What are the most important things to keep in mind when transitioning to a new role in Change Management?

Cuando se habla de gestionar el cambio, es crucial un plan, sin importar su naturaleza o magnitud. Lo primordial es la comunicación adecuada y detallada de las etapas y la transición. El proceso de comunicación permitirá la asimilación y brindar un espacio para la retroalimentación por parte de los involucrados. Fundamentalmente para garantizar el éxito de la gestión del cambio, ya que nos permitirá identificar posibles brechas y adelantarnos a posibles retrasos. Lo más importante en una comunicación efectiva es la autenticidad de la organización al incluir a los involucrados. La inclusión es el primer paso para obtener apoyo natural, empoderamiento y un mayor compromiso en la consecución de los objetivos propuestos por la organización.

The ACMPs' Ethical Standard clearly states: As change professionals we accept only those assignments that are consistent with our background, experience, skills, and qualifications. We competently and completely fulfill the commitments that we undertake – we do what we say we will do.

I will share practical pointers from my experience: 1) Know the scope of the work in-depth. 2) Talk to stakeholders who were already present before you. 3) Know about culture of the organisation. 4) Be aware of the linchpins in the organisation. 5) Dig into any past history of change initiatives and their success/failure reasons The above pointers should act as a good launchpad for your OCM initiative success. All the best 👍

The first thing I do in all my engagements is start a stakeholder analysis and develop a change network map. We work with people, we help people through change so we must know the people.

When transitioning to a new role in Change Management, prioritizing relationship-building is essential. Establish open communication channels with team members, stakeholders, and key influencers. Actively listen to understand existing dynamics and concerns. Cultivate a collaborative environment, promoting a shared vision for change. Identify key allies and influencers, building trust through transparency and reliability. Leverage relationships to navigate challenges and facilitate smoother change adoption. Building strong connections ensures a solid foundation for successful change management in the new role.

Prioritize the cultivation and sustenance of positive, trusting relationships with your stakeholders from the outset. Genuine, transparent interactions often surpass the immediate need for meticulous analysis and design in many corporate environments. Dedicate time to truly listen to your colleagues, grasp the intricacies of their roles, and engage with genuine curiosity by asking clarifying questions whenever necessary. Such relationships are the foundations of successful change management, facilitating effective engagement, communication, and collaboration.

This builds on my previous point about the stakeholder analysis and the change network map. Not that we need to understand the relations in 'our system'. We also need to create relations - between the stakeholders and with the stakeholders.

Other great models to consider are: the Satir change management methodology which is centered on a more humancentric and empathetic approach and also the McKinsey 7-S model which breaks the organisational chart into the core components. All in all, there is no change management model that fits all. It's important to understanding several of them to determine which one makes more sense for the company needs now. You can also combine the elements of it as different models focuses on different aspects of changes

Not only vital - inevitable. Change management is a strategic discipline. A plan is mandatory. However, this plan is always agile and needs iterations, since we deal with ppl and social phenomena. So we never can be 100% sure of the outcome of our change interventions - plan, measure and monitor, adapt (if necessary).

Communication and education (training) are major pillars in change management. However, to create the right level of commitment of your stakeholders you also need to engage/integrate and appreciate their engagement. The quartet of engagement, enablement, appreciation, and communication will help to create the right commitment.

It's particularly important for Change Managers to be aware of the political context within the business you join. Understand the power dynamics & relationships between different stakeholders. Some may considerably impact your ability to drive change. So build alliances and relationships with key stakeholders. Also be prepared to navigate resistance and opposition.

Besides taking stock of the background and situation about the new role in Change Management, it is advisable to pay more attention on YOURSELF. Suggest the following: (1) Conduct an objective assessment of yourself, review all the your previous performance evaluations by your managers. (2) Acknowledge your Strengths so you hone them more. Focus on your Areas for Improvement to close those gaps/lapses. (3) Ask yourself 3 questions and keep in mind your answers: (a) Is this my dream role? If not, how do I make it one? (b) Would this role give me a sense of fulfilment? If not, how can I learn to experience that? (c) Do I have the grit & tenacity to drive change in this organization? What's my resilience level to bounce back from failures?

Change management has a clear mission, to help everyone involved understand why change is necessary and to guide us and those who are with us through the journey with a minimum level of complaints and negative energy.

When stepping into a Change Management role, first, get to know the company's way of doing things and the people who make it happen. Communicate openly, keeping everyone in the loop about changes. Leverage your transferable skills from HR, like communication and people management, to build relationships and facilitate smooth change.Always be ready to learn, adapting to new ways of managing change. Use your skills to connect with people, and stay updated on the latest in Change Management.