Managing the Human Aspects of Change

Module Overview

This change management training course will focus on how to navigate the human considerations associated with any change management programme, offering insights and frameworks to make it a more welcome concept.

Particular attention will be paid to the psychological, emotional & personality-type responses commonly encountered with change management. This demands an appreciation of how we ourselves handle change as well as how our colleagues and other stakeholders do, as well.

Practical in its approach, it will address the subject in accessible terms, providing participants with a structured array of communication tools to deal with the many challenges involved in change management.

It will highlight best practice, as well as pinpointing where change management can go wrong – and use case studies and other interactive exercises to encourage participants to relate the classroom learning to their own environments.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the natural human response to change & how it manifests itself in the workplace
• Gain awareness of the key role played by middle management & team leaders in propagating change amid colleagues
• Appreciate the multiple strands involved in managing stakeholders – including how to segment & categorise
• Practice and role-play the key interpersonal skills required for successful change management
• Read colleagues and other stakeholders with respect to their attitude to change and apply tactical levers to achieve their ‘buy-in’
• Adopt some leading negotiating tools to manage uncertainty – in terms of finding creative solutions & mitigating risk

Programme Content

Personal Reactions to Change
• Models to understand the psychological & emotional impulses
• Self-assessment of one’s own change agility, highlighting dimensions to work on
• The Bridges Transition Model & how to use it pertains to individuals
• Managing oneself, staying grounded to reality & maintaining control
• Supporting others, dealing with their emotions & moving forward

Middle Management As Change Leaders
• Mining the middle ground, integrating strategy & frontline reality
• Adopting the fulcrum role between senior mgmt., staff & stakeholders
• Aligning staff understanding and behaviour to the new reality
• Leading one’s team with energy, example & empathy
• Embedding change as normal & sustaining supports to counter relapse

Managing Stakeholders During Change Training
• Tools & techniques – stakeholder maps, matrices & measurements
• Segmentation & categorisation approaches to focus engagement
• Development & roll-out of charters, communications & consultations
• Integrate & report updates on change progress to relevant stakeholders
• Engage with stakeholders as contributors – taking on board their views

Change Management Influence & Negotiation Skills Training
• Learn & apply the 6 principles of influence & the 4 traits of persuasion
• Diagnose one’s preferred negotiating style & adapt to circumstances
• How to contend with the other parties – aggressive, assertive & passive
• The primacy of trust in seeking ‘win-win’ outcomes with colleagues
• Process moves to ward against deadlock & keep momentum going

Managing Ambiguity, Uncertainty & Setbacks
• Tools & techniques to frame possibilities & implications of change
• Aligning responses to individual personality types during times of uncertainty
• Communication updates to solidify the change destination picture – celebrating mid-
course successes & keeping change top-of-mind
• Being upfront & transparent about the challenges – & open to feedback on how to overcome
• Design flexibility into change plans from the outset, so a number of equally desirable options are kept open as long as possible

This course is suited for
Managers and team leaders responsible for facilitating change management in their organisations.