Philip Atkinson
  • Home
    • Philip Atkinson
    • Delivering Your Change Agenda
    • Who are we and what do we do?
    • Our Core Competencies
    • Research & Publications >
      • Books: Become a Change Master
      • Books: Shaping Customer Focus
      • Books: Creating Culture Change
      • Books: The Iceberg Agenda
      • Books: Achieving Results through Time Management
    • Videos >
      • Vouchers
    • Legal Notices & Privacy Registration details
    • Contact Form
  • Research
    • Pure Research
    • Cultural Audit
    • Strategy Rapid Improvement
    • Organization Development >
      • New Page1 >
        • Newpage2 >
          • New Page3 >
            • New Page4 >
              • New Page5
  • Culture Change
    • Strategic Analysis >
      • Articles on Culture & Strategic Change
    • Strategy Review
    • Channeling 'Disruption'
    • M&A - Soft Due Dilgence
    • Soft Due Diligence
    • Create Change Capability >
      • Post CoVid Flexible Working
      • Articles on Managing Change Capability
    • Matrix Management >
      • Politics of Matrix Organisation & the External Change Maker >
        • CEO Concerns on Matrix Management
        • Articles on Matrix Management & Post Acqusition Integration
      • Creating the Culture for Matrix Management
      • Measuring Improvement in the Matrix Culture
  • Lean OD
    • Process Consultation
    • Project Mentoring
    • Self Facilitation
    • Lean Video
    • Lean Business Transformation
    • Rapid Improvement Events
    • Lean Curriculum >
      • Articles Business Transformation
  • Leadership
    • Leadership Video
    • Change Leadership
    • Transformational Leadership >
      • Organisational Change - Agricultural & Construction Equipment
      • Post Acquisition Integration, Leadership - Financial Services
      • Management of Reputation & Complexity - Motor FinanceUntitled
      • Conservation & Wildlife Charity Creates a Culture of Transformational Leadership & Change
      • Change Management – Biotechnology
    • Tangible Business Coaching >
      • FAQ's in Coaching
      • Flexibility in Using Psychometrics
      • Training in Coaching
      • Articles on Coaching & Leadership
  • Influence
    • The Power to Influence >
      • Influencing Strategies Video
      • Articles on Influence & Persuasion >
        • Influencing Video
    • Professional Influencing Skills
    • Mastering Self Discipline
    • Persuasion & Presentation
    • Psychology of Selling 'Ideas'
    • Psychometrics
    • 'Brand You'
    • Achieving Your Goals
    • Mastering Potential
  • FAQs
    • Leadership & Behaviour Change
    • Business Transformation
    • Implement & Sustain Change
    • Build Readiness for Change
    • Creating Culture Change
  • Blog

How do you Create Readiness for Change ​

​Question: How do you create readiness for change?

Answer:
It constantly surprises us that many organisations do not realise they have to commit to a process of continuous self- renewal and improvement.  Many do not know where to start. 

For me, a good starting point is to review past change initiatives (big and small projects) and what worked and what didn’t.  Identify the organisations core competencies that have enabled change to happen.  It may come as no surprise that the quality of change or project managers is critical as well as identifying the key actors in the change team.
​

​Question: What do you mean by the term Change Team?

Answer:
There are four sets of actors in the change arena. 
​
  1. ​The change maker, facilitator or trainer
  2. The target of the change or change recipients
  3. Key stakeholders
  4. The sponsor, project host or senior person who owns and is responsible for the project. 

It is a simple matter of getting all these people to work together seamlessly.

It can be done – but can only be done once – the right way.  If you have multiple attempts at the same project you lose momentum and most importantly credibility.


​Question: How can you measure readiness for change?

Answer:
A quick audit would focus on how well people, teams and key constituencies have been prepared for the change or project to which you are committing.  The best way to do this is using a simple tool of ‘soft due diligence’ –using Focus Groups to assess the attitude to change.

It is vital that the Focus Group sessions are well planned.  You cannot just 'rock up' and run a generalised discussion with a random selection of people from the organisation.
 
For the methodology to work to glean valuable data, you have to adopt a core methodology that works.  Prepare for the process and sell the benefits to those attending. Ensure that you manage the sessions in a sensitive manner and that feedback from their input is relayed back to the participants.

You have to focus on hierarchical levels, as well as core functions and processes, identify key players and Team members.

Be prepared to hear some bad news and prepare to deal with some cynicism and even resistance to the process.

You can train existing Team Leaders and Line Managers to support external specialists in the process, as well as bearing in mind the response to the question above about key actors in the ‘Change Arena’.
​
​Question: How do you communicate the need to change?

Answer: Most organisations over-communicate the trivial and under-communicate the vital.  Some organisations think that communicating once is enough and fail to test how well the communication and intent has been received.
We often find that what has been ‘sent’ is not what has been ‘received’.  Reception and Acceptance are two very different elements.

We also find that a Communications Strategy is key to any change initiative, and that needs to be the first port of call.
Please don’t focus on transferring or allocating this role onto the External Relations Specialist, PR or Communications Officer.  Their job is to communicate with the media or specialist interest groups usually about technical, governance or administrative issues.

‘Communication Strategy’ is far to important to be left to people who have the term ‘Communications’ in their role and job Description.

Email your questions to Philip
Picture
Picture