Managing Organizational Change

Effectively

Instructor:

Jean Crossman-Mirandamirandaj@infopeople.org

An Infopeople Workshop

Winter 2004-2005

This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project

Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the Project, go to the Infopeople Web site at infopeople.org.

Introductions

• Name

• Library

• Position

• What do you find Challenging about Change? What do you find Exhilarating about it?

Workshop Overview

• Response to personal change

• Challenges and opportunities of organizational change

• A team approach to handling change

• Applying Change Management Strategies

Change Can Be….

• Huge, catastrophic• Predictable• Positive• Productive• A small modification

to your life• Taken in stride,

managed

• Small, incremental• Unpredictable• Negative• Unproductive• A devastating collapse of

your world• Continuously stressful

Pro-Change Or Change-Avoidant

Which are you:

• In your personal life?

• In your working life?

Resilience To Change

• Personal vision

• Flexible approach

• Being organized

• Problem solving

• Self-assurance

• Interpersonal competence

• Being socially connected

• Being proactive

Four Stages Of Change

1. Denial

2. Resistance

3. Consideration/Exploration

4. Acceptance

Managing The Stages Of Change

Denial

Resistance

Commitment

Exploration

Handling Resistance To Change

• Before you can get your employees to stop resisting the inevitable, you have to accept it yourself

• Acknowledge level of discomfort with change

• Identify the factors that drive the change, and how people react to them

• Support employees to begin to think about certain aspects of the change in a positive light

Change Management

• Why does change fail?

• What makes it succeed?

• What makes it stick?

What Makes Change Fail?

• Rigidity is a major barrier in:– organizational infrastructure

– management

– employees

– policies and procedures

– workplace culture

Building a Foundation For Change

• Define your current situation and the desired results – your Change Vision

• What are the Key Behaviors necessary to achieve your Vision?

• Where are the gaps between current and desired Behaviors?

• Link key behaviors to your values & beliefs – your Organizational Culture

Initiating Change

• Establish a sense of urgency

• Create the change team

• Ask “How,” “What” and “Why” questions

• Develop a strategy for change

Implementing Change

• Communicate the change vision

• Empower employees to take action

• Generate short-term wins

Making Change Stick

• Support the ongoing change effort

• Consolidate and celebrate gains

• Anchor changes in the organizational culture

Effective Communication During Change

• Explain the purpose

• Paint a picture

• Lay out a plan

• Provide a part

Key Elements In A Communication Strategy

• Right People - critical people/groups that need to be communicated to

• Right Message - what are the questions and concerns? the most critical messages?

• Right Time to communicate

Change Causes Transition

ENDING

MIDDLEBEGINNING

Endings

• Help people let go

• Deal with reactions and overreactions: what’s lost, what’s gained?

• Expect and accept signs of loss

• Provide clear expectations: what’s over, what’s not

• Mark the endings

The “Middles”

• Expect anxiety and confusion

• Strengthen team connection

• Use the middles to be creative

• Create temporary systems

• “Normalize” this time in the middle

Beginnings

• Clarify and communicate the purpose of change

• Create a Vision and change plan - together

• Paint a picture of new roles and relationships

• Launch and reinforce a new beginning

Developing A Hardy Response To Change

• Stay involved and committed

• See change as a challenge and an opportunity

• Focus on things you can control

• Ask for help and support – work for a sense of connection to others

Thank You!!