How do you assess your change management capability?

Change management is complex and involves many dimensions. Most competency assessments highlight that leadership, communication, stakeholder engagement, project management, and resilience are essential. Going beyond those assessment tools, it's important to understand the core of the business, process, or organization you're changing. Not everyone will be happy with the proposed direction, but your goal is to position the company for future success - not to make everyone happy. Adapt or fade away!

Change agent or leader is not an entry level role and it need extensive experience in people and project management. Leading change skills or competencies can be learned however the most critical change management capability is disruption and innovation. If you are a status quo lover and like the routine then you are not a change management type.

One of the ways that you could check your change management capability is by using the self-assessment tools to identify hard and soft skills competencies that need improvement. Based on my experience as a change management leader, you might also use the Change Management Competency Assessment to check change management knowledge and skills. Both tools offer an excellent way to benchmark the current state and develop a roadmap toward improvement. The tools also provide an insightful discussion of various change management-boosting strategies.

Assessing your change management capability can be effectively done through self-assessment tools designed to highlight strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement. The Change Management Maturity Model (CMMM) is one such tool, evaluating an organization's change readiness across five levels: ad hoc, opportunistic, standardized, managed, and optimized. Additionally, the Change Management Competency Assessment (CMCA) helps assess individual skills and knowledge in change management. These tools provide valuable benchmarks for your current state, guiding you in setting and achieving goals for enhancement.

To assess your change management capability, you can use a framework such as Prosci's Change Management Maturity Model. This model evaluates your organization across five levels: ad hoc or absent, isolated projects, multiple projects, organizational standards, and organizational competency. By examining factors like leadership support, communication strategies, and employee engagement across these levels, you can identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Evaluating change management capability using feedback and surveys is about gathering insights from various stakeholders to evaluate how well an organization is implementing the change initiatives. The key steps in conducting effective assessments of change management capability must be, 1. Define objectives and scope focusing on specific aspects of change management and stakeholders 2. Design the survey with a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions 3. Distribute the survey by selecting appropriate channels (email/online survey tools) 4. Analyze the data using quantitative and qualitative techniques 5. Summarize and share the key findings to set action plan for improvement

Assessing change management capability through feedback and surveys involves implementing a structured approach that solicits insights from stakeholders at various stages of the change process. Initially, it's crucial to establish clear objectives and metrics to gauge effectiveness. Feedback mechanisms such as surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews should be designed to capture both quantitative data, such as satisfaction ratings and key performance indicators, and qualitative insights, including perceptions of communication effectiveness, leadership support, and overall readiness for change. Analyzing this feedback against predefined benchmarks allows for identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and emerging trends.

They provide valuable insights from various stakeholders about the effectiveness of change initiatives, communication strategies, and training programs. By gathering input on employee experiences and perceptions, these tools help identify strengths, pinpoint areas needing improvement, and measure overall readiness and response to change. Surveys like the Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) Survey specifically assess readiness factors, while tailored feedback mechanisms ensure ongoing, real-time input to refine strategies and enhance engagement. Overall, feedback and surveys are critical for informed decision-making and successful change implementation.

It is remarkably crucial to have a reasonable plan for soliciting feedback through methods like surveys, interviews, and focus groups. One very important factor to your plan should be a stakeholder analysis that better informs who you are tagging for a survey versus and interview or participation in a focus group. Most senior leaders do not want to share openly and honestly in a focus group whereas getting staff together to have an open dialogue may build trust to speak honestly. Understanding your audience to the greatest level possible is crucial before engaging.

I believe that, assessing our change management capability is by utilizing metrics and indicators that track and measure the progress and outcomes of change initiatives. Process metrics to evaluate the time, cost, and quality of change activities; Performance metrics to assess results and benefits such as revenue, productivity, and customer satisfaction Behavior metrics to monitor shifts in stakeholder attitudes, behaviors, and culture; and impact metrics to gauge long-term effects like innovation, growth, and competitiveness. Employing these metrics systematically provides valuable insights into the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of change efforts, facilitating ongoing improvement in change management practices.

They provide quantifiable data that helps organizations track performance against objectives, identify trends, and make informed decisions. Common metrics include employee engagement levels, adoption rates, training completion rates, and the impact on productivity and performance. By regularly monitoring these indicators, organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of their change strategies, detect areas that require adjustments, and ensure alignment with overall business goals. Metrics and indicators offer a clear, objective measure of progress, facilitating continuous improvement and the achievement of desired outcomes in change management.

This involves providing comprehensive training programs, ongoing support, and resources to facilitate continuous learning. By fostering a culture of development, organizations empower their workforce to embrace change, enhance their capabilities, and improve performance. Effective learning and development initiatives not only ease the transition during change but also contribute to long-term organizational resilience and adaptability, driving sustained success in an ever-evolving business environment.

Where change management is concerned, ONE GLOVE DOES NOT FIT ALL. The RIGOUR, PACE, & SUCCESS of any change management initiative are highly dependent on CORPORATE CULTURE & ORGANIZATION MATURITY. That said, to be an effective change leader, your HITS & MISSES must constantly be benchmarked & compared with the works of other organizations in different industries & locations. REGULARLY SUBMIT your team's works for global/regional industry AWARDS & RECOGNITION. The key objective is NOT to WIN but to: 1. Subject your team to the required discipline & rigour of submitting their hard work as entries. 2. Enable your team to always be on their toes, always striving for CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS. 3. Inculcate LIFELONG LEARNING with a GROWTH MINDSET.

This helps identify gaps, set realistic improvement targets, and adopt successful practices from leading organizations. Through benchmarking, organizations can gain insights into their competitive position, understand strengths and weaknesses, and drive continuous improvement. By comparing metrics such as efficiency, productivity, and employee engagement, businesses can make informed decisions to enhance their change management capabilities, ensuring they remain agile and effective in a dynamic market environment.