In a nutshell: what is change management?
Change management is a much-discussed topic that must be considered against the background of the constant changes of today’s world. But what is change management - what exactly is behind this term? This question will be explored below.
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Change Management in Times of Crisis
The significance of this topic is particularly evident in the current era. Several global crises and technological changes are catching many companies off guard and forcing them to use more modern, more agile working methods. The digital transformation is also currently experiencing a revolution. The digital Magazin has looked into this topic and written an interesting article about it. You can find this article here: Change management falls short
Nothing is so constant as change.
– Heraclitus of Ephesus, 535-475 BC
Heraclitus made this statement many years before Christ and it is still very relevant today. Possible trends and drivers for the changes are, for example, climate change, globalization and internationalization.
These changes are of course also noticeable in the corporate context. As a result, it is important to react appropriately to the new conditions and circumstances and to cope with the change.
Definition: what is change management
The optimal management of this change is subject to “change management.” This deals with the correct design of the change process. Formulated somewhat more globally, it therefore encompasses all measures from preparation and analysis, through planning and then the realization and evaluation of change processes.
The targeted use of strategically appropriate measures is fundamental here. Overall, sustainable and appreciative value creation should be achieved. To explain that Goal To achieve this, the optimal use of the available resources is essential and the consideration of the individual individuals is therefore of particular importance. Resources can be material, such as material or money, or immaterial, such as motivation, personal interests or physical condition. It becomes clear that an individual consideration in the course of the change process makes sense.
It is helpful to evaluate measures during a change process through regular retros and to define new measures. If you would like to find out how such processes are already being implemented, you can find more information in the gray section.
Is your company currently in a change? Then using our software tool could help you. It develops managers into coaches for their teams. You can see how Shopware Echometer is integrated into the retro process at the following link.
Experience report - empower managers to become coachesChange management starting points
Depending on the desired goal, the change can start at various points. These starting points are, for example
- the organizational structure, such as the strategy or the technology
- a technological change could, for example, be the introduction of new tools or new software
- the Corporate culture , like values & norms
- A change in the area of cultural change could be the introduction of an employee-oriented leadership style
- the individual, i.e. skills and behavior
- an improvement in the skills of employees could be achieved through regular training, which is set as a measure
The various starting points are a little clearer in the following graphic.
| Corporate structure | Corporate culture | individual |
|---|---|---|
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Conclusion: what is change management
The above explanation of the topic clarifies the relevance of the change today. No company can escape the changing conditions and trends of the time and has to prepare for possible changes. It is therefore important to grasp the topic in its entirety and to understand the function of change management.
Various change management models can provide assistance in integrating change processes into the company. One of the best-known models is the Kotter change management model. You can find more information about this in our accompanying blog article: Change Management Model Kotter
Sources: This is Change Management
- Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon (n.d.) Change Management. Retrieved August 12, 2020 from: https://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/search/content?keys=change+management&sort_by=search_api_relevance&sort_order=DESC
- Kostka, C. (2017). Change management. Carl Hanser Verlag GMBH & Co. KG.
- Lauer, T. (2019). Change Management (3rd edition). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
- Vahs, D. & Weiand, A. (2013): Workbook Change Management. Methods and Techniques (2nd ed.). Stuttgart: Schäffer-Poeschel Verlag.
