Deliver - Coordinate

CO-ORDINATE CHANGE READINESS AND COMMITMENT (Part of the Deliver Phase)

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they
will surprise you with their ingenuity.” (General George Patton, Jr.)

Change readiness assessment

Prior to the change being implemented, you need to check whether your team is ready and prepared for the change. To prepare, ask the questions in the table below. If you answer ‘no’ to any of the questions, there are activities to assist you to move the team to be ready for the change.

QUESTIONS	ACTIVITIES
Do they understand why the change is happening?. Are they aware of the benefits of the change?	Provide communications that outlines the reasons for the change. Have 1 on 1 communication to discuss how the change directly impacts and benefits them. ___________________________
Do they want to be part of this change?	Create an open feedback channel where they can voice their objections to you (not others). Undertake coaching to identify their personal barriers and determine ways that these can be overcome. ___________________________
Have they received all the information they require to be able to change?	Ensure that they have attended the necessary training. Direct them to places where they can locate additional information (i.e. quick reference guides, intranet). ___________________________
Do they have the necessary skill for the change?	Undertake skill-based coaching. Provide a safe environment for them to practice their new skills. Create a buddy system to support one another in the development of the required skills. ___________________________
Do they know what is expected of them?	Communicate the new expectations on a 1 on 1 basis. Reward and recognise the successful new behaviours. Ensure that the new behaviours are reflected in the performance measurement systems. ___________________________

Figure - Change Readiness Assessment and Interventions

Ask yourself these questions numerous times throughout the change process. This will help you to identify what activities you need to undertake and help identify any stumbling blocks that your team may be facing.

Gaining commitment

Building commitment will improve team members’ confidence with the change, lift team morale and encourage the growth of team member’s competence in the new practices. Commitment rarely takes place instantly, it takes time to evolve and develop. As a change leader you can build commitment by:

welcome people into the team and make them feel valued.
be open and clear about the mission, principles, and goals of the project.
model commitment yourself and 'walk the talk'.
give people meaningful work to do as soon as they join the team.
pick out the right level of challenge for people so that they can be both successful and stretched.
build an organizational culture in which the team members appreciate and respect each other.
listen to your team to build their confidence that you value their views and respect what they say.
support people's leadership to develop their feeling of ownership.
celebrate successes (both small and large).

Daryl Conner (http://www.connerpartners.com) has a very useful Commitment Model and worksheet that provides excellent guidance.

Resources:
   ● Change Readiness Survey Sample (515kB download)
   ● Business Readiness Team Roadmap (62kB download)
   ● Building Rapport Handout (102kB download)
   ● Persuasion and Influence Handout (112kB download)
   ● Building Commitment (132kB download)