Skills The management agenda How to implement change projects

The management agenda
How to implement
change projects
Skills
© Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) 2009
Contents
Foreword
Welcome to World Class Skills
Introduction to the programme
Consultancy
E-learning
Agenda
Seminar outline
Change in the FE sector
Change and change management
Why do people resist change?
Change approach
The case for change
Mobilising change
Communication and stakeholder engagement
Allocating change roles
Project management
Change recommendations
Plan of action
Contacts
Resources
Courses
Appendices
2
4
6
8
9
10
11
12
14
19
21
24
30
32
38
44
48
52
53
54
56
57
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The management agenda
Foreword
The further education sector understands the
need to improve skills levels if business is to
compete and succeed in global markets. Further
education providers recognise too the key role
they have to play in innovation, training and
support for employers. We are keen to learn
from the many examples of effective practice
in the sector to build provider capacity to deliver
high quality, flexible provision that responds
to employers’ needs.
The Learning and Skills Improvement
Service’s (LSIS) World Class Skills programme
(WCS) provides a range of products and services
that are alert to the needs of individual providers
as they seek to improve the responsiveness and
quality of their offer to employers.
How to implement change projects
3
Fully funded, it provides a free-of-charge range
of interactive workshops, seminars, consultancies
and structured support to take forward reform
and development through thematic
development projects.
This publication is one of a group of resources
that have been developed to support interactive
workshops and seminars offered through the
programme. We believe it brings together useful
information to support providers as they gear up
their business with and for employers.
Roger McClure
Chief Executive, LSIS
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The management agenda
Welcome to
World Class Skills
The Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in
the Global Economy, World Class Skills (2006)
investigated the UK’s long-term skills needs and
predicted that even if targets current at the time
of the report were met, the UK’s skills base would
still lag behind many of its key comparators.
That’s why the government has committed
to ensuring that the workforce in England has
world-class skills by 2020. This will call for an
enormous shift in attitudes and aspirations
within workplaces, schools, colleges, universities
and society itself.
It will require every individual to think
about updating their skills and qualifications
to ensure that they are giving employers what
they really need.
How to implement change projects
It will require employers to play an active role
in helping to reform vocational qualifications
to ensure that they are relevant and responsive
to changes in the global economy.
In support of these reforms, the Learning
and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), working
closely with national partners, was asked by
the government to lead the development of
a single, integrated improvement strategy to
support the drive for excellence in the further
education system that would succeed in the
new demand-led environment.
In the twenty-first century, our natural resource is our
people – and their potential is both untapped and vast.
Skills will unlock that potential. The prize for our country
will be enormous – higher productivity, the creation of
wealth and social justice.
Lord Leitch, Leitch Review of Skills, 2006
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The management agenda
Introduction to the
programme
The World Class Skills – developing responsive provision is an LSIS
programme providing support for improvement activities for LSC-funded
providers in enhancing their employer-facing provision. This will support
organisations in developing provision to meet employers’ skills needs and
the aspirations of the Leitch Review of Skills.
KPMG and its consortium partners are delivering this major support
programme. Together they can bring significant expertise to you and your
organisation. KPMG has an in-depth understanding of the wider education
and skills sector that can help further education colleges and independent
training providers deliver improved outcomes for learners and employees,
as well as achieve their organisational goals. They can also draw in the
sector’s most innovative and effective practice to share with you.
Programme benefits
Involvement in the programme will help LSC-funded providers of education
and training to:
• develop and extend effective employer relationships
• ensure that growth and quality go hand in hand
• create fit-for-purpose organisational structures
• gain relevant accreditation, for example, Training Quality Standard (TQS)
and Framework for Excellence
• access high-level support through a range of focused events
• network with peers and share effective practice.
Programme overview
The programme is designed to support the Train to Gain Plan for Growth,
the changes to demand-led funding, the rolling out of the TQS accreditation,
National Skills Academies and the development of specialist networks.
How to implement change projects
7
The focus of the programme is to work with providers and other stakeholders
to be more responsive to the needs of employers and increase the capacity
of the FE system to provide high quality, flexible training and support for
employers and their employees in order that they can contribute to UK
productivity and competitiveness in a global economy.
The programme comprises both seminars and workshops. Seminars provide
a high-level introduction and overview of the topic. Workshops are designed
for smaller groups: the sessions are more interactive and practical in nature,
giving participants the opportunity to work with a range of proven tools
and techniques. There will be an opportunity for providers to apply for
individualised consultancy support to work within their organisation in an
intensive way to focus on the development of employer-responsive provision.
Resources
HMSO (Her Majesty’s Stationery Office) (2007) World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch
Review of Skills in England. Norwich: HMSO. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/skillsstrategy/uploads/documents/World%20Class%20Skills%20FINAL.pdf
Lord Leitch (2006) Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the Global Economy,
World Class Skills. London: HMSO. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/2006-12%20LeitchReview1.pdf
QIA (Quality Improvement Agency) (2006) Pursuing Excellence: An Outline Improvement
Strategy for Consultation. Coventry: QIA.
Learning and Skills Council: www.lsc.gov.uk
Learning and Skills Improvement Service: www.lsis.org.uk
World Class Skills: www.excellencegateway.org.uk/wcs
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Consultancy
As part of the World Class Skills programme, there are a limited number
of one-to-one consultancies available. Consultancy support may allow
your organisation to explore in greater depth some of the issues you have
identified in attending a seminar or workshop. For example, having attended
the workshop on ‘Building employer-responsive skills in your organisation’
and the seminar on ‘Legal advice on employment terms and conditions’
you may feel that your organisation would benefit from individual support
in reviewing current and future staffing profiles and how to ensure these
are aligned to increase employer-responsive provision.
This consultancy support is fully subsidised by LSIS. It is a unique opportunity
to gain professional consultancy to support organisational development in
enhancing your employer-responsive provision. It will, of course, also require
time commitment from staff in your organisation in order to bring about real
change and development for the organisation. In order for these benefits to
be maximised it is essential that this consultancy is supported from the top,
both conceptually and with commitment and input to the process from the
head of the organisation. Other members of the senior management team
will also need to engage with the consultancy process, depending on the
nature of this consultancy.
For each consultancy, a KPMG consultant will be assigned to your organisation
to support you through the process of completing the diagnostic questionnaire
and associated development plan, A Framework to Measure and Improve
Employer Responsiveness. This development plan will be confidential to your
organisation. If you have already completed this diagnostic questionnaire
they will support you in updating this and validating its currency. They will then
work with you to identify how additional consultancy support may help you
to progress in implementing your development plan. They will take a flexible
approach to ensure that this consultancy plan is customised to meet your
needs but, as an indication, it may cover areas such as implementing effective
labour market information (LMI) and/or customer relationship management
(CRM) systems; organisational design for performance; implementing and
maintaining change; or achieving the Training Quality Standard.
If you would like further information please contact
wcsenquiries@kpmg.co.uk
How to implement change projects
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E-learning
Alongside the workshops and seminars, a suite of five online training modules
is being developed. The topics are as follows:
• Building employer-responsive skills in your organisation
• Funding and finance for maximising business
• Identifying bottom-line benefits
• Sales and gaining repeat business
• Targeting SMEs for training.
E-learning is an alternative way for providers to interact with the programme
and share knowledge within their organisation.
Each module will take between 40 minutes and an hour to complete, and
will include interactive material such as multiple-choice questions, quizzes,
games, scenarios and case studies.
The modules will be accessed from www.excellencegateway.org.uk/wcs
If you would like further information please contact
Adam Caldwell
adam.caldwell@kpmg.co.uk
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Agenda
Coffee and registration
Welcome, introductions and objectives
Change in the FE sector
Change and change management (including coffee)
Change approach
09.30
10.00
10.10
10.50
11.50
Lunch
12.30
Mobilising the change
13.30
Break
14.30
Communication and stakeholder engagement
Allocating change roles
Closing session
14.40
15.15
15.50
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Seminar outline
Aim
To give you a greater understanding of change processes and associated
behaviours.
Objective
To ensure you are better equipped to implement a successful organisational
change.
Benefits
Better understanding of change management theory for all
management staff.
Simple and effective ways of dealing with barriers to change.
Tools and techniques to support the implementation and ongoing
management of change projects.
Increased levels of staff retention and satisfaction.
Simply … a more employer-responsive business.
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Change in the FE sector
There has always been considerable change in the FE sector. Although change
has been constant the difference now is the rate, scale and depth of change.
Organisations who anticipate and embrace change constructively and
creatively are the ones most likely to develop rather than decline.
Recently this change has included a focus and recognition on the importance
of employer investment in workforce development and the contribution
this makes to economic productivity. The term ‘employer responsive’ is now
commonly used and responding to the needs of employers is acknowledged
as a central purpose of post-16 education and training. Indeed with decline in
the traditional FE population an organisation that can improve its employer
responsiveness and maintain its other strengths will be a stronger and more
stable organisation.
Resources
Foster, A. (2005) Realising the Potential: A Review of the Future Role of Further Education
Colleges. Annesley: DfES Publications. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/REALISING06.pdf
LCS (Learning and Skills Council): www.lsc.gov.uk
Lord Leitch (2006) Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the Global Economy,
World Class Skills. London: HMSO. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/2006-12%20LeitchReview1.pdf
How to implement change projects
13
What does employer responsiveness mean to you?
Exercise
Consider the following four questions with relation to your own experience
of change and employer responsiveness:
1 Thinking about your previous experiences of change programmes,
what worked well? What didn’t work well?
2 What does ‘employer responsive’ mean for your organisation?
How does it look and operate in practice? What are you currently
well designed to achieve? What problems do you face?
3 What could make this change programme different from those tried
in the past?
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The management agenda
Change and change
management
The nature of change in organisations
There are two views about how change occurs in organisations. The first sees
change as a continuous factor, with organisations transforming on a regular
basis with the environment changing around them. The second sees change
as a process of punctuated steps. The latter is more likely to exist in industries
where changes to the competitive conditions are not as frequent and it is
possible to remain competitive for a period of time without making any
significant changes to the way an organisation operates.
In addition there are a number of recognised change paths which are illustrated
in the following diagram. The most popular change path is Reconstruction
followed by Evolution (eg the shutdown of some departments, head count
loss, followed by a series of changes to do with culture). The change path
chosen will depend on the context and circumstances of the organisation.
Exercise
Consider which path would be most appropriate for your organisation
and why.
End result
Transformation
Realignment
Evolution
Transformational change implemented
gradually through different stages and
interrelated initiatives. Likely to be planned,
proactive change undertaken in response to
anticipation of the need for future change.
Adaptation
Less fundamental change implemented
slowly through staged initiatives.
Revolution
Transformational change that occurs via
simultaneous initiatives on many fronts, and
often in a relatively short space of time.
More likely be forced and reactive, due to
the changing competitive conditions the
organisation is facing.
Reconstruction
Reconfiguring the business. Often forced
and reactive due to changing competitive
context.
Incremental
Nature
Big Bang
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What is change management?
Change management is the process of ensuring that the people most
affected by proposed organisational changes are ready, willing and able to
make the operational and behavioural changes required to deliver success.
Change management isn’t:
an event
HR activities such as recruitment, performance management,
talent management, improving HR services and processes
purely qualitative
soft and fuzzy
project management
easy to do well!
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Notes
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Why do we need change management?
Without change management, change projects are more likely to fail,
or to lead to problems in an organisation. According to research by KPMG,
60 per cent of projects fail to deliver the expected business case.
The following table illustrates the 10 most common reasons why change
programmes fail. Any one of these problems can derail a programme,
but some change programmes can face more than one at a time, greatly
reducing the likelihood of a successful outcome. Any of these reactions
to change is likely to have an effect on the customer experience and could
turn employers away from the organisation. Careful change management
will forestall many of these problems or will help the organisation to react
positively and effectively to counter them when they do arise.
Project takes too long. Organisation loses sight of
reason and benefits of change …
Inertia
Lack of clarity around target position. Projects ‘do
their own thing’ …
Confusion
Organisation cannot support its people well when
delivering under pressure …
Corruption
It’s sometimes too easy to do the simple things
and then stop …
Diffusion
The organisation is not clear when it has succeeded,
or how near it is …
Uncertainty
The change is not managed as a project, with
clear leadership …
Misdirection
The project team is not given sufficient or credible
resources to succeed …
Frustration
The organisation is just not ready to deliver the change …
Exhaustion
There is lingering resistance to the change
(for whatever reason) …
Resentment
How to implement change projects
Exercise
Which of these issues have you encountered, or would you expect
to encounter, in a change programme in your organisation?
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The management agenda
Furthermore, after an organisation makes changes, there is often a
performance dip while the new organisation gets used to the new systems
and ways of working. Change management can help to minimise this dip
in performance and its duration.
It is important to remember, however, that performance almost always
falls during and immediately after projects. This dip is caused by business
not being as usual and in some cases it never recovers, even to pre-project
levels. There is therefore a pressing need to get the skill sets restored. Change
management will not solve every issue, but it is a valuable tool that can be
applied to assist in minimising the downside and maximising the benefits.
Business performance dip
Business performance
Implementation
Stabilise and support
Minimise
Benefit realisation
Maximise
Time
Notes
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How to implement change projects
Why do people
resist change?
Recognising the phases of change
Much has been written on the stages that an individual goes through as part
of the change process. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s work based on the reactions
of people going through the grief process is one of the most used studies.
A similar curve passing through Denial, Resistance, Exploration and
Commitment below illustrates common reactions to change.
The phases of change
Denial
Commitment
• Focused on
outcomes/impact
• Disbelief
• Apathy
• Clear understanding
of what to do next
• Numbness
• Activity but
no progress
Integration
• High job satisfaction
(managers and staff)
• Looking ahead
to further change
Denial
Understanding
• Condent of ability
to adapt to change
Shock
• Excited/energised
• Anger
• Depression
Frustration
Experimentation
• Stubbornness
• Blaming
• Over preparation
(planning rather
than action)
• Too many ideas/options
• Absenteeism
• Confusion about priorities
Acceptance
Resistance
• Too much uncoordinated
independent action
Exploration
For a number of reasons, people in organisations can often find change
both daunting and difficult. If an individual undergoing change does not
progress up the commitment curve it is usually because they have developed
a resistance to change.
The following figure offers an amalgamation of various factors in personal
resistance gleaned from both academic research and experience.
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The management agenda
Resistance to change
Loss of control
Fear of the
unknown
History
Expected or
unexpected
change
Increased
workload
Fear of
complexity
Force
of habit
Ego
Self doubt
Resources
Kubler-Ross, E. (1973) On Death and Dying. London and New York: Routledge.
Kubler-Ross, E. (2005) On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief through the
Five Stages of Loss. New York: Simon & Schuster.
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How to implement change projects
Change approach
Change framework
Preparation is crucial in the successful implementation of any change
programme. The Change Framework is a useful tool in the planning
and assessment of requirements for change. The framework shows the
different stages involved in change management – from ‘Mobilising the
change’ to ‘Managing the process’, and is a good way to assess whether
your change management design has covered all the key components.
The change framework
Design and analyse the change
• Assess the current
organisational situation
• Define the desired
organisational state (vision)
• Determine how to get there
Managing the process
• Designing the project
• Tracking benefits
• Monitoring progress
• Resources
• Risk
Mobilising the change
• Compelling change story
• Vision for the future
• Case for change
The change content
Benefit case
Engaging people
• Stakeholders
• Resistance
• Commitment
• Sustaining change
• Communication
Allocating change roles
• Leading the change
• Managing the project
• Supporting key roles
• Roles and responsibilities
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Notes
How can we use this in our organisation?
Have elements of this been covered previously?
It is important at the mobilising stage to build a convincing case for change –
the compelling change story. This can be made of ‘pushes’ (reasons for
change related to the current situation) and ‘pulls’ (reasons for change related
to the future situation). It is vital to make clear the reasons for the change
(the push) and the implications of not changing, while balancing these with
an inspiring vision of the future after the change is implemented (the pull).
How to implement change projects
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Change equation
A further tool that may be useful in capturing the process of change and
identifying the factors that need to be in place for successful change to
happen is the equation developed in 1987 by Beckhard and Harris. It is
deceptively simple but extremely useful. It can be brought into play at any
stage in the change process to analyse how things are going. Potential
problems it can highlight include:
staff are not experiencing dissatisfaction with status quo
the proposed end state has not been communicated to key people
the proposed end state is not desirable to the change implementers
the tasks being given to those implementing the change are too
complicated or ill defined.
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There are three vital components which need to be in place for change
to take place. For individuals to feel that the problems and pain of change
are outweighed by the advantages of the need to change it is necessary
for people to be:
dissatisfied with the status quo
convinced the proposed changes are a viable way of resolving
current problems
convinced that the proposed changes are achievable.
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The formula is expressed thus:
(A x B x D)
C=
X
When
C = Change
A = level of dissatisfaction with the status quo
B = desirability of proposed change
D = practicality (risk of disruption of changing)
X = personal cost of changing
This equation is particularly helpful when considering mobilisation and ties
in with issues of determining readiness for change. Mobilising individuals is
about getting individuals to recognise that change is necessary and that they
have to let go of the past; that proposed changes are desirable because they
will solve the problems the organisation is facing and that they are achievable.
Resource
Beckhard, R.F. and Harris, R.T. (1987) Organizational Transitions: Managing Complex
Change. Reading MA: Addison-Wesley.
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The case for change
The case for change has to be clearly stated at the start of any change project.
It should comprise a highly compelling justification of why the organisation
must change, developed by describing the company’s current situation and
placing it in the context of the new business realities. It should include SMART
(specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound) targets/benefits,
the identification of which will enable you to track the success of the change
and must address the following questions:
Why is the change needed?
What are the drivers?
How immediate is the need?
When will the change occur?
What will the change involve?
What benefits will it bring?
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The case for change must also include a vision incorporating the goals
and objectives of the change – what successful change will look like.
For an example of a case for change see page 58 in the Appendices.
Assessing your current position and where you want to go
A number of methods can be used to assess the current organisational
situation and to identify the forces that may require an organisation to change.
Organisations should be aware of their current strengths and focus on those,
as well as on areas to improve and change. Some tools to help to do this are
identified below:
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Force field analysis
Force field analysis was developed by Kurt Lewin (1951) and is widely used
to inform decision-making, particularly in planning and implementing change
management programmes in organisations. It is a powerful method for
gaining a comprehensive overview of the different forces acting on a potential
policy issue and for assessing their sources and strengths. The first step is to
agree the area of change to be discussed. This might be written as a desired
policy goal or objective. All the forces in support of the change are then listed
in a column to the left (driving the change forward) while all forces working
against the change are listed in a column to the right (holding it back). The
driving and restraining forces should be sorted around common themes and
should then be scored according to their ‘magnitude’, ranging from one
(weak) to five (strong). The score may well not balance on either side and can
help see where there might be resistance to change. Throughout the process
rich debate and dialogue should emerge, which is an important part of the
exercise, and key issues should be allowed time for discussion as this often
leads to ideas regarding solutions and ways forward.
Resource
Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. New York: Harper & Row.
SWOT analysis
SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
SWOT analysis is primarily a tool utilised for strategy development taking
into account the operating environment of any business, both internally
and externally. Environmental factors internal to an organisation can
normally be categorised as strengths and weaknesses, while external
environmental factors can be categorised as opportunities and threats.
In the light of employer responsiveness, SWOT analysis is a helpful method
of utilising the team’s different perspectives in the organisation to collectively
consider current provision. The team can clearly see the strengths and
opportunities to retain/build on and the threats and weaknesses to
mitigate/action plan against.
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The management agenda
Customer feedback
There is no one standard procedure of capturing customer feedback or
requirements. This can be achieved through a variety of ways including
interviews, focus groups, observations and/or surveys. It is easy to presume
that we know what employers want, but unless we ask them, we risk changing
the organisation for no benefit. This can be an excellent way to ensure those
staff who are not bought into the change process face some hard facts and
is more telling than producing a report full of numbers for dissemination.
Process mapping
An organisational process map documents currently defined processes.
This overview provides an organisational perspective of such processes and
can be helpful in documenting and communicating the scope of a change
programme. The known processes at a high level should be mapped in the
form of arrows to show how one flows into another. Defining processes
provides a clear understanding of the business and the relationships between
processes. It can show us which processes are key to employer engagement,
which support it and which are unnecessary.
Benefits management
The fundamental reason for beginning a change programme is to realise
benefits through change. The change may be to do things differently,
to do different things, or to do things that will influence others to change.
Change programmes will produce outcomes, but change alone will not
produce measured improvements (benefits). Realising benefits requires
active management throughout the change process. The identification,
monitoring and measurement of benefits are fundamental parts
of achieving success.
Notes
How to implement change projects
27
The objectives of benefits management are to:
ensure benefits are identified and defined clearly and linked
to strategic outcomes
ensure individuals in business areas own the identified benefits
and their realisation. It is critical that sponsors are responsible for
‘adding value’ through the process
proactively manage the process of benefit realisation, including
benefit measurement
keep benefits within realistic boundaries of scope and value,
to identify their wider impact
use the benefits to direct the programme and provide a focus for
delivering change, to realise benefits in line with overall business
direction and strategy
ensure benefits realisation is tracked and recorded and ensure
achievements are properly identified and recognised
provide alignment and clear links between the programme,
its vision and desired outcomes and the strategic objectives
of the organisation(s) involved.
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Benefits can be defined in many different ways dependent on the change
programme. Examples are cost reduction (cashable and non-cashable), time
saved, cost avoidance, improved quality, improved compliance or reduced risk.
In summary, effective benefits realisation:
leads to demonstrable delivery of project benefits
facilitates the communication of tangible delivery to stakeholders
reduces the risk of failure
allows for effective feedback of lessons learned to improve future
project delivery.
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Readiness for change
Change readiness assessments help to provide an understanding of the
organisation's potential to undergo organisational change. The benefits
include an increased potential for success of the change efforts, the ability to
identify and manage where resistance to change exists, or where pockets of
such resistance are collected, and to assist in bringing support to the project.
This assessment identifies:
strengths or weaknesses of previous change efforts that need
to be addressed
areas within the organisation that have experienced or are undergoing
significant change
areas within the organisation that have little or no experience with change
how the employer-responsive programme is similar to (or different from)
previous changes in terms of its nature, scope and urgency.
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The management agenda
A change readiness assessment should be performed at the beginning of a
project to ensure resistance to the initiative is identified upfront. A series of
interviews should be carried out with the senior management team (SMT)
and key managers to explore their feelings about change, their level of
commitment and their perception of resistance to change at all levels within
the organisation. Focus groups or surveys can be run with members of staff
to identify and explore the reasons behind the successes and/or failures of
past change initiatives.
Potential questions
Factor
Questions
Perceived choice
• It is perceived that people will ‘get away’
with not changing
• Sanctions for not changing are small
• Leadership is not perceived to be totally
behind the change
• Benefit of the change to the business is
perceived to be low
1
2
3
4
5
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
1
2
3
4
5
• People have been consulted over the final design
• People have been heavily involved in creating
the final design
• People perceive their voice has been heard
during the design phase
• People have had a chance to test and pilot
the change
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
• Change requires people to learn new skills
• Change requires people to unlearn old skills
• New approach is totally new to the business
therefore there are no or few role models
• Change will require significant time to master
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
1
2
3
4
5
Involvement
Perceived difficulty
Disagree
Agree
Interpretation of the results
The result of the change readiness checklist is taken into consideration in the
preparation of your project plan, ie what type of communication, frequency
of communication etc is necessary. The change readiness assessment can
also be input to the stakeholder management document. The findings should
be analysed and include comments on:
key potential problem areas and issues
the location of groups with high change tolerance
ways to ensure previous implementation problems do not occur,
or are minimised
mechanisms for involvement and engagement.
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How to implement change projects
29
Whilst the change readiness assessment will allow you to analyse the
organisation’s readiness to change and areas to improve, a lack of
readiness for change should not be confused with resistance. If people
have been prepared for change and understand what is expected from
them, they are less likely to exhibit resistance.
Useful questions to ask of the results:
●
●
●
●
●
Is this what you would have expected?
Are there areas which surprise you or the rest of the team?
What could have caused the positive/negative responses?
Is this merely ratifying what you already know?
What can be done to rectify some of the issues?
Impact of change
An impact assessment is a process and outcome that takes the change
(future state or ‘to be’ picture) and breaks it down into separate changes so
that the impact upon the organisation and stakeholders can be understood
and hence managed.
The five key steps to conducting an impact assessment are:
Step 1 – Unpack the ‘to be’ picture into specific changes.
Step 2 – Identify stakeholders affected by the change.
Step 3 – Assess the impact of each change for each stakeholder.
Step 4 – Determine significance of the impact of each separate change.
Step 5 – Design change interventions.
For an example of an impact assessment, see the Appendices, page 59.
30
The management agenda
Mobilising change
Building on the case made for change and the ‘compelling change story’
of the change framework already discussed, we now examine further the
importance of inspiring and motivating staff and stakeholders to embrace
change within an organisation.
Vision
As you embark upon a change programme it is crucial that you have in place
a vision that describes the effect of the proposed changes in the context of
the organisational environment you wish to create. Throughout the change
process each individual within the organisation needs to be, not just aware
of the vision, but committed to its realisation.
Writing a vision statement
The criteria to keep in mind when writing a vision statement are:
Be specific to your organisation.
Encompass the organisation’s values.
Describe what you want to see in the future.
Be positive and inspiring.
Do not assume that the system will have the same framework
(constraints) as it does today.
Be open to dramatic modifications to the current organisation,
methodology, teaching techniques, facilities, etc.
●
●
●
●
●
●
Exercise
In the space provided write a vision for employer responsiveness for your
organisation. Imagine it is five years from today and you have created
your desired organisational state. Now it is your job to describe it, as if you
were able to see it realistically around you. (You may want to consider the
checklist opposite.)
How to implement change projects
Checklist
Does it convey a picture of what the future will look like?
Does it appeal to the long-term interests of members, employees,
customers, partners and other stakeholders?
Does it comprise realistic, attainable goals?
Is it clear enough to provide guidance in decision making?
Is it general enough to allow individual initiatives and alternative
responses in light of changing conditions?
Is it easy to communicate; can it be clearly explained in five minutes?
Is it ambitious enough to force people out of comfortable routines?
Source: Kotter (1996)
See also the vision expressed in the case for change example in the
Appendices on page 58.
31
32
The management agenda
Communication and
stakeholder engagement
For any change project to be successful and for the changes to be sustainable
it is necessary that the case for change and the forward vision be effectively
communicated and consensus gained at all levels throughout the organisation.
Communication: do’s and don’ts:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Listen and pay attention to others
Encourage participation
Share information
Don’t agree too quickly
Don’t bargain or trade support
Don’t vote
Treat differences as a strength
Create a solution that can be supported
Avoid arguing blindly for your own views
Seek a win–win solution
Communications timetable
As the main method of increasing the buy-in and support of stakeholders,
communications may be the most important tool in helping an organisation
become more employer responsive. A timetable which lays out when to
contact which stakeholders is therefore essential. It is especially useful
when communications will be coming from more than one source within an
organisation. A timetable such as that below is also useful as, at a glance, it
allows you to identify any groups who are being under- or over-communicated
with, and whether there is an absence or excess of communication in any
particular period of the year.
Audience
All employees
Board
All employees
Trade union
Customers
Senior management
team
Senior management
team
Employees
Employees
Board
Selection of
employees
Programme steering
committee
Communications
channel
Email letter
Executive
updates
Company
magazine
Trade union
update
Customer
newsletters
Senior management
forum
Senior manager
email from CEO
Intranet update
Line manager
cascades
Programme update
CEO roadshow
Programme steering
committee meeting
Programme milestones
wk
4
wk
5
wk
2
wk
1
wk
3
w/b w/b w/b w/b
15/5 22/5 29/5 5/6
w/b
8/5
wk
6
wk
7
wk
8
wk
9
w/b w/b w/b w/b
12/6 19/6 26/6 3/7
wk
10
wk
11
wk
12
wk
13
wk
14
w/b w/b w/b w/b w/b
10/7 17/7 24/7 31/7 7/8
wk
15
wk
16
wk
17
wk
18
w/b w/b w/b w/b
14/8 21/8 28/8 4/9
wk
19
wk
20
wk
21
w/b w/b w/b
11/9 18/9 25/9
How to implement change projects
33
34
The management agenda
Stakeholder analysis
Crucial to the success of any change project is the identification and
management of the stakeholders at all levels in the organisation. The
template reproduced here provides a useful and commonly used tool
for initial stakeholder analysis. Such a tool is of great importance for an
organisation seeking to improve its employer responsiveness. There will
be a large number of diverse stakeholders who must be managed effectively
if the programme is to succeed. These stakeholders will range from the
obvious, such as learners and teaching staff, to the less obvious, such as
the local press.
There are many aspects to consider when analysing stakeholders. The table
below covers all the information that one needs to know about stakeholders
to the change. As well as basic information such as the name and role of
a stakeholder, we can also list information on their expectations, or things
that particularly interest or excite them (‘hot buttons’).
It is also important to list actions taken to engage/manage the stakeholder.
This table should be updated after such interventions, or at regular intervals,
to track any changes in commitment levels towards the change project.
The information on ‘Influence’ and ‘Current commitment level’ is essential
and can be used to create a stakeholder map (see page 36). Some stakeholders
will have greater influence on the success of the programme than others. Levels
of commitment to the change may also vary greatly. Increasing commitment
levels is key, with the urgency of this dependent on the stakeholder’s influence.
Once this analysis has been done, the stakeholder map is the best way
of keeping this under control.
Stakeholder information
Change
role
Stakeholder name
General aspects
Expectations
Hot
buttons
Job title
Division name
and location
Population
Manager
How to implement change projects
35
Notes
Assessment related aspects
Impact
(N, L, M, H)
Influence
(N, L, M, H)
Attitude
(1-9)
Actions
Issues and
concerns
Current
Target
Information
commitment commitment
level
level
Interventions Responsibility
to manage
36
The management agenda
The stakeholder map
The stakeholder map is a quick guide to the current situation. It shows,
at a glance, a stakeholder’s support for the programme and their influence
on it. It can be produced automatically by the stakeholder analysis, focusing
on a stakeholder’s support for the programme and influence on its success.
Example of a stakeholder map
Support for programme
Low – Unconvinced
1
2
Medium – On the fence
3
4
5
Staff
governor
High – Champion
6
7
8
SMT
9
Principal
High
Miss Orange
Mr Green
Mrs White
Mrs Blue
Medium
Mr Pink
Head of
Theology
Mr Red
Low
Influence on workstream success
In this example, we should worry about those in the far-left, especially those
towards the top of the diagram. Here the main worry would be the staff
governor, who has great influence, but is not behind the programme.
All those in the dark blue area (high support) are of no concern, although
it is important to ensure they remain ‘champions’ of the programme.
We may look to choose change agents from this area.
How to implement change projects
The actions to be taken for those in the middle section will depend on their
influence on the programme. In the example below, it would be important
to increase the support of the SMT, whereas the Head of Theology would
be much less of a priority.
Exercise
Consider ways in which you might convert stakeholders showing
low or medium support for change to champions of the project.
37
38
The management agenda
Allocating change roles
Motivation is the art of getting people to do what
you want them to do because they want to do it.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Allocating change roles
Making sure that everyone involved in the project is properly motivated
and has a clearly defined role is the biggest lever you can pull in a change
project. If you only have time to focus on one thing, this is it!
The change network
The network below shows the different types of change roles and
responsibilities. It is particularly valuable to use this as the basis for all
discussions about the roles that members of the extended change team
need to play. The use of the different roles allows individuals to be aware
of their roles and responsibilities during the change process. For example,
an SMT member not responsible for the employer agenda is still a
reinforcing sponsor and therefore needs to recognise that they are an
important role model for the change. In addition this allows employees
to ‘own the change’ and therefore they are more likely to adopt it.
Notes
39
How to implement change projects
Authorising sponsor first
initiates/legitimises the change.
Reinforcing sponsors
• Promote and support
the change
• Have authority to allocate
resources and enforce change.
Influencers have strong
influencing ability, not
necessarily related to level
of authority.
Change agents are facilitators
of change. These are often
people from the business
who work with support from
the sponsors to build support
and commitment for change
and minimize resistance at
a local level.
Change targets are individuals
who either directly or indirectly
impacted by the changes
from the project. These are the
groups of individuals identified
in impact assessments and
are the focus of many of the
change management activities.
The roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders are set out in more
detail on page 60 of the Appendices.
When allocating and monitoring the performance of the various
roles within a change project it is important that:
●
●
●
●
the key change roles of sponsor, agent, influencer and target
are clearly identified, and that their responsibilities are clear
appropriate people have filled the roles and are performing
to their best level, supported by required training and coaching
structural links between the roles have been designed
project managers are clear about which change role they have.
40
The management agenda
The roles of sponsor, influencer and change agent
As the success or failure of a change project lies in the hands of the individuals
charged with implementing each stage, it is worth considering these key roles
in more detail.
The sponsor
While not an exhaustive list, the key skills and behaviours of the ideal sponsor
are set out in the following:
Characteristics of a successful sponsor
Key activities
Ultimately accountable
Legitimises change
Makes key decisions
Initiates or reinforces
change
Characteristics
Demonstrates commitment
Holds meetings
(public and private)
Allocates resources
Takes accountability
for critical tasks
Risks
Must be consistent
in word and deed
Must have real
power to implement
Too few sponsors to reach
audience will leave a gap
in commitment
Characteristic
Description
Power
Has the power to legitimise change, including
power over the resources which make it happen
Pain
Is dissatisfied with the future state
Scope and vision
A clear understanding of what must occur
Sensitivity
Understands and acknowledges the personal
adjustments that must occur
Public support
Willing to publicly support the change
Private support
Advocates the change in private conversations
Persistence
Continues even when the going gets tough
or other priorities emerge
Reinforcement
Prepared to reward or impose sanction in order
to support the future state
Tracking
Actively tracks and measures progress towards
stated goals
Willing to
sacrifice
Willing to follow through with uncomfortable
sacrifices in order to reach end goal
Sponsors must have the organisational power to sponsor a change. They
must be willing and able to control resources and to deploy staff as necessary
to legitimise change. They must also be prepared to provide consequences
for not changing. They must also have the authority to support or veto
decisions and approaches
How to implement change projects
41
‘Destructive’ or cynical sponsors do an enormous amount of damage and
must be isolated or removed by the authorising or initiating sponsor if change
is to succeed in their area.
In most cases it would be far too much to expect a single authorising sponsor’s
control to include to all sanctioning and allocation decisions, or for them to
be able to influence the day-to-day behaviour of individuals in all parts of the
organisation. Particularly where an entire, large organisation is affected by
change it is necessary then to identify multiple leaders who have the authority
to sanction change, and develop them to form part of the overall change
network. These sponsors may not have been responsible for the original
sanctioning of the change, but their support and leadership becomes crucial
as the change effort builds momentum and resources are required across the
organisation to make it happen.
In large organisations, it will also be necessary to develop local reinforcing
sponsors. These sponsors have power to ensure people comply in their area
(or geography). They will also act as role models for future behaviours. Local
reinforcing sponsors are too often forgotten in the desire to implement an
organisationally inspired change. The result can be isolated local leaders, who
should be developed as reinforcing sponsors, but instead are acting neutrally,
or worse, at cross purposes to the wider change agenda. Change targets will
tend to take their cue from the local sponsor because their influence is so
much more immediate than the authorising sponsor. Failure to develop local
reinforcing sponsors can lead to change that is not successfully adopted in
some local areas.
It is crucial to remember that reinforcing sponsors are change targets also. Do
not try to engage them as sponsors (this applies particularly for local sponsors)
until their commitment to the change is sufficient that they can express that
commitment to change targets and other key players.
Notes
42
The management agenda
The influencer
It is vital that those with both formal and informal influence in the organisation
are brought on board as quickly as possible. A well networked communicator
can potentially bring a great influence to bear at many levels and foster
a broad support for the change throughout the organisation. As with
sponsors, however, influencers must be carefully monitored, as a negative
or uncommitted attitude can have a disastrous effect on team morale and
ultimately on the outcome of the project. The key skills and behaviours that
should be developed here are set out below.
Characteristics of a successful influencer
Key activities
Delivers informal
communication
Influences others, to
build broad support
Participates in
consultation or
design mechanisms
Characteristics
Credible
Connected to those
being impacted by change
Networker
Seen as having a personal
stake in the outcome
of the change
Willing to model
new behaviours
Risks
Can be very influential,
but tends to operate
informally so can be
difficult to monitor
and control
Characteristic
Description
Credibility
Seen to be honest and open in their views
about change
Previous
relationships
Has a relationship (current or past) with the
target group
Relevance
Impacted by or connected to the outcomes
of the change
Willingness to
invest
Interested and willing to invest own time
in learning about the change
Networked
Has a strong network of relationships
Relationship
building
Is prepared to establish useful relationships
to enable change to happen
Behaviour
modelling
Models future state behaviour
Lateral
communication
Will communicate with colleagues about
the change
43
How to implement change projects
The change agent
The main focus of the change agent is to support the sponsors. They must
demonstrate both the will and the capacity to work either individually or in
groups to implement the various parts of the change project. They should
also be able to gauge the success of these actions and their impact on those
around them as they proceed. The essential skills and behaviours are again
set out below:
Characteristics of a successful change agent
Key activities
Supports sponsors
Communication
Monitoring change
target needs
Local implementation
planning
Characteristics
Credible
Influential
Questioning
Willing to model
behaviour
Comfortable
with ambiguity
Risks
Agents must not attempt
to take on sponsor roles, as
they do not have the
organisational
sanctioning power.
Technical skills
Description
Understand
solution
Understands the future solution, and
is confident discussing it with others
Project
management
Has capability to project manage pieces
of work, sometimes large and complex
Facilitation
Works with groups of people to facilitate
involvement and communication events
Assessment and
analysis
Collects and interprets data, in particular
about how people are feeling about
the change
Change planning
Has ability to contribute to or lead detailed
implementation planning for a business area
Interpersonal skills
Description
Negotiation
Can clarify expectations around role with
sponsors, and discuss actions and resolutions
if there are issues
Adaptability
Manages own levels of resilience and
adaptability, conserving or increasing
levels when needed
Influence
Has influence on individuals whom they
have no organisational power over
Empathy
Has the ability to understand someone else’s
perspective, and how individuals reframe
change from their own perspective
44
The management agenda
Project management
This section provides some further tools to help in the management of the
change project. These will assist in plotting and monitoring the progress of
the project.
Change plan
A change plan is an essential document to ensure that change is carried out
effectively and on time – see the following example. Similar to a project plan, it
details and allocates timings to key activities related to change management.
For example, the communications timetable will be included here, as will detail
on developing a change network. Whilst both of these would be on a regular
project plan, they would not be listed in the same detail as in a change plan.
Notes
45
How to implement change projects
Example of a change plan
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Change strategy
Develop change plan
Update change plan
Leadership
Identify change network
Orient network members
Change leadership workshop
Develop individual plans
Change network away days
Ongoing coaching
Communication
Communication plan acceptance
Launch Intranet site
Exec roadshow
Communication review
Organisational alignment
Review new structure
Agree structure
Communicate structure
Transition to new
Employer relations
Review of current relations
Employer input meetings
Design courses
Test courses with employers
Measurement
Change acceptance survey
Focus group session
Risk log
A risk log is a vital tool for any change project. It helps to identify possible
threats to the project’s successful completion. By rating the impact and
probability of a particular risk, it also helps us to prioritise and feeds into
an action plan. Essentially, a risk log that is used correctly should reduce
the likelihood of problems arising and increase the chances of a successful
outcome to the change programme.
Feb
Mar
Apr
CRM system
may not be
installed by
September
Staff may
not have
skills required
to manage
change
2
3
If not managed
correctly,
the change
programme
will fail
Information
may be lacking,
leading to
ineffective
contact with
employers
May prevent
a successful,
lasting change
Impact
description
Situation static,
but skills audit
will reveal
extent of risk.
Responses
to invitation
to tender.
Announcement
of change
programme.
Trigger
12/06/08
08/06/08
08/06/08
Date
Rating (1–4) of strength of impact risk would have
Resistance
to change
from staff
1
Risk title
Effect that the risk would have on the project
Example of a risk log
4
1
4
25%
75%
50%
Probability
1.00
0.75
2.00
Risk
value
Likelihood of risk occurring
Impact
Skills audit of staff to be
performed to determine
whether external
assistance required
A back-up system will
be prepared using BDU
until system installed
Louise Brown,
HR Director
Jack Jones,
IT Manager
Jane Smith,
Director for
Employers
Assignment
Active
Active
Active
Status
Person responsible for this risk
Stakeholder analysis and
communications plan.
Staff to be consulted
in change programme
Action steps
How the risk will be dealt with
Transference
Control and
mitigate
Control and
mitigate
Strategy
Impact x Probability useful for ranking
46
The management agenda
47
How to implement change projects
RACI analysis
RACI (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed) charting techniques
can be useful for charting organisational roles and responsibilities in a
consistent manner – see the following example. The technique can be used
either on its own or to supplement other diagnostics. The charts produced
can document either a new organisational structure or an existing one.
The categorisation of individuals’ roles as applied to this model is as follows:
Responsibility ‘R’ – the individual(s) who actually completes the task.
This party is responsible for action or implementation. The degree
of responsibility for each role in a shared activity is determined by
the accountable party.
Accountability ‘A’ – the individual who is ultimately responsible.
Includes yes or no and veto power.
Consult ‘C’ – the individual(s) to be consulted prior to a final decision
or action. This incorporates two-way communication.
Inform ‘I’ – the individual(s) who needs to be informed after a decision
or action is taken. This incorporates one-way communication.
●
●
●
●
Example of a RACI analysis
Activity
Design of new
organisation
Staff
governor
Principal
Vice-principal Head of
marketing
Head of HR
Head of
learning
Head of IT
C
A
R
I
I
I
AR
I
I
Hiring of new
teaching staff
C
CRM
implementation
I
C
I
I
C
A
I
I
I
Curriculum changes C
I
A
C
C
R
Communications
I
R
Stakeholder
48
The management agenda
Change recommendations
In this final section we highlight two useful summaries of the critical
factors which can determine the potential degree of success in managing
a change project.
CIPD components of change
Linking all the change agendas within an organisation coherently, rather than
completing changes in isolation, is vital to ensure that change effectiveness
is maximised.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has
conducted extensive research into the process of change management and
has identified seven areas of activity that make successful change happen –
‘the seven c's of change’:
Choosing a team
It is important to ensure the right people are involved in the team.
Different people might be required in different roles at different phases
of a change initiative. For example, the team that sets the initial vision
might look quite different from the team responsible for implementing
the detailed change plan.
Crafting the vision and the path
Organisations that are embarking on change need to have a clear vision
of where their organisation wants to get to, and also a clear path mapped
out showing how they are going to get there.
Connecting organisation-wide change
In any change initiative there will be lots of interconnected changes
happening. Processes need to be in place to recognise these linkages
and also to keep track of them as the change project progresses.
Consulting stakeholders
Stakeholder consultation is an important part of implementing successful
change, yet can easily be overlooked due to time and resource issues.
Different stakeholders are likely to have different responses to a particular
change, so it is important to think through how stakeholders will react and
to anticipate any problems these reactions might bring and how you will
deal with them.
●
●
●
●
How to implement change projects
●
●
●
49
Communicating
Regular, consistent and well-targeted communications are critical to the
success of any reorganisation, both to internal and external stakeholders.
This can be done by exploiting existing channels of communication and
by developing new ones.
Coping with change
During times of organisational change, in addition to coping with the
change, the organisation also needs to continue functioning and meeting
its day-to-day responsibilities. This dual responsibility can be an enormous
stress for many people. The way that individuals respond to change has
been well researched in the change cycle/curve of immobilisation, denial,
anger, bargaining, depression, testing.
Capturing learning
It is important to ensure that organisations can build the capability
to successfully reorganise on a regular basis. HR professionals can play
a key role in developing processes to import and capture learning.
Source: www.cipd.co.uk
Notes
50
The management agenda
Kotter’s eight-stage process for managing change
John P. Kotter, a professor at Harvard Business School, developed his analysis
of change management and leadership in the influential book, Leading
Change (1996). In it he outlines the eight key stages for effecting successful
change. In the following table the stages are set out alongside a summary of
the actions required to successfully accomplish each stage and the common
pitfalls to watch out for.
Stage
Actions needed
Establish a sense
of urgency
●
●
Form a powerful
guiding coalition
●
●
Create a vision
●
●
Communicate
the vision
●
●
Empower others
to act on the vision
●
●
Plan for and create
short-term wins
●
●
Consolidate
improvements
and produce
more change
●
●
●
Institutionalise
new approaches
●
●
Source: Kotter (1996)
Pitfalls
Examine market and competitive realities for
potential crises and untapped opportunities
Convince at least 75% of your managers that the
status quo is more dangerous than the unknown
●
Assemble a group with shared commitment
and enough power to lead the change effort
Encourage them to work as a team outside the
normal hierarchy
●
Create a vision to direct the change effort
Develop strategies for realising that vision
●
Presenting a vision that’s too complicated
or vague to be communicated in five minutes
Use every vehicle possible to communicate
the new vision and strategies for achieving it
Teach new behaviours by the example of the
guiding coalition
●
Under-communicating the vision
Behaving in ways antithetical to the vision
Remove or alter systems or structures
undermining the vision
Encourage risk taking and non-traditional ideas,
activities and actions
●
Failing to remove powerful individuals who
resist the change effort
Define and engineer visible performance
improvements
Recognise and reward employees contributing
to those improvements
●
Leaving short-term successes up to chance
Failing to score successes early enough
(12–24 months into the change effort)
Use increased credibility from early wins to
change systems, structures, and policies
undermining the vision
Hire, promote, and develop employees who
can implement the vision
Reinvigorate the change process with new
projects and change agents
●
Articulate connections between new behaviours
and corporate success.
Create leadership development and succession
plans consistent with the new approach
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Underestimating the difficulty of driving
people from their comfort zones
Becoming paralysed by risks
No prior experience in teamwork at the top
Relegating team leadership to an HR, quality,
or strategic-planning executive rather than
a senior line manager
Declaring victory too soon – with the first
performance improvement
Allowing resistors to convince ‘troops’
that the war has been won
Not creating new social norms and shared
values consistent with changes
Promoting people into leadership positions
who don’t personify the new approach
How to implement change projects
Notes
51
52
The management agenda
Plan of action
What are the top three actions I need to carry out back in the organisation?
What are the timescales I need to set myself?
What resources do I need to support me in these actions?
How will I measure the success of these actions?
How to implement change projects
Contacts
Name
Job title
Organisation
Email
Telephone
Name
Job title
Organisation
Email
Telephone
Name
Job title
Organisation
Email
Telephone
Name
Job title
Organisation
Email
Telephone
Notes
53
54
The management agenda
Resources
Publications
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) (1999) Towards Better
Employment Relations Using the Acas Advisory Service. London: Acas.
Baker, D. (2007) Strategic Change Management in Public Sector
Organisations: a Guide for Public Sector and Not-for-Profit Organisations.
Oxford: Chandos Publishing.
Balogun, J. and Hope Hailey, V. (1999) Exploring Strategic Change.
Harlow: Prentice Hall.
Beckhard, R.F. and Harris, R.T. (1987) Organizational Transitions:
Managing Complex Change. Reading MA: Addison-Wesley.
Foster, A (2005) Realising the Potential: A Review of the Future Role of
Further Education Colleges. Annesley: DfES Publications. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/REALISING06.pdf
HMSO (2007) World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in
England. Norwich: HMSO. Available online at: www.dcsf.gov.uk/skillsstrategy/
uploads/documents/World%20Class%20Skills%20FINAL.pdf
Kotter, J.P. (1995) ‘Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail’,
Harvard Business Review, March–April.
Kotter, J.P. (1996) Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Kotter, J.P. and Cohen, D.S. (2002) The Heart of Change, Real-Life Stories of
How People Change their Organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1973) On Death and Dying. London and New York: Routledge.
Kubler-Ross, E. (2005) On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of
Grief through the Five Stages of Loss. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. New York: Harper & Row.
How to implement change projects
Lord Leitch (2006) Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the Global
Economy, World Class Skills. London: HMSO. Available online at:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/
2006-12%20LeitchReview1.pdf
Websites
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service: www.acas.org.uk
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk
Learning and Skills Council: www.lsc.gov.uk
Learning and Skills Improvement Service: www.lsis.org.uk
Train to Gain: www.traintogain.gov.uk
World Class Skills: www.excellencegateway.org.uk/wcs
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The management agenda
Courses
Visit the World Class Skills website for listings of all seminars and workshops
within the programme: www.excellencegateway.org.uk/wcs
Courses that may be of special interest are:
Assessing your level of responsiveness
Being a successful change leader
Building employer-responsive skills in your organisation
Developing your vision for employer responsiveness
Identifying key skills and behaviours for engaging employers
How to implement change projects
Legal advice on employment, terms and conditions
Managing your organisation’s performance
Structuring your organisation to support employer responsiveness
Using HR to support employer responsiveness.
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PDFs of all the courses are available to download.
E-learning
Visit the World Class Skills website for all e-learning courses within
the programme: www.excellencegateway.org.uk/wcs
Courses that may be of special interest are:
Building employer-responsive skills in your organisation
Funding and finance for maximising business
Targeting SMEs for training.
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Appendices
Example of case for change
Example of impact assessment
Change roles and responsibilities
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The management agenda
Example of case for change
Our organisation, Organisation A, has launched its employer-responsive
change programme. This has been developed both to meet the need of
local employers to deliver training to their employees and to ensure the
organisation diversifies its funding streams in order to guarantee a more
financially stable organisation over time. Over 80 per cent of our graduating
students find employment within the region and therefore it is vital that we
engage with local and national employers to continue to meet our learners’
needs. Financial forecasts showed the consequences of not responding to
this agenda and therefore this change programme commences from the
next term, with this term used to consult and to plan appropriately.
We are changing to be:
a provider of choice to local employers
profitable
award winning for meeting the needs for local employers.
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Our vision: as a result of successful implementation of the change
programme to become more employer responsive, we will:
1 Increase the number of Train to Gain starts from 200 to 600 by X.
2 Identify our top 10 current employers in revenue and our top 10 employers
by growth opportunity and ensure that we are meeting their needs/
exploring further avenues in terms of employer responsiveness. In
particular we will introduce cross selling outside of the current curriculum
areas they are working with. We will ensure this increases revenue from
our key accounts by 40 per cent by the end of the financial year.
3 Ensure employers can access the organisation 24 hours a day with a
response time of two working days.
4 Identify existing staff and recruit new staff to deliver on site and in
flexible hours to meet employers’ needs.
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How to implement change projects
Example of impact
assessment
Impact area
Use of new technology
Use of new business processes or
procedures, eg
• Workflow
• Sign-off
• Forms
Change in skills, eg
• Leadership
• Technical (ie content)
• Personal (eg competencies)
Changes to personal or
business objectives
Impact on bonus/broader
remuneration
Change in line manager
Change in team or department
Interface with new people or
groups of people
Change of location
Change of country/culture
Other
Current
Future
What will help?
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The management agenda
Change roles and
responsibilities
Role
Responsibility
Authorising sponsor
Is ultimately responsible for the success of the change. Initiates
and promotes vision for change. Gives the project legitimacy.
Must have the necessary seniority. Must want the change and
be seen to want the change. May not play a day-to-day part but
must be available to provide support and backing when needed.
Sustaining sponsor
Promotes and supports change. Is responsible for allocation of
resources and rewards. Provides day-to-day management backing
for specific activity, Must want the change and be seen to want
the change, Must be actively involved, Must have clear, agreed
and measurable targets.
Influencer
A stakeholder who has strong influencing abilities, not necessarily
related to level of authority. Is seen to support the change.
Is respected (in the appropriate places). Can lead the way
in adopting the changed situation/approach.
Change agent
Is a facilitator of change. Helps sponsors and project team stay
aligned, and keeps sponsor on board.
Change target
Is someone who will have to change. Is probably already too
busy. May not be aware of the change that is needed. May not
want it anyway… Any stakeholders affected by the change.
WCSWB014
World
Class