What do you do if your Change Management plan is derailed by unexpected obstacles?
When embarking on change management, you're steering the ship towards new horizons. But what happens when a storm hits and your plan is thrown off course by unforeseen challenges? It's a scenario that can test your resilience and adaptability, yet it's also an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership and strategic thinking skills. Whether it's a shift in market dynamics, internal resistance, or resource constraints, these obstacles demand a proactive and dynamic response to keep your change initiative on track.
When your change management plan hits a snag, the first step is to evaluate the impact of the obstacle. This involves understanding the nature of the issue, its implications on the overall project, and the immediate steps that need to be taken to mitigate any negative effects. You'll need to gather your team, review the situation, and prioritize actions based on urgency and importance. It's crucial to maintain clear communication with all stakeholders during this process to ensure everyone is aligned and aware of any changes to the plan.
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Be preventive. When you plan change management, you also plan risk management and effective team collaboration—generally, the framework to execute change surfaces unforeseen risks, blockers, etc. Collaborate frequently with the change agent and other team members so that risks and blockers are identified ahead of time. Communicate clearly and concisely with the change team and impacted groups and keep everyone on the same page.
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To get back on track from a derailed situation, take a step back and review the nature and impact of unexpected obstacles. Identify the root cause, risks and implications for a more precise picture. Inform stakeholders of the issues and propose rectifications/solutions. Discuss with them the best solutions to apply in each situation. After overcoming the obstacles, review the change management plan again and discuss with stakeholders if any revisions to the original change management plan are needed. Adjust the plan and align with stakeholders before implementation if needed. Engage and communicate the revised plan with the team and implement it. Continue to track and monitor the impact of the plan. Adopt the obstacles as a lesson.
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Unexpected obstacles should be expected when executing a change management plan. Before building change management activities I have found that a Change Complexity Assessment is useful. This is a spreadsheet conducted with the project team and key influential stakeholders to create a shared understanding of the environment the change is being delivered into. Specifically it looks at the organisation through a number of lenses: Organisational impacts, Business change complexities, Organisational readiness, and People.
Once you've assessed the impact, it's time to adjust your plans accordingly. This might mean redefining goals, timelines, or even the scope of the change initiative. Flexibility is key here; you must be willing to pivot and find new paths to success without losing sight of the original objectives. Engage with your team to brainstorm solutions and alternative strategies, and make sure to document any changes in your plan. This documentation will not only guide your team through the adjusted plan but also serve as a learning tool for future change management efforts.
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Change management is never a set and forget list of activities. A good plan will include measurement and feedback loops to ensure that your change activities are yielding the right results. When they don't, that's when you change your plan. I find change plans are like a direction of travel, with constant tweaks and nudges to keep the activities aligned with the direction of travel. If the direction changes, for any reason, then the plans and activities need to adjust accordingly.
Effective communication is the backbone of any successful change management process, especially when facing unexpected obstacles. You need to promptly inform all stakeholders about the changes in the plan, explaining the reasons behind them and how they will affect each party involved. Clear, transparent communication helps to manage expectations, reduce uncertainty, and maintain trust among team members and stakeholders. It's also important to provide a platform for feedback and questions, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard and concerns are addressed.
Empowering your teams is crucial when adapting to change. This means providing them with the resources, authority, and support they need to execute the revised plan effectively. Encourage a culture of ownership where team members feel responsible for the success of the change initiative. By fostering an environment that values proactive problem-solving and innovation, you enable your teams to navigate challenges with confidence and creativity. Remember, empowered teams are more likely to stay committed and engaged throughout the change process.
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My experience as a change manager makes me want to engage leaders as soon as possible, early in the change cycle. This engagement creates strong bonds and feedback loops, and ensures that leaders are ready to lead their people through the change. A big part of this is building trust-based relationships and an open dialogue ensuring that the leaders as well as the change team own the outcomes jointly. That way, if something seems to be going off-track, we hear about it early and can make adjustments to the plan. That's how I empower my broader leadership team to help them lead change more impactfully.
With any alteration to your change management plan, it's vital to closely monitor progress to ensure that the new strategies are effective. Set up regular check-ins with your team to discuss advancements, challenges, and any further adjustments that may be required. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success and determine if the change is moving in the right direction. Monitoring progress not only helps in keeping the project on track but also provides insights into how your team adapts to change.
Finally, view each obstacle as a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong, what worked in response, and how similar issues can be prevented or better managed in the future. This reflective practice not only strengthens your current change management approach but also enhances your organization's overall resilience and adaptability. By embracing a continuous learning mindset, you prepare yourself and your organization to face future challenges with greater confidence and skill.
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When encountering unexpected obstacles in your Change Management plan, promptly assess the situation, communicate transparently with stakeholders, gather relevant information, reevaluate the plan, engage stakeholders in decision-making, allocate additional resources if necessary, activate contingency plans, monitor progress closely, learn from the experience, and seek support from senior management or external resources if needed for successful implementation.
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