"Reinforcement" and "Reinforcement Plans" are terms that are thrown around a lot in change management. Sure, we know that reinforcement is important, but what does a good reinforcement plan really look like?
If you are a Change Agent working on transformational change you are likely confronted daily with the reality of having too much to do with too few resources. You aren't alone. In our almost 30 years of change management consulting, we have never come across an organization with too many resources and with too little to do. That has never been more true than it is today.
Change Agents may not initially think they are working on a culture change, but there is a good chance that you may have one on your plate. Don Harrison, the developer of the Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM), likes to tell the story of a call he got a few years ago from a client. The client asked, "Don, can you come out to our site and give us a culture?"
For managers, managing resistance to change is more than a theoretical discussion. It can be an almost daily "to do." New processes, new policies, new systems-- it just never ends. But what if you had a model you could follow that actually works? And even better, the model helps your organization move the change, level-by-level, business unit-by-business unit through your organization.
You're just doing your job, trying to implement an important change with your team, when suddenly you're whacked over the head by an onslaught of negativity--resistance to change rears its ugly head again! Kinda like the old Whack-A-Mole game at the county fair. How many times can you get knocked down? Where's that coming from, you wonder?
Over the next several weeks we'll be unlocking the secrets to managing resistance to change. You've seen resistance; it comes in many forms and can be out in the open, or lurking behind people that say they are supportive but then don't match actions with words.
One of the most common questions for clients who are looking for a change management methodology is "How does AIM (the Accelerating Implementation Methodology) compare to the Prosci methodology and the ADKAR model?" Let's first acknowledge that the Prosci methodology is a sound change management methodology. You might be surprised to hear us say that-- but it's true. So the question is, what change management framework is right for your organization? What are some of the important considerations for you to think about?
Last week Microsoft's Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced sweeping organizational changes. This radical restructuring is an attempt to drive innovation by breaking down organizational silos. As Ballmer noted, “To execute, we’ve got to move from multiple Microsofts to one Microsoft.”
Are your healthcare reform-related transformational changes on time and on budget? Are you seeing warning signs that some of the changes may stall, or take too long, or not drive sustained behavioral changes in important stakeholder groups, especially physicians?
As change management consultants, we are attuned to business trends and their implications for implementation. The next wave of change management methodology application may well be in building a "collaborative culture." The advent of social technology has brought with it increased emphasis on increasing communications and collaborations with external customers. But the real value of collaboration is largely untapped.
