On Leading Change Management

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If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. – Abraham Lincoln

Leading thru Change management is one of the hardest part of any business.  People like to talk a about deliverables and content, hard times and stresses, but when your users/managers balk, change dies instantly. Learning is difficult but the training is where most change management collapses.

Humans, it turns out do, not like change. But Why? I would speculate it’s based on uncertainty (and fear) and we do not like it.  I am certain i know how to put in this window.  If thought a new way to put it in, there is some nervousness, and then i learn and then i am fine, however, Here comes a disaster if i am told how to change a window, in a room of 200 people and no hands on experience, then expected to change the window, Fear has won out, especially if some people can change the window and some can’t.

Fear is really the problem with change management. fear of looking like a fool, fear of losing your job, fear of hurting yourself.  All these have to be conquered naturally:

What to do when Training makes your life difficult:

• Never, ever let your angry people talk to vender or trainer, etc while angry.  One side gets defensive (siege mentality) and the other just wants to bash heads.  Let a day pass, let everyone review (and vent) then sit down individually or in groups of 2
• Talk individually or in groups of two.  Getting more than 2 people in a room to talk about a problem leads to a feeding of fear and frustration.
• Put yourself in the Trainers shoes (can this situation be done better), how can I have fixed the problems before it came up.  Share this with the angry person or ask them what would make them feel better.
• Let people vent.  Don’t try to solve the problem immediately.  Then assure them, not with platitudes but with actual solutions or come back with solutions.
• Agree! Even if you see a solution, offer the solution about 5 minutes later
• If you have a work around, for the work around, you’re change management needs fixing
• Find the Macro problem and then the Micro problem.  Bring that back to the Trainers.
• Explain to the trainers if it’s the first time it’s being seen it’s not training it’s exposure.  Training is AFTER exposure. If they walk away expecting the person to remember all they’ve seen and heard they’re insane.  The only real training is fully imputing or using from start to finish.

Change management is about assurance; assurance they are being heard and listened to; assurances that their fears are real and yet can be over come.   Change management talking people down from the ledge, but sometimes, rarely it’s being on the ledge with them, being prepared to jump.   That’s when leadership is surely tested.

OceansOfThought @ July 2, 2008