The Harder Side of Change (1) - What

Change management plays a crucial role in an organisational context, as it involves the supervision of transformational processes within an organisation. Investing time and energy to understanding the what, why, and how of change management will allow organisations to avoid consequences of inadequately managed change.

The What of Change Management

Firstly, one has to grasp the concept of change management and understand how it is relevant in an organisational context. It involves the people side of change, engaging both employees and senior management personnel. It engages with the necessary processes and techniques required to manage interpersonal factors of the organisation to achieve intended business outcomes. By getting employees and senior management staff involved in a structured changing process, you can systematically manage their engagement and adoption of newer organisational arrangements. Change management focuses on helping the personnel of the organisation embrace and utilize a change in their daily routine.

Change management can be seen as the process of change, where organisational members adhere to a specific framework for a particular initiative. To achieve a desired transformational outcome, there are certain strategies which assist with change and act as a guideline for explaining change management.

By having situational awareness and formulating strategies through readiness assessments, it helps to prepare for change and facilitate change management. Efficient communication coupled with proactive and reactive management strategies also aid with the change process. Change management also includes actively monitoring aspects of change such as communication, sponsorship, and crisis management. Reinforcing change is also an integral part of change management, by developing specific action plans to measure and ensure that change is sustained.

Besides being a process, change management can also be seen as a personal skillset. It represents the competency of an organisational leader in effectively leading their personnel through change. Organisations are more successful and effective when change competency is built and established throughout organisational ranks. Organisational leaders reflect change management skills by being active and effective agents of change, and demonstrating commitment to the cause.

Either as a process or a discipline, change management ultimately involves managing the people side of the organisation – how they participate and embrace the change. As a process, it includes preparing, managing, and reinforcing change for a particular project or initiative; as a skillset, it involves the ability of an organisational leader in effectively guiding personnel through change. Without change management, organisations risk staying stagnant and lose relevance in their industries.

Inspiration: The Harder Side of Change: The What, Why, and How of Change Management

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Benjamin Lee Cheng Han | Benjamin is a student of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, currently exploring unchartered realms in the Public Relations field. Writing is clearly his interest – a decisive contributor to his foray into the public relations industry. To date, he boasts the proud record of having tamed one of the office cats, and drinking expired tea from the pantry.