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The 4 key initial success factors

In leading change there 4 key factors that will determine your best approach to starting the change management process:

(1) The “Business As Usual” test

Incremental or Step Change?

The single biggest and most important early decision re leading and managing change that you will make, is to decide whether the change can be handled within the context of business as usual or not.

Is the change you are proposing an incremental change that can and should be introduced as part of “Business As Usual” and that can be absorbed as part of the day-to-day running of your organisation?

Incremental change - a process of a series of small, often regular or planned changes.

If “yes” then here is a checklist of key factors in leading change to consider based on the ADKAR model [this was first published by independent research company Prosci].

This model is practical and can be applied to incremental and step change - in summary:

Awareness of the need for change.
Desire to make the change happen.
Knowledge about how to change.
Ability to implement new skills and behaviors.
Reinforcement to retain the change once it has been made.

The principles outlined in the ADKAR model are suited to incremental change. For organisations of any size, these are key factors to take into consideration in leading change, when handling incremental change.

For more on this: - ADKAR Model.

Also, see here for the:4 Keys to Managing Incremental Change

Step change - a change that makes a significant difference in the size or value of something or the way in which something is done.

Is the size, scope and complexity, priority, timescale, strategic importance of the proposed change such that it is a step change and needs to be regarded and handled as a specific initiative and requires some form of change management process?

If “yes” this whole site is potentially of value to you.

Here is an Executive Summary - How to Manage Change

If you are the programme director of a large complex programme - with a significant change dimension - within a corporate of 1000+ employees – this may be of interest to you: Leading change - Presentation

(2) The size of your organisation

Less than 100?
100 – 1000?
More than 1000?

The size of your organisation together with your answers to the following questions re your knowledge base will determine what key factors to consider in leading change.

Recommendations re options and uses of external third party change management resources

(3) Your knowledge base

In relation to your organisation:

Do you use project management?
Do you use programme management?
Do you know the difference?
Do you know why knowing the difference matters?

Try this simple test - review the different levels listed below - firstly in relation to project management and then secondly with programme management – and see which best describes your organisation:

No process

Level 1 – Awareness process – the organisation is able to recognize projects and/or programmes - but has little structured approach to dealing with them.

Level 2 – Repeatable process – there may be areas that are beginning to use standard approaches to projects and/or programmes but there is no consistency of approach across the organisation.

Level 3 – Defined process – there will be a consistent set of standards being used across the organisation with clear process ownership.

Level 4 – Managed process – the organisation monitors and measures its process efficiency, with active interventions to improve the way it delivers based largely on evidence or performance based information.

Level 5 – Optimised process – the organisation will be focussing on optimisation of its quantitatively managed processes to take into account changing business needs and external factors.

These levels are based on the P3M3 maturity model sponsored by the Office of Govt and Commerce. Details below. If you find all this a bit daunting - it is!

I am attempting to focus your attention on the "knowing what I don't know" aspects of this and the realisation that it actually does have massive significance to your organisation when you embark on step change.

Where you and your organisation sit on the maturity model is one of the biggest key factors in leading change that will determine your chances of success [the others are (a) the quality of leadership, and (b) the cultures in your organisation].

Maturity Models - An Overview

Maturity Models - Full Length Version

Maturity Model - Self Assessment

A “rule of thumb” guide to what your knowledge base needs to be…

If your organisation has less than 100 employees it needs to have a level 3 understanding and practice of project management and a level 1 awareness of the key principles and concept of programme management.

If your organisation has 100-1000 employees it needs to have a level 5 understanding and practice of project management and a level 2-3 understanding and practice of programme management.

If your organisation has 1000 + employees it needs to have a level 5 understanding and practice of project management and a level 4-5 understanding and practice of programme management.

(4) Where are you now?

General interest - enjoy this site and I hope you find it informative -and I welcome any constructive comments.

Post the strategic review - you've got the vision - and now it's all about how to make it happen? Then the methodologies section of this site will help you successfully through those processes.

You're implementing and now coming to terms with the people issues? Check out stakeholder mapping and analysis.

You're implementing and under-resourced? Then maybe we should be talking?

For more on this and with a timely reminder about related topics
subscribe to your E-ZINE - "Strategies for Managing Change". Sent out approximately every 2 weeks to anyone involved in or planning a change initiative.

Reasons for failure

Go back to - Where to Start?

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