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June 2004 FAQ:
I feel like we
are making some progress in managing change but I wonder how far
we have to go? Is there such a thing as Change Management
“maturity?”
Answer:
Great question! Yes,
the concept of maturity can be used to assess where a company is
in its use of change management. A super simple maturity concept
is as follows:
¨
“Token” Change Management – The token
approach is characterized by a high level of effort focused on
the technical aspects of the change (e.g., installing a new tool
or implementing a new IT system) with little time or energy
devoted to preparing the “people” who will need to accommodate
the change. Token CM assumes that the people will figure out the
change over time. We consider this a very high-risk change
approach.
¨
Change Management “Lite” – The lite
approach has a high level of energy and effort focused on
communication and in-depth training on the tool or systems that
are part of the change. CM Lite leaves out many required steps
for successful CM … and is an equally high-risk change approach.
¨
Comprehensive Change Management – This
approach focuses on all aspects of the required change,
including
o
communication (group and individual),
o
work process alterations,
o
tool implementations, and
o
changes to the performance management system that
touches all affected organization members (role alteration,
contracting for the new role, work process training, and
adjustments to the evaluation/reward system).
This approach has a very high success rate in major
organizational changes.
For a
more-structured approach to CM Maturity, see the chapter
“Mastering Organizational Change” in our book Change Is the
Rule: Practical Steps for On Target, On Time and On Budget
Change by Dutch Holland.
By: Dutch Holland, Ph.D.
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Dutch Holland, CEO of HDI, has worked as a management
consultant for 30 years, helping organizations and leaders
manage and implement change successfully. And if you enjoyed
this short article, you'll love his new book, Red Zone
Management: Changing the Rules for Pivotal Times (Dearborn
Trade, Chicago, Fall 2001). Check your local bookstores
or read a review at amazon.com
or barnesandnoble.com!
Contact Dutch at 713.877.8130. |
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