The Seven Step Change Management Plan

The Seven-Step Change Management PlanA CONCISE, ACTIONABLE APPROACH FOR COMMUNICATORS

© CO R PL A N DI A 2 0 1 5www. welc o met o c o r p la nd ia . c o m

Change management plans

The role of Internal Communications as strategic partners to leadership continues to grow and evolve.

To be truly effective, we need to be able to quickly and efficiently provide meaningful input into the big picture. This means expanding our skill set beyond traditional communications planning to include more strategic capabilities.

Change Management planning – with communications at its core – is one of these strategic skills.

Many Change Management plans tend to be overly complicated. Corplandia believes in simplicity. The seven simple steps in this outline will help you crystallize the key essentials of an effective change plan in a crisp, succinct manner.

The result will be a clear guide to successfully managing change.

2 © CO R PL A N DI A 2 0 1 5www. welc o met o c o r p la nd ia . c o m


Creating a change management plan

Immerse yourself in the overall change initiative(s)Make sure you are thoroughly read in on all the project documentation and background. Meet with key stakeholders if you have questions. Get as much information as you can before diving into the plan.

For each initiative, understand and plot the details of the program(s)1. Define the Change: What is the initiative? Goals? Objectives? Outcomes?2. Stakeholders: Who is involved and how?3. Benefits and Challenges: What are the benefits and challenges?4. Obstacles: Are there any obstacles to success?5. Approach and Actions: How will the plan Objectives be addressed?6. Timeline: When will the programs begin and end?7. Success Metrics: What does success look like and how will it be measured?



1. Define the change

Understand and map out the Goals, Objectives, and desired Outcomes

◦ This will enable you to chart the “from-to” state, typically for process change and behavior change (you may also want to plot desired attitude or emotional transformations, understanding that these are more difficult to measure)

◦ A Goal is where you want to be and Objectives are the steps taken to reach the Goal

◦ Avoid the pitfall of mapping Goals without assigning Objectives

◦ If you don’t, your plan will jump from Goals to Execution, without clarifying the steps to be taken to achieve the goals

◦ Execution is tied to Objectives, not Goals



2. Stakeholders

Account for all stakeholders (not just those implementing or manifesting the change)


Driving Those leading the change project

Informed Those who don’t have an active role in the change plan but who need to be updated on progress

Engaged Those who are actively involved in communicating and activating the change

Impacted Those who are affected by the change

3. Benefits and Challenges

Clearly state the benefits of the change◦ To the organization◦ To the impacted employees, Business Units, teams, regions, etc.◦ To the interested but unaffected parties

Capture any challenges the project faces◦ These are hurdles to cross, not impediments to success◦ Could be people, processes, or infrastructure


4. Obstacles

7

Map out any obstacles to success◦ Obstacles are impediments that could prevent the project going forward

◦ These are blockages that communications or activations won’t address, elements that will require executive-level input and/or redirection


5. Approach and Actions

8

Map out the overall Approach to delivering on the Objectives identified in Step 1

◦ This is the high level view on how the Objectives will get done, e.g., “a combination of strategic push communications and employee experience activities that will....”

◦ Include Key Messages

Map out the distinct, concrete Actions to be taken to achieve the Objectives◦ Communication is only one component and often supports a larger Action

◦ Make sure Actions clearly link to Objectives and indicate how the Action will deliver the Objective


6. Timeline

9

Include a high level timeline from beginning to end◦ Include key dates◦ You’ll create a separate detailed workplan that captures incremental dates for

individual Actionsteps


7. Success Metrics

10

Define in clear terms what success looks like◦ Capture process, behavior and attitude changes

◦ The timeframe from start to fully changed behavior (3-5 years)

Measuring success is the key to the whole plan◦ Capture, in crystal clear terms, how you will know the plan is working

◦ What will you measure and how will you measure it?

◦ Are there thresholds to success? Percentages?

◦ Be sure to indicate the ways you will capture and express results to your audience


Budget Implications

Budgets for most large scale change management projects are established as part of the overall Change Project, with a line item for Change Management and/or Communications

As part of the communications-based change management plan, capture any budget items or extensions you see on the road ahead, particularly for communications, rollout or launch activities


Reimagining the relationship between people and work

Corplandia is an LA-based communications agency that specializes in employee strategies and internal communications. Our goal is to make the relationship between employees and employers healthy,

functional, and productive.

www.welcometocorplandia.com