28th October 2021

Preparing for what’s around the corner

No matter the changes you face or want to make in life it’s sensible to undertake this process with a plan in place. In this blog I want to share with you the simple steps in creating a template for change, which can help no matter how small or daunting the challenges you face. 

Before I begin, let’s recap on last week, when I outlined the four key areas of the change process:

• Understanding change 

• Planning the change 

• Implementing the change 

• Communicating the change 

If you want to look back at understanding change you can do so here 

Once we are aware of the changes we face or have researched the potential developments the future will bring, it’s time to plan to meet and exploit them by creating a change management plan.

The first step in this stage of the process has to be deciding do you actually need a plan at all?

Given the scale of change our society is going through, both sociologically, demographically and technologically I’d urge everyone to consider how they will adapt and plan accordingly. 

This means it’s advisable and sensible to develop a change management plan to ensure any transition is smooth and profitable.

Your plan is your roadmap which will identify the specific steps you and your business will take during the change management process.

When a business change is small, like a new step in an existing workflow, the change management process may be as simple as training the applicable staff.

However, larger or complex transitions require a more thoughtful, strategic approach because they can be disruptive and unsettling. In these cases, having a plan is invaluable and will save you time and money in the long term.

If done correctly, this plan can not only help with the initial changes you face but become a template for future business transformation.

So, if you decide you need a plan, what should go in it? 

Goals 

The first thing to determine is what are the goals you wish to achieve. For any change two goals are essential:

• Ensure everyone who needs to know is aware of what change is happening
• Help yourself and your business prepare for and enable this change

You may wish to add others, but for every goal you need to document a set of key performance indicators (KPIs). These allow you to monitor progress and see if you are on track to achieve your goals.

The change team

Like any project, change management requires the right people and resources to carry out the plan.

Every business change involves stakeholders. Get their support for your plan, especially around incentives and resources, to increase your chance of success. It might be an idea to include them on the team

Develop a task force to implement your plan. Team members should include people in leadership roles, like a department head, and those who can educate the rest of the team on the changes as well as provide support and answer questions.

You will also need to identify the additional resources that any change team will require, and the budget needed.

The plan itself 

When it comes to any plan, I believe in keeping it simple and including seven key areas:

Proposed Change – What will change? This should be a brief explanation of the proposed change. Make sure to address not only what will happen but also who it will affect and when it will take place.

Reason for Change – Why should this change happen? When explaining the reason for the change, be specific and explain exactly why it is necessary. Remember, you need to fully justify the need for what is happening. Use this section to address anticipated concerns and/or resistance to drive home the ‘why’ and ‘when’ for this evolution.

Create a task list: Task lists are the pieces of work that must be completed to achieve your goals. For example, the creation of training documentation may be one of the tasks. Creation of this list should include feedback from your task force as well as stakeholders. Communication components should be included as well.

Develop a timeline: A due date is typically associated with a change. Therefore, your project plan should revolve around that date. Assign a time component to every task in your list. If some tasks cannot be completed before the rollout of changes, either adjust the due date, or if that’s not possible, determine which tasks can be accomplished after the changes take place, and which must be completed beforehand to prioritize accordingly.

What does success look like: What would be the specific outcome of a successful change? Consider results such as reduced labour costs, improved employee experience, increased productivity, etc. depending on the change situation and sometimes the executives involved.

Estimated Costs – How much will the change implementation cost? Calculate the estimated total costs associated with the change. Costs to consider include things such as labour, additional staffing needs, technology, and outside consultation.

The final tip I would give you is to use project management tools in the change process to increase the likelihood of success. You can build task lists, assign team members and resources, and track progress all within the software, making it easy to know if you’re on track as well as to report on your status to stakeholders. 

I hope these ideas help and next time we will look at how you use your plan to implement change.

John Joe McGinley Glassagh Consulting 2021

John Joe McGinley, Glassagh Consulting