Different change models exist, which helps executives to manage organizational changes properly. The classic divisional organization, - the big ship - should turn faster.
Organizational structure change is a great challenge nowadays, and it motivates digital executives how to work in our digitally disrupted era. Basically the natural human being is not comfortable with change, - it strives for permanence - and the unusual activities gets attention. Positive or negative attention, it depends. If we have ever managed ICT Portfolio, we all know that - we are using capabilities until a certain capacity. This capacity's over- or under-utilization rate is one aspect to drive changes successfully. The more over-utilized organization the more resistance for change, gets the negative attention to change. Other important aspect is the diverse organization's Culture. If this culture is an inclusive culture, the attention is positive, and it can streamline the changes too. These 2 aspects (utilization rate and cultural maturity) should be on the top if we want to be successful in structural change management.
Before we list the some change models - frameworks, - what could be useful for digital executives -, I would assess the organization's senior ownership attitude, their formal origination, their history, in order to understand their habits and thoughts. Different Countries, different habits, but ingrained habits forms the usual reactions to change.
Numerous projects and programs involve altering systems, behaviors, activities, and occasionally cultures. Effectively managing such changes necessitates considering the transition from the present state to the desired future state. Various models outline the activities essential for successful change management.
Change in organization #1 - iterative
This framework has 5 associated elements, interconnected through a series of feedback loops:
Formulate Change - building the rationale to help people understand why change is needed, and how the future state will be better
Plan Change - identification of activities helps people prepare for the transition from the current to the future state
Implement Change - this iterative element focuses on demonstrating the future capabilities, checking to ensure the capabilities are having the intended impact, and making necessary improvements or adaptations in response.
Manage transition - this element considers how to address needs related to the change that may surface, once the future state is achieved.
Sustain Change - this element seeks to ensure that the new capabilities continue and previous or behaviors cease.
ADKAR® model #2 - 5 steps
Mr. Jeff Hiatt developed the ADKAR® model, which focuses on five sequential steps that individuals undergo when adapting to change:
Step: Awareness: this step identifies why the change is necessary.
Step: Desire: once people know why the change is necessary, there needs to be a desire to be a part of and support the change.
Step: Knowledge: people need to understand how to change. This includes understanding new processes and systems in addition to new roles and responsabilities. Knowledge can be imparted through training and education.
Step: Ability: In this step, knowledge is supported with hands-on practice and access to expertise and help as needed.
Step: Reinforcement: supports the sustainment of the change. This can include rewards, recognition, feedback, and measurement. Do not forget: a corporate is not a kindergarten, red point and printed thank you is not a reward and recognition, respect each others and be creative - C-levels likes to hand over recognitions, and the executive is looking for the pride here in the employee to reinforce.
8-steps process #3 - for leading the change
Mr. John Kotter introduced the 8-step process for leading change for transforming organizations. It is a top-down approach where the need for and approach to change originates at the top levels of the organization, and then is promoted down through the organization's layers of management to the change receipents.
Create urgency: identify potential threats and opportunities that drive the need for change.
Form a powerful coalition: identify the change leaders. Change leaders are not necessary based on hierarchy. The change leaders should be influental people from a variety of roles, expertise, social, and political importance.
Create a vision for change: identify the values that are central to the change. Then create a brief vision statement, that summarizes the change. Next identify the strategy to realize the vision.
Communicate the vision: communicate the vision through the change process. Apply the vision throughout all aspects of the organization. Senior Management and the change coalition should consistently communicate the vision and demonstrate the urgency and benefits of the change.
Remove obstacles: All change comes with obstacles. Sometimes the obstacles are outdated processes, sometimes they are based on the organizations structure, and sometimes they are the people resistant to change. Regardless, all obstacles need to be addressed.
Create short-term wins: identify quick and easy wins to build momentum, and support for the change.
Build on the change: once the short-term wins are complete, the organization needs to set goals for continued improvement.
Anchor the change in corporate culture: ensure the change becomes ingrained into the culture: continue to communicate the vision, tell success stories, recognize people in the organization who embody and empower the change, and continue to support the change coalition.
"Anyone who isn't embarrassed who they were last year, probably isn't learning enough. - Alain de Botton
Virginia Satir #4 - change model
Virginia Satir (american psychoterapist) developed a model of how people experience and cope with the change. Its purpose is to help project team members understand what they are feeling and enable to move through change more effectively.
Late status quo. This initial stage is when everything feels familiar, and can be characterized as "business as usual". For some people BAU may be good because they know what to expect. For others, this status may feel a bit stale of boring.
The foreign element. Something happens that shifts the status quo to this stage. This may include initiating a project that introduce a change to people's usual way of working. There is often a period of resistance and reduction in performance after the change is introduced. People may ignore the change or dismiss its relevance.
Chaos. People are in unfamiliar territory. They are no longer comfortable, and performance drops to its lowest level. Feelings, actions, and behaviors are unpredictable. Some people feels anxious, others may shut down, and some individuals may feel excited. Chaos can make people very creative as they try to find ways to make sense of the situation. They try various ideas and behaviors to see which of these has a positive outcome.
The transforming idea. People come to a point where they come up with an idea, that helps them make sense of the situation. They begin to see how they can find a way out of the chaos and cope with the new reality. Work performance begins to increase.
Practice and integration. People try to implement their new ideas or behaviors. There may be setbacks and a period of trial and error, but eventually they learn what works and what doesn't. This leads to improve performance. Often performance is at a higher level than it was before the foreign element was introduce.
New status quo. People get used to the new environment and their performance stabilizes. Eventually the new status quo becomes the normal way of working.
Transition model #5 - for individual's psycho.
Mr. Willian Bridges transition model provides an understanding what occurs to individuals psychologically when an organization changes takes place. This model differentiates between change and transition. Change is situational and happens whether or not people transition through it. Transition is a psychological process where people gradually accept the details of the new situation and the changes that come with it.
3 stages of the transition:
Ending, loosing, and letting go. The change is introduced in this stage. It is often associated fear, anger, upset, uncertainty, denial, and resistance to change.
The neutral zone. The change is happening in this stage. In some instances, people may feel frustrated, resentment, confiusion and anxiety about the change. Productivity may drop as people learn new ways of doing work. In other instances people may become very creative, innovative, and passionate about trying new ways of working.
The new beginning. At this point people accept and even embrace change. They are becoming more adept at the new skills and new ways of working. People are often open to learning and are energized by the change.
Summary
Being effective in organizational structural change is complex, it worth to understand the different aspects of it - to be able to react promptly and properly. Understanding hierarchical simplification, layoff or process optimization's environmental impact is a to do task for an executive in one hand, and its a possibility for the employees on the other hand. Communication is a must which helps to drive the changes. Drive changes with certified Project Managers. Thanks for reading, and contact here if you want.
Source: PMBOK 7th edition
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