Understanding Change Management System

The popular old saying goes 'Change is the only constant', applies to all ages, professions, and aspects of life. At work, the approach to change management can determine success or the failure of the change. It is crucial to accept change and also be equipped with the tools to accept change quickly.

So to analyze what the stages of change are, we can look at the Stair Change model:

• Old status quo: All that you are used to remains, like comfort, known patterns, relationships, processes, etc.

• Foreign element: While the old status quo remains, some element of change creeps in that interferes with existing patterns of function.

• Chaos: At this stage, the change element seeps in making it evident and inevitable for old patterns to make way for the new ones. Chaos begins bringing along anxiety, confusion, fear, anger, dislike, etc.

• Integration: Slowly, progress begins to show in the form of ideas that are more accepting of the change, these ideas help integrate with the system.

• Practice: By practicing the new ways, you tend to become more comfortable with change. This stage calls for support and motivation to carry on forward.

• New status quo: You accept the change in totality that is now the 'system'. Performance may even exceed and there are new relationships, routines, processes and practices in place.

This model helps you realize the phases you or your team will go through while adapting changes. Apart from this, there are other several techniques and tips listed out to help in the transition:

• Expect backtracking: There will be some amount of backtracking no matter how small or easy the change may seem; expect more backtracking during the initial stages though it can happen later too.

• Loss of productivity: There maybe loss of productivity, especially during the chaos stage. Lack of clarity and disturbance of old systems automatically reduce the productivity or may give way to re-work as well.

• Focus on one change at a time: There may be many changes that are lined up but it’s going to be messier and futile to focus on all of them at the same time or do little in each area. Concentrate on one change at a time, create a list about that what the change is, how it needs to be implemented, what results are to be expected and so on. By accepting one change at a time, you will not only go about it in an organized manner but also make it easy for your team to follow.

• Document your learning: As you go about learning new processes or concepts or structures at work, it is important that you retain them in your mind and apply them at work. It is very helpful to write down what you learn as you learn; it gives you the picture in its entirety. Documenting your learning helps you notice any loopholes in the process, makes you ask questions, clarifies your doubts and betters your understanding.

• Involve employee-facing people: At work, change decisions usually come from the top and hence it is essential the management or the leader explains the rationale of the decisions taken to introduce change, the risks involved, the progress it brings, how it would benefit the organization in the near future, etc. The managers at the first level or operational managers can continue the discussion with the team about how it would impact them on a day-to-day level, what operational changes will happen, etc.