Institute of Leadership & Management

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Implementation of Change

Need for Change

The need for change can arise either
inside the organisation, such as an
opportunity to enter a new market or
a need to relocate premises, or outside
the organisation, such as availability
of new technology or the need to
respond to competitor actions.

A change may be operational

requiring improved efficiency such as
a downsizing or restructuring.
It may be strategic, requiring better
effectiveness through improved
business plans or restructuring of its
products or services.

Organisations need to continuously

monitor the external environment and
the internal situation to identify any
opportunities and threats that need to
be acted upon. There are different
types of change:

It may be cultural, such as a new

leader or vision requiring cultural
change.
It may be about the survival of the
organisation requiring a new purpose
or redefinition of what success means.

The change may be small or large, slow in speed or fast:

Establishing a clear understanding of
what the change involves will provide
direction to people.

Size of the change

If the organisation does not respond

to these factors, it will miss the
benefits of the change and its
efficiency, effectiveness, future success
and even its survival may be under
threat.
Having established the need for
change, the next task is to develop a
vision for the change, a sense of
urgency and a detailed plan of action
and of communication.
Implement change

Planned
evolution

Big Bang
revolution

Smooth
transition

Bumpy

Speed of the change

1

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Institute of Leadership &

and
Management
Management

Change Team
Communication is a crucial
responsibility for the change team
all the way through. It is also key
to overcoming peoples resistance
and removing barriers to change.
Change can be politically charged,
which means using available
power bases to negotiate with
people and encourage them to
support the change.

Often a change team is set up to

help make a change happen. The
job can be complex and varied
involving preparation of the
organisation for change and
managing the change process.
Responsibilities will vary
throughout. They may include
information management, guiding
decision making at the early stages
of the change, establishment of
procedures to resolve issues and
people skills as the change takes
place.

The Organisation
Recognising the
need for, analysing
and understanding
the change

Change planning

Implementing the
plan

Monitoring
against the plan
and taking
corrective action

Institutionalising
the change

Communication

The People
Disbelief, ridicule
and resistance

New ways are

taken for granted

Acknowledgement and
recognition of benefits

Implement change

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Institute of Leadership & Management

The change team

The change team may need to use information management and diagnostic skills, managerial
judgement, rapid decision making, issue resolution and removing barriers, conflict management
and managing resistance, negotiation, consultation, influence, teambuilding, managing upward,
career planning and reward systems.

Planning for change

To make sure everyone focuses on the
required outcomes, and to provide a
measure of success, the plan should
include SMART objectives (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,
Time-bound).

The plan is an explanation of the

change and the steps needed to
achieve it, with clearly defined
milestones, so that each step can build
on the momentum of the previous
one.

The following are typical SMART goals for change:

To increase market value and total assets by at least 30% in the next five years.
To make acquisitions of new businesses to keep growing aiming at 10% growth
per year.
To reduce the levels between the CEO and the floor from nine to six in five
years.
To significantly increase sales per employee from 70,000 to 300,000.

Implement change

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Institute of Leadership & Management

Roles and responsibilities need to be

established for how the change will be
achieved; that is, who is going to do
what, when, why, and how. The plan
also needs to be flexible so that it can
be updated in the light of unforeseen
events.

Successful change is about

collaboration and teamwork between
different parts of the organisation and
even external groups.
The various people affected by the
change, the stakeholders, can be
noted according to their power or
influence to promote or to prevent the
change, and their level of interest in it,
positive or negative. Mapping these
two factors can help to focus
communication efforts on the highest
priority groups, while providing
sufficient information to keep the less
powerful groups happy.

The last step is about institutionalising

the change programme to make it an
established part of the way the
organisation operates. This requires
continued effective communication.

The aim is to move groups to the right

wherever possible as shown in the
diagram below.

Key player

Meet their needs

. Engage and consult on

. Key players focus efforts

on this group.

interest area.
. Try to increase level of

. Involve in governance/
decision making bodies.

interest.
. Aim to move into right

. Engage and consult

regularly.

hand box.

Least important

Show consideration

. Inform via general

. Make use of interest through

involvement in low risk areas

communications :
newsletters, website,

. Keep informed and consult on

interest area.

mail shots.
. Aim to move into right

. Potential supporter/goodwill
ambassador.

hand box.

Interest of stakeholders

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Institute of Leadership & Management

Communicating Change one of the functions of the change

team
Regular, effective, upbeat and
energised communication is essential
for creating a shared understanding of
what lies ahead, and to capture the
hearts and minds of those affected,
gaining their involvement in making
the change happen.

They should be given the opportunity

to voice their opinions, ask questions
and have them answered, making
them part of the entire process.
Communicating in a timely way will
help to eliminate information vacuums, rumours, and resentment and
help to minimise uncertainty and
reduce resistance to the change.

Team members need to be informed in

person about all aspects of the change
and how it will affect them.

In particular people need to know:

About the vision and objectives of the
change.

The Change project timeframe and

timelines.

Why the change is necessary.

About the desired results, so they can

be established.

What the change may look like and

how it may affect departments and
individual team members.

About progress, by providing regular

updates.

How the organisation and team

members will benefit from the change.
About roles and responsibilities for
how the change will be achieved.

About their contribution to

continuous improvements, by
receiving encouragement and regular
feedback from all employees.

The key to successful change is to make it a joint effort. However, it can take some time to
get people on board and the change team will need to adapt their approach to
communication and implementation of the plan to peoples reactions, perceptions and
behaviours.

Copyright The Institute of Leadership and Management 2014.

ILM is a registered trade mark of The City and Guilds of London Institute.
These materials may not, in whole or part, be copied, reproduced, communicated, or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of ILM.

Implement change

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