Implementing Effective Change

in the Workplace
Christine Phillimore

Abstract: Why is change necessary? This article looks

at some of the stages involved in successfully bringing
about change in the workplace, making it stick, and
evaluating it. The importance of taking time to engage
people and being aware of their emotions and mind-set
is an important aspect of this. It. also considers models
and cycles of change.

Keywords: change models, communication, evaluation,

mind-set, preparation, resistance.

Implementing Effective Change in the Workplace

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on
fighting the old,
but on building the new.
Socrates

Change is a fact of life, and it is constant. Think of all the

changes you have experienced in just the past year. While
it is recognized that change is difficult for most people, not
changing in the business world can be fatal. Those who
see change as an opportunity for growth and progress will
Following a successful career in reap benefits in their professional and personal life.
education, Christine Phillimore
became a freelance trainer. Focused
What is change? The Oxford Dictionary states that the
and well-read, she has worked in verb change is to make or become different or take or
Uganda, Israel, and South Africa, as use instead of and the noun is the act or instance of
well as in England and Europe. She making or becoming different. The importance lies in
has delivered training courses in
something becoming different, whether small or large,
communication skills and business
writing skills. Her clients include GSK, and it is this that some people find difficult. Most of us
PIMCO, Addaction, the National Health are quite happy simply being left where we are, with-
Service (NHS), various universities out any interference whatsoever. This is especially
and the armed forces in the United true when people have previously experienced change,
Kingdom, the United States, and
Germany.
particularly at work, and the whole process has not gone
well, with the change not resulting in any perceived
benefits.
Change has been, and always will be with us. It is
increasingly rapid and people expect others to respond at
the same rapid pace, and get frustrated when they do not.

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 Implementing Effective Change in the Workplace

People react differently for a variety Be completely focused in your approach.

of reasons; it often depends on what the This not only reinforces the consistency
change is, but it usually succeeds or fails of the message being conveyed, but also
in the way it is communicated before it is means you have a clear idea of what you
implemented. want to achieve. It helps you to stay on
track.
The Need for Preparation
Plan for versatility. Be ready to build the Cycle of Change
right kind of momentum for change and get Many people refer to the work of Elisabeth
properly ready for any major alteration. It Kubler Ross (1969) when looking for a
is important to know how to handle what model of change. This was originally based
ifs ... ? so that you are better able to deal on her work with terminally ill people
with any change in direction, especially and how people dealt with the subsequent
when it is unexpected. grief. It has become known as the Change
Assess your culture. How well-equipped Curve, and can be useful to understand
or prepared is your team for change? Is the reactions of people in dealing with an
the change in line with your organizations organizational change. It is particularly

values? It should be seen to add to them, relevant when the change is unexpected or
not divert from them. Putting yourself in not anticipated.
other peoples shoes is essential so that you The five stages are shock and denial, anger
can imagine the change from their point of and depression, bargaining, acceptance,
view. Only then will you be able to coach and commitment. In Stage One, people
and support them through the period of prefer to remain with the status quo; this
transition. is where clear, effective communication is
Know your own strengths and a bilities. essential. People can become disruptive at
Having the degree of self-awareness to ask if Stage Two. This has been called the danger
you are the right person to drive the change zone because people often want to stay
forward, and support it, is key. If you move here, not having to face the challenges of
too fast, you do not engage people. The moving on. This is where a manager has to
plan will not be properly implemented. watch, listen, and support, bearing in mind
You will lose control and momentum. that not everyone will be at the same stage
On the contrary, move too slowly and peo- at the same time. At the bargaining stage,
ple lose interest and someone else might people often want to make agreements
take over. It is also essential that you are that will allow them to retain some aspects
able to stand back and take a long look at of where they are, not necessarily being
what is happening, the better to be able to realistic. It is, however, a sign that things
review actions and judge whether another are beginning to alter. When people begin to
course of action would be more effective. accept the change, they start exploring and
Lines of communication must be crystal testing out new ideas. This is when they
clear so people do not become distracted by need to be given time to do this fully before
wondering what is actually happening. It is moving on to the commitment stage. This
vital to keep people in the loop. Not talking is where rebuilding takes place. It is im-
to staff early enough will sabotage plans. portant to create a sense of s atisfaction in
People very quickly pick up the sense what has been done and celebrate success.
that something is on the cards, but they are Thus, when the next change is introduced,
not being involved, so they make up their there is a greater feeling of satisfaction and
own story. Then, rumors spread like wild- readiness to embrace the next step.
fire and people are then less likely to believe Another model that has direct bearing on
any official news. the success of organizational change is Don

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 Implementing Effective Change in the Workplace

Kelley and Daryl Conners E

motional Cycle how people can still be engaged and
of Change (1979). This is more applicable encouraged. Make yourself available, let-
when the change can be anticipated. Kelley ting people know when you are, and take
and Conners model outlines the following time to talk to individuals and to the team
five stages: as a whole.
With Informed Optimism, there will
Uninformed optimism be a growing feeling of confidence that
Informed pessimism things are beginning to make sense and the
Hopeful realism change has become less fraught, regarded
Informed optimism with less anxiety. A great way to reinforce
Completion this new attitude and information is to
share it with others so that it can be used
This model looks at the emotional im- for future projects and avoid the resistance
pact of planned change on individuals too often associated with change.
within an organization. At Stage One, you The final stage, Completion, will see
may be excited about getting started, but another lowering of emotional response.
your emotional response levels will be Here, it is important to evaluate what went
low as the focus is on doing, rather than well and what were the lessons learned, as
carefully considering the situation at
well as thanking everyone involved. The
hand. As opposed to the Change Curve stage is too often forgotten in the pressure
of Kubler Ross, where the first reaction of daily work life.
is shock b ecause the change was not Being aware of peoples emotional
anticipated, Kelley and Conner show that responses allows the leader to incorporate
with a planned change, there is initial or these in the initial plan and make a llowances
Uninformed Optimism. Getting people to for them.
focus on the probable benefits can reinforce
this feeling. Resistance to Change
The next stage is Informed Pessimism, It has been assumed that people over 30
where people start to feel negatively, cannot or do not change or develop new
especially when there are problems. They habits. Kegan and Lahey (2009) disagree.
become frustrated and can question the va- Their research shows that the human
lidity of the whole project and its l eadership, brain is capable of sustained d evelopment
to the point of wanting to a bandon it alto- throughout adulthood. They suggest that
gether. People can do this publicly by criti- creating an expectation within an organi-
cizing and making o bjections; privately, zation that people are expected to change
they will cease to be as involved or lose and grow will challenge the usual atti-
interest, sniping out of earshot. As a tude to change over time. It means that
manager, you need to check the authentic- peoples motivation to change needs to be
ity of the plan and its scope. Look at the cultivated and given time. It also requires
support network in place and consider a change in mind-set, which includes
appointing mentors to sustain the progress. the head and the heart, and is, likewise,
Examine the communication channels you time-consuming. However, it is important
are using to confirm that they are working to bear in mind that such changes in
effectively. mind-set and behavior do not immediately
Stage Three is Hopeful Realism, where lead to complete transformation. This
pessimism should start to wane as people approach does mean a greater degree of
become aware that problems can be longer l asting change and allows people to
handled and solutions devised. Look for take risks and develop their potential in a
ways to sustain the progress made and supportive atmosphere.

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