth, especially global markets
• changes in strategy
• technological changes
• competitive pressures
• customer pressure, particularly shifting markets
• to learn new organisation behaviour and skills
• government legislation/initiatives.

Research indicates that organisations are undergoing major change approximately once every three years, whilst smaller changes are occurring almost continually. There are no signs that this pace of change will slow down.

In this context managers have to be able to introduce and manage change to ensure the organisational objectives of change are met, and they have to ensure that they gain the commitment of their people, both during and after implementation.

For these reasons, it is important that the way change is managed is carefully considered by organisations. Whilst each change situation will be unique, there are still a number of common themes that will help ensure that the change process stands the greatest chance of success.

What we do....

Many small and medium sized business owner(s) become aware at some point that they will  need to make a step change in the internal workings of their business in order for them to develop further.

Quite often the owner will also be the pivotal person within the company - this allows them very little, if any, time to make the necessary changes required to build robust processes, IT systems, administrative system, accounting controls, management accounts and HR policy that will assist in easing the growing pains and allow for the central processes to work in tune with the increase in turnover/workload of the business. It may also be the case that  within the company there is lack of technical expertise in order for the change to be managed in an orderly and non disruptive manner.

We assist SME's in making fundamental and robust changes to their business operations.

We are able to draw upon a network of specialist resources so we can cover all aspects of business operations and processes so that the final solution is integrated and allows for future development - the final solution MUST be as future proof as possible.

Reasons for using a change specialist

• Rapid commencement - an expert team can be on board within days, and with the minimum of recruitment or termination formalities
• Rapid results - change managers are usually overqualified for the job, and as a result they can 'hit the ground running'
• An impetus to champion the cause among the existing team
• To transfer a huge amount of skill and expertise to an internal team
• To bring more perspective and objectivity to monitor the results
• To drive through major change that can often be a sensitive issue - often best handled by people outside the organisation
• The imposed discipline of a change process to achieve desired results
• Effective leadership to carry the changes through

Points to Note

Five key principles to bear in mind when managing change:

• Different people react differently to change
• Everyone has fundamental needs that have to be met
• Change often involves a loss, and people go through the "loss curve"
• Expectations need to be managed realistically 
• Fears have to be dealt with

The loss curve

Management training, empathy and facilitative capability are priority areas - managers are crucial to the change process - they must enable and facilitate, not merely convey and implement policy from above, which does not work.

You cannot impose change - people and teams need to be empowered to find their own solutions and responses, with facilitation and support from managers, and tolerance and compassion from the leaders and executives. Management and leadership style and behaviour is more important than clever process and policy. Employees need to be able to trust the organization.

The leader must agree and work with these ideas, or change is likely to be very painful and the best people will be lost in the process.

Remember......

• At all times involve and agree support from people within system (system = environment, processes, culture, relationships, behaviours, etc., whether personal or organisational).
• Understand where you/the organisation is at the moment.
• Understand where you want to be, when, why, and what the measures will be for having got there.
• Plan development towards where you want to be in appropriate achievable measurable stages.
• Communicate, involve, enable and facilitate involvement from people, as early and openly and as fully as is possible.