From the trenches - what we've learned as communicators doing change management

1. Managing Change
A view from the trenches…
Beth Kathan
June Klaphake
Change Consultants
November 14, 2012
bethkathan@gmail.com jklaphake@comcast,net

2. ? Who are we?
June Klaphake Beth Kathan
 Change Management  Change Management
Consultant, Delta Air Consultant, Academy
Lines Sports, Houston, TX
 Communications  Corporate Internal
Consultant since 2002 Communications
(Cargill, 3M) Director, Cargill
 Internal  VP, Retail
Communications, Communications,
Marketing/PR, Wells Best Buy
Fargo

3. What have we learned?
What do we do differently
today?

4. 1 Try on their shoes
 Uncover the many different ―feet‖
◦ Understand the change from their POV
◦ Clarify WIIFM
◦ Don‘t assume anything
 Go deep
 Understand the team  Probe & clarify
◦ Vocab and approach  Gauge
‗feelings‘
◦ Roles and sponsorship

5. 2 Leaders are people too
 It‘s likely communication is not their
area of expertise
 Leaders are stakeholders too
◦ Identify and understand all who need to be
involved
 Key to influence, support and reinforce
◦ Have they bought in yet?
◦ How can you help them?

6. Just ―check the box‖?
3 Nope.
 Change management is a mindset, not
merely a set of tasks
 Every communication drives some kind
of behavior change
 Change approach includes:
◦ Communication
◦ Training
◦ Coaching
◦ Assessing
◦ Recommending

7. You can‘t hurry love…or
4 change
 Change happens over time
◦ Implementation vs Adoption
 More communication does NOT equal
faster change
 Need plan to sustain and reinforce
 More than an event, campaign, training
series or website launch

8. What doesn‘t seem important
5 today…actually is
 Utilize all communication and training
levers
 Informal communication is more
important than formal
 Check in with stakeholders
◦ Ask for feedback, then ask again later
◦ Update & engage influencers

9. 6 Parting thoughts…
 You know a lot about your culture—use it
 If something doesn‘t smell right, say so
 There is no cookie cutter approach
 Build relationships
 Keep an open mind—learn everything
you can
 Build on what works best—look for Bright
Spots

10. 7 Seek out inspiration
June‘s picks: Beth‘s picks:
 Switch: How to Change  Davis & Company website
Things When Change Is (davisandco.com)
Hard by Chip & Dan
 The Leadership Solution by
Heath
Jim Shaffer
 The Change Book by
 Communicating for Change
Tricia Emerson & Mary
and The Credible Company
Stewart
by Roger D‘Aprix
 Prosci Change
 Towers Watson Change
Management Center
Management research –
(free webinars)
www.towerswatson.com

11. Questions?
Thank you!