Lean Change Management

1. Embrace uncertainty in change management

"Try as you may, change cannot be controlled"

Change is messy. Traditional change management approaches often fail because they assume change can be planned and controlled. In reality, change is unpredictable and non-linear. Lean Change Management embraces this uncertainty by treating change initiatives as experiments rather than fixed plans.

Adapt and evolve. Instead of creating detailed upfront plans, Lean Change Management uses a cycle of Insights, Options, and Experiments. This allows change agents to continuously learn and adjust their approach based on feedback and results. By accepting that not everything can be known in advance, organizations can be more responsive and effective in implementing change.

2. Collect insights to understand organizational dynamics

"Understand the dynamics of your organization by collecting insights with a variety of tools from different communities"

Multiple perspectives. Lean Change Management emphasizes gathering insights from various sources to understand the current state of the organization. This includes practices like:

• Information radiators (visual management tools)
• Lean Coffee sessions (informal structured discussions)
• Culture hacking (small interventions to expose organizational dynamics)
• Agile retrospectives (team reflection meetings)

Assessment tools. In addition to these practices, change agents can use formal assessment tools like ADKAR®, OCAI Cultural Assessment, and the Schneider Culture Model to gain a deeper understanding of organizational culture and change readiness.

3. Generate options based on collected insights

"Decide on options based on what you learned from collecting insights"

Collaborative ideation. Once insights are gathered, the next step is to generate options for potential changes. This process should involve stakeholders from different levels of the organization to ensure diverse perspectives are considered.

Evaluate and prioritize. Options should be evaluated based on their:

• Cost (effort required)
• Value (expected benefit)
• Level of disruption (potential impact on the organization)

Use visual tools like a cost-value chart to plot options and facilitate discussions about which changes to pursue first.

4. Implement changes as experiments

"Validation in Lean Change Management means confirming that the change you're planning is the right one to focus on for that particular time, before you spend all your time and effort designing a change that is likely to hit a wall of resistance."

Hypothesis-driven approach. Treat changes as experiments with clear hypotheses about expected outcomes. This mindset helps change agents be more open to learning and adjusting their approach based on results.

Validate before scaling. Start with small-scale experiments to test assumptions and gather feedback before implementing changes more broadly. This reduces risk and allows for faster learning and iteration.

5. Use visual tools to plan and communicate change

"The format of your canvas matters less than the conversation that creates it!"

Canvases for clarity. Lean Change Management advocates for using visual planning tools like canvases instead of lengthy documents. Examples include:

• Strategic Change Canvas
• Improvement Canvas
• One-Page Change Plan

Facilitate conversations. These visual tools serve as conversation starters and help align stakeholders around key aspects of the change initiative. They make it easier to communicate complex ideas and track progress over time.

6. Measure progress with leading and lagging indicators

"Separate measurements from diagnostics"

Balanced metrics. Use a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures to track progress:

• Leading indicators: Show progress towards goals (e.g., happiness index, in-process defects)
• Lagging indicators: Measure final outcomes (e.g., customer satisfaction, project success rates)

Team-defined measurements. Encourage teams to define their own metrics that align with overall change objectives. This increases ownership and motivation while providing valuable insights into how the change is progressing at the ground level.

7. Create alignment through co-creation and feedback

"Change goes viral when people start helping other people adjust"

Involve stakeholders. Create alignment by involving people affected by the change in its design. Use tools like the Strategic Change Canvas to facilitate discussions and gather input from various levels of the organization.

Continuous feedback loops. Establish regular feedback mechanisms (e.g., Lean Coffee sessions, retrospectives) to collect insights and adjust the change approach as needed. This helps reduce resistance and increases buy-in.

8. Build a network of change agents

"People have a way of fighting through the pain of change when they want the outcome badly enough"

Expand influence. Identify and empower change agents throughout the organization to help spread and implement changes. This network should include people from various departments and levels.

Support and rotate. Provide training and support to change agents, and consider rotating members periodically to bring fresh perspectives. This approach helps the change "go viral" by leveraging peer influence and distributed ownership.

Last updated: October 7, 2024