What is Change Management?

Index

• Introduction
• Running the play
• Change versus Transformation
• Understanding Change
• Types of Change
• Common Change Management Models

*Please note that if you click on any hyperlink within this Play, it may redirect you to another page.

Introduction

Change Management is a comprehensive, cyclical, and structured approach to prepare, support, and help individuals, teams, and organizations transition from a current state to a future state with intended results and outcomes. Effective Change Management at Transport Canada is important.

This Play is part of a series of Plays that will help guide you through the process of successfully integrating Change Management into each Phase of Transport Canada’s Project Management Framework (PMF).

You may also find the following TC Change Management tools of value, most of which can also be found on Transport Canada’s How We Work Playbook, under the Topics section of Change Management:

To learn more about Project Management and its PMF, at Transport Canada, please visit PMPedia.

For further details or guidance on this play or Change Management, please visit Transport Canada’s Transformation Change Management GCPedia page, which includes further details on integrating Change Management into a PMF, along with our Transport Canada Change Management Manual, which we recommend you have open upon review of this Play. If you require further assistance, the Transformation Portfolio Office CM Team would be happy to walk through any guidance on this Play.

This Play will help you understand the importance of managing change within Transport Canada to meet challenges, prepare for the future, and better serve the transportation system.

Use this Play to...

• Clarify what is meant by Change versus Transformation
• Understand the process of change for individuals as well as groups
• Recognize that not all change is created equal
• Become familiar with two of the most commonly adopted models for managing change

Running the play

A Change Initiative is the act of altering something significant within an organization, requiring an internal and external transition (consolidating organizations, moving to new offices, launching new programs or services, updating software, or changing procedures).
Running this Play will provide you with a preliminary understanding of how Change Management can assist you in making your change initiative a success. Use this play as a starting point to deepen your understanding of change within Transport Canada, how change works, the type of change you are experiencing and models to consider to manage that change more effectively.
It is recommended that you start off by bringing together the core project team responsible for implementing the change and defining what the proposed change is.

Change versus Transformation

To understand what is meant by Change Management it is helpful to first understand Transformation.

The terms “Transformation” and “Change” are sometimes used interchangeably, but are not necessarily the same.

Transformation is almost always large and significant. Transformation is an internal fundamental change in beliefs of why certain actions must be performed. Transformation does not require any external influence to maintain, and because of its fundamental nature, transformation is more likely permanent. Transformation is about modifying beliefs so that actions achieve the desired results.

Change, on the other hand, is typically smaller and more incremental in nature, but it can also be large and complex. We all face change every day. Change affects us all and we each deal with change differently. The only constant in life, the only thing we can be sure will happen is change, and change needs to be constantly monitored, managed, and maintained. When we think of Change Management processes and procedures, we typically think of IT initiatives. Every initiative is undertaken to make something better, faster, cheaper, leaner. Change has an owner, and metrics, and involves continual improvements. A conscious effort is needed to identify the need for change, identify change actions required to achieve the desired result, and maintain adoption of the solutions. Change is modifying actions to achieve desired results.

Across Transport Canada, Transformation takes place at both the “Programme” and “Project” level. The Department’s Transformation Vision is to “change how we work to meet challenges, prepare for the future, and better serve the transportation system.” TC’s Transformation Plan was introduced in 2017 and has been driving critical changes within the department ever since. To learn more about TC Transformation, please visit TC’s Transformation GCPedia page.

To support this Transformation Plan, Transport Canada must be:

Change Management at Transport Canada takes place at both the “Enterprise/Organizational” level and the “Project” level.

Enterprise/Organizational Change Management involves:

• Institutionalizing Change Management practices, processes, and competencies across and throughout an organization.
• Treating and managing “institutionalizing Change Management” (or Making it Stick) as a project and as the change.
• Ensuring effective Change Management on all projects/initiatives occurring in the organization.

Change Management applied at the Project Level involves:

• A structured process and set of tools for leading the people side of change to a desired outcome or future state.
• Driving project success by supporting individual transitions required by projects and initiatives.
• Organizational outcomes are the collective result of individual change.

TIP: Assessing your own change

It is recommended that you record the answers to the following questions:

1. What is it that is being changed?
2. What is the purpose of the proposed change?
3. Is this change taking place at the Project Level or is it an Enterprise/Organizational Change?
4. How is the proposed change impacted by the four themes of the TC Transformation Plan?
5. Does the proposed change meet the criteria of being Agile, Smart and Trusted?

Understanding Change

One very helpful way of understanding the process of change for individuals, as well as groups, is the ‘The Kübler-Ross Change Curve’, also known as the transition curve. It is derived from the theory of how people cope with death and bereavement. All change involves the elements of letting go of the past, and engaging with a different future, as an individual or a group moves through the curve. There are many variations of this change/transition curve now in existence but the basic five-stage principal is pivotal in understanding how one may go through the process of change.

The Five Stages of Change according to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross include:

Change Management at Transport Canada takes place at both the “Enterprise/Organizational” level and the “Project” level.

Enterprise/Organizational Change Management involves:

• Shock or Denial: "I can't believe it", "This can't be happening", "Not to me!", "Not again!"
• Anger "Why me? It's not fair!" "NO! I can't accept this!"
• Bargaining"Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything if you give me more time A few more years?"
• Depression"I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "What's the point of trying?"
• Acceptance"It's going to be OK."; "I can't fight it - I may as well prepare for it."

Using the change curve diagram may lead you to believe that the process of change is linear. It is important to recognize that at each point on the change curve, a person can go forwards or backwards. [e.g. A person may reach a stage where they accept the change, but while getting coffee at work they hear news that throws them back into anger or denial.] Moving between the stages is expected. Therefore ongoing-continuous stakeholder engagement and communications is important. Keeping a finger on the pulse of change is critical to the success of Change Management.

TIP: Assessing your stakeholders

It is recommended that you record the answers to the following questions:

1. Who are the key stakeholders involved in/impacted by your change?
2. Where are they currently on the change curve? Do you know?

Types of Change

There are numerous types of change that require various levels of Change Management assistance and different kinds of Communications and Engagement support:

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a method to make sure that government processes, methods, and practices are as efficient, effective, and economical as possible. This is done by periodically examining and improving organizational processes to fix bottlenecks, use the best software, and take advantage of the most efficient methods. Lean, kaizen and Six Sigma are similar examples of common forms of continuous improvement. The primary objective of any continuous improvement change is to reduce waste and streamline work. In certain circumstances, continuous improvement requires limited communications support and little if any Change Management assistance.

Developmental Change

Developmental change improves previously established processes and procedures and does not necessarily have to be of a large-scale nature. While not necessarily being an extensive change, developmental change is the most frequent type of organizational change. Government institutions experience these types of changes as incremental improvements in response to a desire to improve efficiencies, address a detected deficiency, or build upon prior success. Because developmental change is typically incremental and non-disruptive, it typically has a lower level of resistance within an organization. Over time, these smaller changes build and produce positive returns to the efficiency and effectiveness of the department or agency. Failing to respond to the need for improvement however may have the opposite effect and represent a loss of efficiency and effectiveness. In instances of developmental change, it is best if the initiative is supported by a small change and communications team.

Transitional Change

Frequently, departments and agencies know that they need to make a more significant change to remain effective and efficient. Transitional changes are larger than developmental changes. These changes may include amalgamating or de-amalgamating departments or replacing and introducing major new systems and processes. They frequently may impact relationships, job functions, culture, and involve substantial retraining. Because of the significance of these types of changes, management must proceed cautiously while not becoming stuck in a cycle of indecision that will lead to keeping the status-quo. A substantial Change Management investment is required in the case of transitional change, and that includes dedicated communications and engagement resources.

Transformational Change

Transformational change means adjustment in areas which are as a result of significant technological, economic, environmental, or political factors. Government organizations do not frequently undergo transformational change. These types of changes are dramatic and fundamentally alter the department or organization in question. This kind of change is brought about when an organization pursues entirely different programs and services, experiences radical changes in technology, or new leadership ushers in overhauls to the structure and organizational culture. The COVID-19 Pandemic would be an example of a Transformational Change.

Unlike the other types of change where the outcome is known or can be imagined with current understandings, the outcome for transformational change cannot usually be preconceived. It must be developed along the way. The change creates a need for new behaviours by the organization’s employees and external stakeholders. Being this change is the most pronounced, a substantial disruption to the organization will occur, and navigating it will require significant skills and expertise in a Change Management team, supported by a sizable communications team, to develop an overarching change and communication strategy, and coordinate all communication and stakeholder engagement activities.

TIP: Assessing your level of change

It is recommended that you record the answer to the following question:

1. What level of change is the proposed change?

Common Change Management Models

Managing change is difficult. It is hard to change the way you work and modify familiar processes to suit new needs and goals. Change can only be productive if the transition is successful. And to be successful, change communication needs to be properly integrated into the change initiative very early in the outset [likely earlier than most may think].

There are many models for managing change. Some are linear, while others are more cyclical and iterative moving through (and back through) the different phases of change. Transport Canada has chosen to apply a combination of Kurt Lewin’s three stage model (illustrating how collective mindsets are broken down to enable change), and John Kotter’s more detailed road map for change (based on common errors made by organizations when they are trying to undertake major changes).To see how Transport Canada has incorporated these models into its Change Management approach, please review our Play on Building a Change Management Roadmap.

Kurt Lewin’s Simple Three Stage Model

Unfreeze

This phase recognizes that collective mindsets and practices of a group must be broken down before a change can occur – and that subsequently effort is needed to consolidate the group’s new mindset and practices.

During the “Unfreeze” stage an organization must:

• Clearly define the current situation. The more collaborative this process can be, the more effective it will be.
• Create a vision of the desired end state. The more detailed this can be, the better.
• dentify what will help drive and may cause resistance to change. Your goal will be to activate drivers of change and mitigate the potential for increase in resistance.

Change

In this stage, a plan is followed to implement the intended change(s). Stakeholders at all levels of the change must be involved in problem solving solution finding. The ability to experiment with ideas in a safe, collaborative learning environment is key. At this stage, it is critical to provide great role models with whom stakeholders in change can identify with.

Refreeze

It is at the final stage of this model that new work practices become new work habits, and when new ways of thinking become the way forward. It is a time for vigilance on the part of change leaders, who must address any tendency for stakeholders to talk, think or act in line with the old ways. At this stage, it is important to reinforce and reward behaviours and results that are aligned with the changed environment.

John Kotter’s Eight-Stage Approach

John Kotter’s more detailed road map for change is a commonly accepted approach for strategic, organizational-level change. Each of the eight stages in Kotter’s model is to address the eight common errors that organizations make when trying to undertake major change. The whole process offers a roadmap for undertaking change with a strong focus on the role of effective leadership. With the right process and the right leadership, change can be planned and managed. The Eight-Stage approach focuses on:

Regardless of the model of the change process adopted, Communication and Stakeholder Engagement are always at the heart of any successful change initiative. An effect change communication and engagement strategy should describe the overall approach and detailed work plans for engaging with and providing relevant, accurate, and consistent information to internal and external stakeholders affected by the change initiative.

TIP: Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

In your Strategy, you should identify and define:

• key messages
• stakeholders
• communication channels
• roles and responsibilities for communication

It is critical that you engage all stakeholders appropriate to potential impacts and provide them with the information they need to experience a successful transition. This approach also provides your team with an opportunity to assess stakeholder attitudes and sentiments to understand how best to engagement and activate them, or mitigate resistance from them.

Your strategy should also be supported by Communication Action Plan, which can provide tactical breakdowns of the communication and engagement activities to be performed throughout your three change stages: Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze.

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