Change Management Skills Guide
A Change Manager relies on a wide range of analytical, problem solving skills to identify and define the change they are responsible for and on interpersonal and communication skills to persuade and motivate others to implement and embed the change.
Whilst it is unhelpful to generalise, the skills framework below gives a sense of the areas that anyone beginning to work in the management of change should consider as their ‘toolkit’ of knowledge.
Change Management Strategic Analysis
- Considers the organisation’s strategy, structure, processes and culture when identifying and defining required changes
- Has an understanding of models that support strategic analysis including PESTLE, SWOT, gap analysis and Pareto analysis
- Assesses the current and future context of the change and its likely contribution to the achievement of strategic objectives
Change Management Problem Solving
- Identifies root causes of problems rather than accepting initial reasons for the problems at face value
- Reflects and questions your own assumptions and pre-conceptions and those of others
- Does not procrastinate - makes timely decisions based on sufficient information rather than waiting for additional analysis that leads to delays
- Uses analysis techniques to assess the impact of change, predict the winners and losers and ascertain the likely level of support and resistance for the change
Change Management Planning and Organising
- Prepares a detailed plan of activities to:
- Implement and embed change and govern how the change is applied across the organisation
- Meet the needs of all stakeholders
- Incorporate activities to reduce resistance to change and exploit support for change into the change plan
Change Management Influencing and Persuading
- Understands how teams are formed and team dynamics, and uses this knowledge to form effective change teams that champion change within each department and function of the organisation
- Identifies and develops relevant relationships across all those responsible for defining and implementing the change, and those impacted by the change
- Modifies style and behaviour to match the needs of each stakeholder group
- Ensures communications are clear about the purpose of the change, the desired outcomes of the change, the benefits it will bring and the impact on current working practices
- Involves subject matter experts to ensure change activities are credible and have sufficient integrity to persuade others to change their behaviours
