Tips for Managing Change
I came across some good pointers in a magazine which I thought I’d echo here for posterity. They’re good points to remember and provide a good framework for things you need to keep in mind.
- Change must be actively and proactively managed, as unforeseen effects can be costly and risky
- Detailed impact analysis must be carried out, to see what the ramifications will be throughout the company and among all stakeholders
- Behavioural and cultural changes will have the most impact on staff whose working habits are altered by new IT
- The changes that a new IT system will bring must be communicated to those impacted by it in a manner appropriate to their roles and concerns. Psychology is key.
- All stakeholders must buy in to the changes that will impact them, and sufficient time and attention must ensure this happens.
- Hiring a dedicated marketing communications expert specifically to oversee change management programmes can be a good investment.
- It is essential for the CIO to get the board to understand that even apparently non-IT decisions can have IT implications that are costly and risky.
- No IT changes, however trivial, are likely to prove invisible to users.
- CIOs must be aware of appearing focused on the risks of change instead of the benefits
- Change management is an activity in its own right, and will, therefore, require adequate resourcing.
- Change should be managed as rapidly as possible to minimise both the “disruption window” and the time in which other aspects of the business can change simultaneously.
- Becoming the corporate change management expert is a key opportunity for the CIO.
Interesting points there and some that are applicable to lots of different businesses. It’s important to make sure that you adopt these points at the right level though. For example, changing a business model in a small retailer selling pet supplements will require much less invovlement than a big multinational organisation changing ways of workings for example.
One thought on “Tips for Managing Change”
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Thank you so much for your article. It was great!
Here’s another great resource for anyone interested in Change Management.
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http://www.onthesystem.com/change
Download a free copy of the “Managing Change On-The-System. It’s a 75 page, step-by-step, visual instruction guide that uses best-practices to achieve your business objectives. The Handbook includes over 80 full color screenshots, tips, worksheets, and more! Best of all, it’s free.
The Handbook is a practical approach to:
* Business optimization and transformation
* Organizing the disorganized organization
* Deploying best-practices from your executive-suite to your front-lines
* Turn-around management
* Strategic planning and implementation
* Team-building and leadership-development
* Achieving your business objectives ~ fast!