Change Management Tools.
Change Management refers to a structured de-risked approach to the design and delivery of change. Holistically the process should be designed based on outputs from a unique tool set applied to the context of the change. Often this will be in tandem with systematic change, such as the introduction of a new ERP system. Below we consider some key tools which support the delivery of change.
This is the 1st article of 3 in the series. 1) On Melting Icebergs; 2) Getting It Done 3) The Hard Truth. I suggest reviewing all 3 for a holistic view.
Initial Gap analysis and SWOT analysis
At the outset of any change initiative, conducting a Gap and SWOT analysis is essential to establish a clear baseline — identifying where the organisation is today, where it needs to be, and the internal/external factors that will influence success. This diagnostic not only informs initial planning but also highlights critical dependencies, risks, and opportunities. However, as the change process unfolds, revisiting these analyses is equally important. Organisational dynamics, stakeholder positions, and external pressures can shift. A refreshed Gap and SWOT review ensures the change strategy remains aligned, adaptive, and grounded in the evolving reality — not just the original assumptions.
Gap – To understand the start position and the end position and what needs to change to get from one to the other.
SWOT- to determine areas of focus contributing to the articulation of strengths and opportunities and highlighting areas for attention – weaknesses and threats to the change to use as part of the supporting work for the practical application strategy for moving Lewin’s Force Field (see later).
Usually represented in crusiform as set out here but also please see the detail below.
SWOT Analysis – ERP Implementation with a Change Management Lens
STRENGTHS – Change Enablers
- Strong Executive Sponsorship: Clear direction and visibility from leadership drives credibility and momentum.
- Unified Vision: Shared purpose across departments reduces silos and encourages collaboration.
- Modernisation Mindset: Appetite for change among key champions supports early adoption.
- Enhanced Visibility & Control: Real-time access to data empowers staff and reinforces accountability.
- Change Infrastructure: A structured programme with dedicated change agents, training plans, and communications.
WEAKNESSES – Change Friction Points
- Change Fatigue: Staff overloaded by past or parallel change initiatives may disengage.
- Legacy Mindsets: Long-tenured employees may resist abandoning familiar tools and processes.
- Communication Gaps: Inconsistent messaging creates confusion or breeds misinformation.
- Capability Gaps: Low digital literacy in some user groups slows adoption and confidence.
- Fear of Job Impact: Uncertainty about automation and role redefinition can undermine morale.
OPPORTUNITIES – Change Acceleration Levers
- Culture Shift: Embed a culture of continuous improvement, agility, and cross-functional working.
- Digital Upskilling: Provide targeted training that builds confidence and long-term competence.
- Process Ownership: Enable end users to shape future-state designs, increasing engagement and accountability.
- Visible Quick Wins: Early success stories build belief in the change and reduce resistance.
- Improved Collaboration: A single system across locations breaks down walls and improves teamork.
THREATS – Change Barriers
- User Resistance: Passive pushback or active non-compliance can erode benefits realisation.
- Poor Stakeholder Alignment: Competing agendas across functions may stall decisions or dilute progress.
- Insufficient Readiness: Rushed deployments without stakeholder prep lead to disruption and rework.
- Low Reinforcement: Without sustained communication and recognition, behaviours may revert to old norms.
- Loss of Informal Workarounds: Critical but undocumented processes may be lost, causing short-term chaos.
Kotter discusses 8 Steps to the change approach
1. Establish a sense of urgency. Kotter wrote the book Our Iceberg is Melting. For a penguin living on the iceberg, the title establishes a sense of urgency.
2. Create a guiding coalition – a steering group or project team.
3. Develop a vision and strategy – a target for how things will be after the change.
4. Communicate the change vision – the execution of a communications strategy.
5. Empower broad-based action – let the change agents do what they need to do within their scope, delegation reducing log jams.
6. Generate short term wins – small steps on the journey, for example a monitoring KPI passing user acceptance testing.
7. Consolidate gains and produce more change – add this to the business KPI, broadcast the KPI, train people on it, feedback results of the KPI quickly, take action on the information it gives……then introduce the next KPI
In an Agile environment both step 6 and step 7 can be addressed by sprints (short term wins) and gaining board approvals of the sprint deliverables (consolidating the gains).
8. Institutionalise the change in the culture of the entity – following the KPI example add a prize to the weekly/monthly business review where the KPI is first used for real.
Change formula
Kotter expands on this approach by suggesting a change formula exists which requires 5 elements for change to be effected and classifies outcomes as the product of the formula dependent on the presence of the 5 elements.
[______]+SKILLS+INCENTIVE+RESOURCES+ACTION PLAN = CONFUSION
VISION+[_____ ]+INCENTIVE+RESOURCES+ACTION PLAN = ANXIETY
VISION+SKILLS+[_________]+RESOURCES+ACTION PLAN = GRADUAL CHANGE
VISION+SKILLS+INCENTIVE+[__________]+ACTION PLAN = FRUSTRATION
VISION+SKILLS+INCENTIVE+RESOURCES+[____________] = FALSE STARTS
VISION+SKILLS+INCENTIVE+RESOURCES+ACTION PLAN = CHANGE
A worked example
Vision – A mission statement sent to key stakeholders from a very senior figure in the business.
Skills – A training needs analysis correlated with the project plan and enacted
Incentive – An imbued sense of urgency, loss of sales (say) or this years performance target being to deliver change.
Resources – book diaries early, recruit project staff quickly, ensure budget signoff
Action plan – a gantt chart to low level, a sprint plan
For successful change solutions for each element of the formula needs to be applied.
Typical Work Streams
There are multiple work streams in a change management process but two a common throughout the process.
Work stream 7 – Planning
For most work streams there is a planning work package too. This makes up the 7th work stream. In the crucible of the change activity itself, when multiple work packages are in play having a plan to reference is invaluable to help quickly re-centre the stakeholders understanding, aid coordination and find where the project is, in terms of the change process and what needs to happen next.
Workstream 6 – Communication
Communications strategy
The enacted strategy is vital to the erosion of resistance to change as it signals over time the change is coming and when it will come thus avoiding surprise, and promotes clarity helping resource coordination and avoiding mixed messages which serve to confuse communication and cloud the vision. It helps ensure communication at the right level to the right stakeholder and aligning that communication with the outcomes and actions arising from the toolset deployed, tools such as force field analysis (discussed later).
The strategy helps to avoid noise in the communication, and avoid silo unstructured communication which will often be out of date and potentially coloured by personal bias.
What does a Communications Strategy look like?
The strategy should be made up of 4 separate elements
- Summary
- Table of stakeholders
- Communications Calendar
- The Communications Strategy itself
Summary
The strategy should account for the culture of the business and set out rules on how the communication should be made in keeping with the culture. Cultural appraisal can be easily apparent (IBM vs Apple for example) but articulating this into a less subjective actionable set of steps can be more of a challenge and so considering culture under the following classifications should help.
In addition the approach to the communications could be further defined by allocation of the organisation to a particular quadrant of the following cruciform chart.
Table of stakeholders
A table classifying stakeholders into Class, Group, engagement Level
Communications Calendar
A calendar of communication that correlates with the Communication Strategy and the project calendar
The Communications Strategy itself
Communication Strategy – A table of communications with the following headings
1. Information to communicate
2. Purpose of the communication
3. Description of the information
4. Frequency of communication
5. Target Audience – Group and Class
6. Who is responsible for the communication
7. Method used to communicate
8. Comments
The strategy should account for the culture of the business and set out rules on how the communication should be made in keeping with the culture.
Artifacts supporting the strategy for example populated stakeholder mappings such as the following.
Resistance to change
For effective change to be realised resistance to change has to be overcome. Lewin discussed a force field with resisting and driving forces in an equilibrium which when unbalanced realise change by the reduction of resisting forces and increasing of driving forces, as follows.
Often times driving forces are defined in project requirements, statement from the board, or a project initiation document (PID). However resistance to change can be less well defined.
Nevertheless, Kotter and Schlesinger define them as follows
- Narrow minded self interest
- Missunderstanding and lack of trust
- Differing assessments of the situation
- Low tolerance to change
- Change weariness
…and Rosabeth Moss Kanter describes a change phased change curve where the Y axis represents moral and performance knowing where a change process is along this curve gives you a strong insight on actions needed to progress along the curve.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter also sets out the drivers of resistance as follows combining these identifying resistors with Lewins Force Field Analysis gives you a powerful tool to effect change.
- Loss of control
- Excessive personal uncertainty
- No chance to think things through
- Unnecessary demolition of familiar symbols
- Loss of face
- Concerns about competence
- Unexpected effects on other areas
- Increased workload
- Past resentments
- Real threats
Not all classifications of resistance to change may exist, there may even be none at all, but appraising the levels of each potential resistance and devising strategies to deal with them if found will be helpful to the change process.
ADKAR Analysis
What is it
The ADKAR model in change management is used as a coaching tool to make sure that the people or employees involved in the process support and believe in the change. Many aspects of which are also reflected in Kotter’s 8 steps to change discussed earlier.
ADKAR acronym.
· Awareness
· Desire
· Knowledge
· Ability
· Reinforcement
How to use it
The ADKAR model presents a set of goals that team leaders should try to achieve, and being able to do so is the key to earning the support of the employees to successfully implement the change strategy.
Step 1: Spread awareness
Clearly communicate to the employees what change is occurring and why.
Step 2: Inspire desire
Build desire in your employees to support the change so they would do their part naturally rather than forcing them to do so.
Step 3: Impart knowledge
Make sure to help employees learn how to support the change through training programs, job aids, tutorials, coaching programs and checklists provided by the company.
Step 4: Improve ability
Help employees further improve their ability through feedback and evaluations.
Step 5: Reinforce the changes
Make sure that employees don’t go back to their old ways. In order to reinforce the changes, give incentives and rewards to employees.
Lewin’s Change Model
Lewin discusses a 3 stage process for change. Using the metaphor of changing a cube of ice to a cone, what do you do? First you must melt the ice to make it amenable to change (unfreeze). Then you must mold the water into the shape you want (change). Finally, you must solidify the new shape (refreeze).
Unfreezing
This first stage of change involves preparing the organization to accept that change is necessary, which involves breaking down the existing status quo before you can build up a new way of operating.
Similar to the first of Kotter’s Steps to change (see earlier) the key to this is developing a compelling message showing why the existing way of doing things cannot continue. This is easiest to frame when you can point to declining sales figures, poor financial results, worrying customer satisfaction surveys, or suchlike. These show that things have to change in a way that everyone can understand.
To prepare the organization successfully, you need to start at its core – you need to challenge the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that currently define it. Using the analogy of a building, you must examine and be prepared to change the existing foundations as they might not support add-on stories. Unless this is done, the whole building may risk collapse.
This first part of the change process is usually the most difficult and stressful. When you start cutting down the “way things are done,” you put everyone and everything off balance. You may evoke strong reactions in people, and that’s exactly what needs to be done.
By forcing the organization to re-examine its core, you effectively create a (controlled) crisis, which in turn can build a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. Without this motivation, you won’t get the buy-in and participation necessary to effect any meaningful change.
Change
After the uncertainty created in the unfreeze stage, the change stage is where people begin to resolve their uncertainty and look for new ways to do things. People start to believe and act in ways that support the new direction.
The transition from unfreeze to change does not happen overnight: people take time to embrace the new direction and participate proactively in the change. Kubler-Ross uses a change curve to articulate the expected sentiment and reaction to change
The curve focuses on the specific issue of personal transitions in a changing environment and is useful for understanding this aspect in more detail.
In order to accept the change and contribute to making it successful, people need to understand how it will benefit them. Not everyone will fall in line just because the change is necessary and will benefit the company. This is a common assumption and a pitfall that should be avoided.
Unfortunately, some people may genuinely be harmed by change, particularly those who benefit strongly from the status quo. Others may take a long time to recognize the benefits that change brings. You need to foresee and manage these situations.
Time and communication are the two keys to the changes occurring successfully. People need time to understand the changes, and they also need to feel highly connected to the organization throughout the transition period. When you are managing change, this can require a great deal of time and effort, and hands-on management is usually the best approach. Work here should be supported by and feed into the Stakeholder Communication Strategy discussed earlier.
Refreezing
When the changes are taking shape and people have embraced the new ways of working, the organization is ready to refreeze. The outward signs of the refreeze are a stable organization chart, consistent job descriptions, and so on. The refreeze stage also needs to help people and the organization internalize or institutionalize the changes. This means making sure that the changes are used all the time, and that they are incorporated into everyday business. With a new sense of stability, employees feel confident and comfortable with the new ways of working.
The rationale for creating a new sense of stability in our ever-changing world is often questioned. Even though change is a constant in many organizations, this refreezing stage is still important. Without it, employees get caught in a transition trap where they aren’t sure how things should be done, so nothing ever gets done to full capacity. In the absence of a new frozen state, it is very difficult to tackle the next change initiative effectively. How do you go about convincing people that something needs changing if you haven’t allowed the most recent changes to sink in? Change will be perceived as change for change’s sake, and the motivation required to implement new changes simply won’t be there.
As part of the refreezing process, make sure that you celebrate the success of the change – this helps people to find closure, it thanks them for enduring a painful time, and helps them believe that future change will be successful.
Practical application
Unfreeze
1. Determine what needs to change. Survey the organization to understand the current state. Understand why change has to take place.
2. Ensure there is strong support from senior management, identify and win the support of key people within the organization. Frame the issue as one of organization-wide importance.
3. Create the need for change. Create a compelling message about why change has to occur. Use your vision and strategy as supporting evidence. Communicate the vision in terms of the change required. Emphasize the “why.
4. Manage and understand the doubts and concerns. Remain open to employee concerns and address them in terms of the need to change.
Change
1. Communicate often. Do so throughout the planning and implementation of the changes. Describe the benefits. Explain exactly how the changes will affect everyone. Prepare everyone for what is coming.
2. Dispel rumors. Answer questions openly and honestly. Deal with problems immediately. Relate the need for change back to operational necessities.
3. Empower action. Provide lots of opportunity for employee involvement. Have line managers provide day-to-day direction.
4. Involve people in the process. Generate short-term wins to reinforce the change. Negotiate with external stakeholders as necessary (such as employee organizations).
Refreeze
1. Anchor the changes into the culture. Identity what supports the change. Identify barriers to sustaining change.
2. Develop ways to sustain the change. Ensure leadership support. Create a reward system. Establish feedback systems. Adapt the organizational structure as necessary.
3. Provide support and training. Keep everyone informed and supported.
4. Involve users in User Acceptance Testing, get their involvement and understanding, increase their skill set by their participation and their buy in by their confirmation that the tests passed.
5. Celebrate success!
The new norm
For me it is clear change is the new norm and is needed to maintain competitive edge. It is also clear change can be very complex and there can be many facets making up a considered successful approach to change. The above tools discussed here are by no means exhaustive there are many others…these are the tip the iceberg. Good luck.
This is the 1st article of 3 in the series. 1) On Melting Icebergs; 2) Getting It Done 3) The Hard Truth. I suggest reviewing all 3 for a holistic view.
The material and information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information in this article as a basis for making any business, legal or any other decisions.
