| Before starting out on your change management | | | | organisation after the change? |
| initiative - some strategic questions to ask yourself. | | | | - Is this Blueprint fully communicated to all staff? |
| This list is not exhaustive but is intended as an | | | | - Is it going to be actively used in a structured manner |
| aide-memoire to kick start your thought processes and | | | | to maintain focus throughout the duration of your |
| to help you avoid the 70% failure rate. | | | | change initiative? |
| (1) Have you thoroughly addressed the originating | | | | (7) Do you have a clear definition and documentation |
| strategic review questions? | | | | for each specific benefit to be realised by this change? |
| - Where have we come from? | | | | (i.e. what is it and what difference will it make - where |
| - Where are we now? | | | | in organisation does it arise - how will its achievement |
| - Where do we want to be? | | | | be measured?) |
| (2) What is your vision for the changed company? | | | | - Have you documented what differences should be |
| - How is this communicated to staff? | | | | noticeable between now and the close of the change |
| - Does your staff share this vision? | | | | initiative? |
| (3) How would you describe the company, its culture | | | | - Do you have planned processes to put in place to |
| and core processes now - (key characteristics) - key | | | | ensure that these benefits are achieved? |
| issues (actions and behaviours) - major focus (areas | | | | - Do you have a mechanism for measuring the |
| of impact)? | | | | improvements arising from the realisation of each |
| - Have you defined some sort of cultural frameworks | | | | benefit? |
| of your organisation - to show "this is what we look | | | | - Are these benefits communicated to staff? |
| like"? | | | | (8) Have you documented the "stakeholder map" all |
| (4) What do you want the business to look like after | | | | those who have an interest in the change? And |
| everyone's changed - how will the specifics of the | | | | specifically how the change will impact them? |
| culture and core processes have changed? | | | | - Have you analysed the impact of the programme on |
| - Where are the gaps between now and where you | | | | their area of interest and the likely issues that will |
| want to be? | | | | arise? |
| - What steps are needed to close the gaps? | | | | (9) Do you have a two-way communication strategy? |
| - What are the implications of this? | | | | Does it work? |
| - Do you know the steps to be undertaken to get | | | | - What are the feedback mechanisms and processes |
| from: "where are we now" to "where we want to | | | | that are actually going to make this a two-way |
| be"? | | | | communication process? |
| - Have you identified for each step, the implications, | | | | - What are the processes that will ensure that your |
| issues and exposures that have to be addressed to | | | | people are informed about the use of their feedback |
| progress to the next step? | | | | to influence the change initiative? |
| (5) How are you going to manage the transition? | | | | - What are the processes that will raise awareness of |
| - How will you know how you're doing? | | | | the benefits and impacts of the Blueprint? |
| - Have you analysed, categorised and prioritised the | | | | (10) Do you have an issues and risk management |
| issues arising across all functional areas impacted by | | | | strategy (for the change)? Have you identified what |
| the transition? | | | | can go wrong and put countermeasures in place? |
| - Are you using a structured methodology? - Do you | | | | - What are the processes that will ensure that it is |
| have the skills in-house to do this properly? | | | | enacted effectively? |
| - Who is going to provide overall leadership and | | | | - What are the processes that will ensure that it gives |
| ultimate accountability for the initiative? | | | | you early visibility of issues and risks? |
| - Who is going to fulfil the role of day-to-day | | | | For more on this: "Strategic leadership questions to ask |
| management of the initiative, its risks, issues, conflicts, | | | | yourself BEFORE starting out on your change |
| priorities, communications, and ensuring delivery of the | | | | management initiative" |
| new capabilities? | | | | Equip yourself to avoid the 70% failure rate of all |
| - Who is going to fulfil the role of realising the benefits | | | | change initiatives with the "Practitioners' Masterclass - |
| delivered by the change initiative? | | | | Leading your people through change, putting it all |
| (6) Do you have a clear blueprint that defines your | | | | together and managing the whole messy business. |