Key Points

• The best tools for change management are ones that ease the transition into change.
• Identifying the people who are receptive to change can be instrumental in the success of an initiative.
• Many of the best tools for supporting change management are complementary to one another.

What are the best tools for supporting change management? Change management is a principle that helps guide organizations and projects through periods of change. On the surface level, it is an entirely separate discipline from project management. That said, you’ll want the right tools to make the most of your efforts.

The best tools for change management aren’t necessarily tailored toward a digital domain. You can certainly use them there, but for the most part, things are hands-on, and encouraging collaboration is where you’ll make the biggest mark. With that in mind, let’s dive fully into the best tools, how they’re used, and how to make the most of your change management workflow.

Defining Change Management

Before diving into everything, it is important to understand what change management is. Change management in a vacuum is a means of approaching change using a system. Change is one of the more difficult concepts to get organizations around, but through the proper application of tools, leadership, and knowledge, the process can be simplified.

When we think of a business, we don’t think of a monolithic entity. Staying static is pretty much a recipe for disaster when it comes to any organization. As such, we look to change to help adapt and navigate the changing landscape of businesses.

This is done through change management, which isn’t a new concept by any means. However, taking a systematic approach to change can ease the transition period. At the end of the day, you’re looking to streamline the entire process of change, minimize resistance, and ultimately boost the benefits of what change can bring to the table.

Why Change Management Works

As previously stated, change can be difficult. Resistance is a common theme when looking at implementing change at any level. People get entrenched in their beliefs, routines, and so forth. Now, you could just push through change and hope for the best, but that seldom works out in anyone’s best interests.

This is where change management excels. You’re greasing the axle so to speak, and allowing the change to happen with a peaceable transition of sorts. Change management focuses on strategies that help minimize the resistance many organizations will encounter. This in turn enables any change manager to focus on making sure the benefits of change management are yielding a net positive.

Using Tools for Change Management

A systematic approach is only as good as the tools at its disposal. As such, this is why you’ll want to leverage some tools to support change management as a whole. There are several different ways you can approach enacting change, whether it is the adoption of new technology or vast organizational upheaval.

You don’t approach much in the business world without a firm framework and methodology behind it. Companies develop standard operational procedures, and you’ll find the same holds for any change management initiatives you’re looking to enact.

What Tools in Change Management Support

Any company is a team effort, that’s the very bedrock of a business to operate under. When utilizing tools to support change management you’re opening up the floor to communicate. Communication is key when navigating any sort of change, and allows companies to adapt as necessary depending on user feedback.

Further, tools allow for further collaboration and accountability. While it is a team effort, you want to make sure your team is on the same page as to who is held to task for what. Additionally, you’ll find the right sort of tools to hand over actionable data to drive further decisions.

The Best Tools to Support Change Management

So, now that we’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to take a closer look at some of the tools to support change management. Some of these are digital, but many of them can be done in person without the aid of a computer. Depending on your preference, this can be a boon for any change manager looking to reinforce their efforts.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool when it comes to change management. Many of the tools described can act as complementary components of a change management initiative rather than acting as standalone entities.

You’ll want to make good use of any of these while keeping in mind the overall goal. Change can be a tricky subject, even for fairly fresh organizations. As such, having the right approach in place can help minimize the fuss and get you back on track to getting the important work done as needed.

ADKAR

If you’re accustomed to the workflow of change management, you’re likely familiar with ADKAR. This is a change management model intended to get everyone on the same page, while supporting the change process. ADKAR is one of the best tools to support change management in part thanks to how it is implemented.

It is comprised of the following components:

• Awareness – Communicate to your team why change is happening.
• Desire – Encourage your team to want the change, rather than forcing the matter.
• Knowledge – Providing training and materials to aid and support the change.
• Ability – Give feedback, and communicate the efficacy of the changes to your team.
• Reinforcement – Make sure the change sticks, incentives, and rewards are a big help for the final step to make sure your team doesn’t go back to their old ways.

Each of these components has a clear sequential purpose, making for an easy-to-use tool. Further, these five steps can make lasting and impactful changes when properly done. With any luck, this might be the only tool you need.

Flowcharts and Process Maps

Flowcharts, you know them, you hopefully love them. They are also one of the best tools to support change management that you’ll find. For those unaware, flowcharts and process maps are visual tools meant to envision the overall flow of a given process. However, in change management, you can use the same tool to track a change management initiative.

How you approach creating flowcharts is going to depend on your operational preference. I personally love getting together with team members with a pencil and paper to visualize the entire process. However, you can also use digital tools like Microsoft’s Visio to get it done.

No matter your preference, there is something to be said about the efficacy of a visual aid. This can help get your team on board with the process of change while maintaining collaboration and communication.

Culture Maps

What if you had the means to see the subcultures that arise in your company? With that sort of information in hand, you could determine which actors in your organization will help or hinder a change initiative. This might sound too good to be true, but is a definite possibility when using culture maps.

A culture map is one of the best tools to support change management and illuminate the inner workings of your organization. To construct one, you’ll want to identify the subcultures in your organization, interview each group, and organize the information. From there, you can determine potential outcomes, behaviors, and so forth when contemplating your next change management effort.

This can be an invaluable tool for navigating the change process, and any change manager should leverage it when constructing their next initiative.

Stakeholder Analysis

When looking at tools to support change management, a stakeholder analysis is a vital thing to utilize. Your sponsors or stakeholders have a desire to know exactly how things are performing. Conducting a stakeholder analysis before your change management initiative can illuminate just who is going to be affected by your project.

Further, it also allows you to see stakeholders that might not be as important in the grander scheme of things when approaching change. Every project is different, and the sponsors might change, so identifying these individuals ahead of time is a great way to keep on track.

This can be taken to greater heights by the construction of something like a power/interest grid. As a visual aid, this helps to identify the stakeholders, their priorities, and how much influence a given person has on the outcome of your project.

Force Field Analysis

One of the most helpful tools to support change management efforts is a force field analysis chart. This is another visual tool aimed at providing a means of making decisions when conducting change. Proper construction of a force field analysis chart identifies forces for and against the change.

This can help any team decide which factors are going to influence the overall success of a change management effort. By brainstorming and visualizing driving and restraining forces, you can make decisions on how to approach your change management efforts.

Further, this can aid change management teams by providing the means to change their approach. If a proposed change has too many external factors resisting it, then it is up to the change management team to find a working and lasting solution that effectively conveys the change necessary.

Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model

Sequential approaches to change management can have some definite benefits. As such, utilizing something like Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model can be just the right sort of tool to support change management. The eight steps guide a team through change gradually, taking a more granular approach to implementing change.

The eight steps are as follows:

• Create – Establish a sense of urgency.
• Build – Form a team to champion your change initiative.
• Form – Communicate why change is necessary, preferably through creating a strong vision to guide the process.
• Enlist – Remind your team frequently why change is necessary to get them on the same page.
• Enable – Remove resisting elements that might stall the implementation of your change. Reward individuals who aren’t participating.
• Generate – Set short-term goals to help motivate your team.
• Sustain – Figure out what is working and what isn’t as you implement your change. Revise your project as necessary.
• Institute – Any lasting changes should become part of the culture at this step.

When adhering to these steps, you’ve got a means of providing lasting success for your change management efforts.

Lewin’s Change Model

Our final tool to support change management is a common sight for some teams. Lewin’s Change Model is a three-phase model intended to enact lasting change. This is better suited for smaller change initiatives, thanks to a lack of granularity. Further, when used for larger change management initiatives, this can take considerable time to fully implement.

At its core, the three phases act as a guiding force for implementing change. The phases are as follows:

Unfreezing – Preparing for the action of change is where a change management team needs to promote awareness. Whatever you’re looking to change needs a thorough examination and the findings need to be presented to teams to get everyone on the same page.

Changing – This is the process of change itself. Employees will start training, enacting new policies, and so forth.

Refreezing – At this phase, the new change should be calcified. Change should be implemented into the very culture of the organization as needed.

This is a simpler model to utilize than the likes of ADKAR or Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model. However, its lack of granularity doesn’t make it a great choice for organizations looking to enact change quickly.

Other Useful Tools and Concepts

Looking for some other helpful tips and tricks? You might want to take a closer look at how to best integrate Lean Six Sigma with Agile. Agile is a flexible approach to software development that is a great fit for just about any organization. When combined with Lean Six Sigma, you’ve got a powerful and rapid approach to process improvement.

Additionally, you might want to take a closer look at the remote-first companies that have made it work. Remote work is here to stay, and some companies act as a guiding force when thinking about how we implement remote work.

Conclusion

With any luck, you’ve walked away today with a great selection of tools to support change management. Change is a difficult thing to accomplish no matter the scope and intent behind it. Finding the right tools can make the transition period easier, allowing your organization to reap the benefits brought about by change.

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