Prosci's Change Management learning center features a report titled 2005 Best Practices in Change Management. As summarized by Be Excellent, here are 5 important findings:
- The #1 contributor to (business improvement) project success is active, strong and visible sponsorship throughout the project.
- The top obstacles to successful change are employee resistance at all levels: front-line, middle managers, and senior managers and inadequate senior management sponsorship.
- Employees want to hear messages about change from two people: the CEO and their immediate supervisor - the message they want to hear from each individual is very different.
- When asked what they would do differently next time, most teams would dedicate resources to change management.
- The top reason for employee resistance is a lack of awareness about the change.
I've talked to colleagues looking to get their buisness to embrace a new program, become a metrics organization, become a customer centric organization, or launch a sustaining word of mouth strategy. I'd suggest keeping these findings in mind, and referencing 12 Ideas to Sell Ideas before any change leadership adventure!