Change Management Templates For Non Management Employees

Starting Out

change management templates,practitioners masterclass,change management training,change managers,change management Change management templates for non management employees are about the real-life practical details of "How" to survive imposed organisational change.

The broader picture of how your organisation's leaders and managers should be handling all this (but most probably aren't) is fully covered in the Practitioners Masterclass

Your organisation’s CEO and senior management have an idea, a vision for a significant visionary change, and/or your organisation is facing major external challenges…

It is fairly obvious to you that the size, scope and complexity, priority, timescale and strategic importance of the proposed change is such that it is likely to have a big impact on you, both organisationally and also personally.

We are going to assume that your senior management and your line manager is focused on achieving the benefits of the change as quickly as possible and mistakenly assumes that everyone can be "managed through the change"; and that they also believe that either it can be handled within “business as usual”; or they do not recognise that it needs to be treated as a separate initiative, and under-estimate the scope and scale of what will be involved.

As a staff member and employee, you are going to be on the receiving end of all this.

Change is going to be imposed on you.

We are making these assumptions, as these are the most common scenarios.

Change management templates for non management employees examine the steps you can take to get informed, to attempt to mitigate the more negative effects of the change, and also how you may be able to use some positive influence, even though you are without authority.

Stalling Points

[1] Failing to ask your line manager questions

Failing to understand that you – with the benefit of this knowledge and that which you have obtained from the Practitioners Masterclass – are in a privileged position
Failing to act on this knowledge by seeking clarification and asking your line manager questions
Failing to appreciate that you may be helping your line manager by asking questions, as it is quite likely he won’t know all the answers and you are giving him the information he needs to seek clarification from, and manage, his line manager
It is all too easy to take the line of least resistance. It is too easy to go along with whatever it is you have been asked to do, without initiating an informed discussion with your line manager about the implications of what has been proposed, and (based on your knowledge) an informed recommendation as to how to proceed in a way that is most likely to succeed

[2] Failing to understand that you may have more influence than you realise

Failing to understand that your line manager may benefit from and appreciate your constructive input
Failing to understand the power of the informal networks and thus your potential influence by sharing these questions with your peer group and other in your network of contacts

Critical Action Point

In order of priority and sequence you have 4 critical actions.

The basis on which you proceed with your involvement in the implementation of this change initiative will be shaped by the outcome of the following steps:

You’re first and most urgent and important task is to meet with your line manager – probably more than once – and to seek clarification on a number of key questions (see below)
You need to reach clarity and understanding with your line manager on how they are going to proceed in implementing the changes
Having completed your discussions with your line manager, hold informal discussions with others in your informal networks as soon as possible
Outline what you have asked and what answers you have been given, give them the background and the reasons for the potential change and invite their views and feedback on how you should all respond– and listen

Key Questions

These are recommended questions for discussion. Rephrase and supplement, as you feel appropriate:

"Why are we doing this and how's it (the organisation) going to be different after the change?"
"How will the organisation benefit from the change, and how will we know it's benefited?"
"Who's this change going to affect and how are they likely to react?"
"What can we do to help them deal with the impacts (on them) of the change and how can we keep them 'on side'?"
"What steps do we have to take to make the changes in ways that work for the organisation (so that it benefits from the change) and also for those who are going to be impacted by the change?"
"What could go wrong - what are the risks and issues we'll have to face?"
"How are we going to do this so that it happens and we succeed?"

Initial Objectives

Your initial objective is to reach clarity with regard to your immediate line manager’s perspective on each of the points listed below which are the essence of the key questions.

Your secondary objective is to reach a shared perspective with your informal networks - of a high level view of each of the following points:

The organisational need for the change
The specifics of what will change
The benefits of the change
The impacts of the change

This discussion with your line manager is not a negotiation, this is not an interrogation; this is an informal discussion - and one that may require patience and sensitivity.

Similarly, discussions with colleagues and other informal network members need to be constructive and helpful – you are not looking to create a reputation as a troublemaker.

It is highly likely that this will involve a number of meetings – each of the above points could involve a separate session.

What is most likely to go wrong?

Problems are likely to arise from 2 areas:

[1] Your line manager

Your line manager will find it difficult to respond to your questions because he doesn’t know the answers and he feels uncomfortable and thus unwilling to seek clarification from his line manager
He will become impatient about what he sees as time-wasting discussions and put you under pressure to “get on with it” and “just do it”
This why the initial discussion you hold with your line manager in which you explain your practical need for this information is so important

[2] You

This may take you out of your comfort zone, but it is worth it because information is empowering and at a minimum you will be better equipped to handle what’s “coming down the line”
It also possible, that by asking these focused and constructive questions, you may help others - including your line manager

Quick metrics on progress

You have a documented list of answers to the key questions that you have asked your line manager
Members of your informal network email you personally or phone you on your mobile phone with ideas and suggestions
You feel a certain level of dis-ease and mild discomfort about where all this is leading