Change Management as an Art, Delivered Right

Change Management, delivered right.

It all begins with understanding the people most impacted by change and the leaders who drive the change.

Change management is more of an art than a set of prescribed tools or rigid processes. Successful change management is flexible and people-focused, with strategic communications built on an underlying change story, inspirational leadership, and a customized learning strategy.

You might think of change directors like film directors—in the background, making the magic happen. They support executive sponsors, employee groups, and collaborate as needed with communications teams, HR, multi-media teams, project teams, or instructional designers. The role requires openness, communication skills, and conceptual thinking. Like a film director, change directors are behind the scenes, looking at the big picture, coaching and supporting anyone impacted by a transformation.

It all begins with listening: valuing people’s experiences, understanding their fears, and assessing their learning or communication needs so that impacted groups can better buy into the change and commit to all it requires of them. It involves a reading of the room to accurately assess what people need to be successful, and it requires flexibility – the ability to pivot and adapt as things change.

Ensuring strong change leadership during times of transformation is an important focus in the art of change management. Change directors work closely with business or executive sponsors in order to deeply understand both the macro and micro elements of the change, the preferred communication styles of the sponsors, and determine what engagement strategies offer the most success. What business lines require high touch opportunities? What is the most high-impact and efficient use of the executive’s time? How can the sponsors best inspire and engage employees? Are they modeling the change?

Every organization and every change have unique characteristics. For instance, one organization may have natural champion groups that organically emerge or technical advisors who can lead the change among their peers while providing thought leadership on continuous improvement. Or, an organization may have internal communications or HR teams that can carry change management forward, even after a change is first implemented. Whatever the makeup of an organization, the change director practices the art of change management, customizing and delivering the best results for your organization.

At Velvære, we enjoy the art involved in the practice of change management and bring years of facilitation, coaching, communications, and learning and development to the table.