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Articles
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February15
2021
The one thing you cannot neglect when moving to Agile.
“Agile organisations have outperformed others in adapting to Covid-19” – can anyone be surprised? Agile as an operating model was under the spotlight well before Covid-19. However, now that the response capacity to change is so critical, we can expect these approaches to gain even more traction. But how do you move your organisation to Agile? There are many answers to that question, but one thing is for sure; you can’t neglect Change Management. The problem is not whether organisations should embrace Agile, or which framework to choose. It is about understanding that Agile requires a shift in culture and mindset. And it is about being ready to treat it as a change on its own – a challenging one, for that matter. In short, it is about putting people over processes. Project owners and sponsors, here is how Change Management can help you deliver on the promises of ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
February01
2021
6 simple tips to elevate your virtual change communication.
Remember the water-cooler conversations, impromptu meetings and kick-off events? That was not long ago. But with the sudden shift to video conferencing and virtual collaborative tools, we must reinvent how we communicate. And to succeed as Change Managers we have to master the new communication channels. Fear not. Best practices are emerging. Here are 6 simple tips to help you take communication to the next level. The channels have changed, so should your communication The basics of communication, with a big twist. You know that communication for change is a campaign in and of itself. One that involves delivering the right message to the right audience, at the right time, through the right channel. Getting everyone on the same page and on board requires an intentional and structured communication strategy. But Covid-19 has disrupted one basic parameter – the channels. Online communication? Non-verbal on the line. ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
January19
2021
7 communication tips in times of uncertainty.
It’s not over yet. Vaccines are rolling out, but many countries continue to battle with Covid-19. These are uncertain times. Uncertainty makes people feel vulnerable, confused, and looking for directions. And without clear guidance, resistance spreads like wildfire, which can lead to organisational paralysis. The cure? Effective communication. Your role as a manager and leader is to create a supportive and reassuring environment. How? Know that communication for uncertainty requires to do things differently from the way you normally would. Understand what uncertainty does to the people. And use these seven tips to align your communication efforts. From difficult emotions to resistance: what uncertainty does to us What do leaders tend to focus on in times of uncertainty? Processes, tasks, immediate action. They fall into the tunnel vision trap. They forge ahead, driven by a sense of urgency. And their staff can be left behind, immerse in a ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
December09
2020
Manage your culture to successfully emerge from Covid-19.
Culture. As a leader, it should be top of your mind now more than ever. Culture will largely determine your ability to “re-emerge or restart” business after Covid-19. How agile, innovative and productive your organisation will be in the new work environment post-Covid-19 is almost exclusively determined by your organisational culture. But to manage it, you need to measure it. The bad news? Culture is a strange beast, elusive and difficult to label. The good news? proCulture® is there to help. If you wish to understand and pivot your culture, look no further. Organisational culture matters more than ever Culture, a classic component of change success. First, let’s look at the evidence. Research conducted by McKinsey shows that 70% of project failures “are due to culture-related issues”. Not for nothing is cultural awareness considered as “either important or very important to a change initiative” by 90% of the participants ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
December02
2020
How Danish Culture Affects Change Management
Danes are odd. Objectively speaking – we are weird. Danish culture has the interesting characteristic of being at extreme ends of many measurable, cultural dimensions. And of course, this also impacts how we do change management. But in what way? At a conference hosted by Prosci this year, the Expert panel – consisting of change management specialist from around the globe – was asked questions on how different cultures impact our change management work. Great observations were aired out in this forum. And it was clear, that even though we do the same things – we adapt differently depending on the culture we operate in. Understanding our (cultural) profile diminishes our unconscious biases. We cannot NOT have biases. But when they become conscious, we can adapt specific tactics to put into different parts of our change management work. An example is the way we appeal to decision ...
Written by
Anna Balk-Møller -
November23
2020
Seven tips for managing resistance in Covid-19.
Resistance is a natural reaction to change. It happens when people pause to understand and evaluate what this means for them. And there are always good reasons why people resist. Often it is due to poor leadership or poor change management. We can influence both. Resistance takes new forms in Covid-19 and can be more difficult to identify and manage. You need the same "tools"[1], but you must switch formats and double down on your efforts. A hybrid workplace and a new focus on safety call for adjustments to the way we deal with resistance. But as always, the more proactive and empathetic the approach, the easier it will be to avoid the further development of resistance. Three new resistance challenges Covid-19 is too big a change to handle. People resist for a good reason. And there is no shortage of reasons in an anxiety-inducing context ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
November10
2020
Use individual purpose to drive change in Covid-19.
Organisations are facing a tactical and logistical nightmare. All energies are focused on safely returning to the workplace, recovering or simply holding tight. “Is this really a time to talk about individual purpose?” you might ask. Yes, now is exactly the time to focus on individual purpose. Today’s biggest challenge is to maintain employee engagement in a disrupted and anxiety-ridden work environment, promoting well-being and building resilience. Not just to stay afloat. Not just to keep an edge. Individual purpose is the lever to manage change and emerge stronger. It is, therefore, more important than ever. 3 reasons why leveraging individual purpose should be part of the business playbook now Because people need to find something “in there for them”. Let’s go back to the basics. The WIIFM (What’s In It For Me question has been a staple in Change Management from the early days. People need ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
October22
2020
Covid-19 has changed "effective sponsorship". Here is how.
Do you know what #1 success factor is for any change initiative? I bet you guessed it. It is having a fully committed and visible sponsor. This has been true for as long as it has been researched. Sponsors can make or break a change. And Covid-19 will significantly amplify their impact, for better or for worse. Successful change demands effective sponsorship. Crisis-led change demands even more and better sponsorship. We know that sponsors must be Active, Build coalitions and Communicate directly with employees. That has not changed. But Covid-19 presents leaders with new challenges. Let’s look at what they are … without overlooking the fact that disruption also brings opportunity. New skills, same roles … and more important Some behaviours have become more critical than others in a world grappling with uncertainty and operating on new hybrid ground. Effective sponsors must mirror the traits of “adaptive ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen -
September29
2020
Use ADKAR to help people return to the workplace
Adapt. Reconfigure. Emerge stronger. Clearly, the post-Covid-19 area is riddled with organisational challenges. There is no blueprint for dealing with a pandemic in the workplace. But there are good and bad change management strategies. Change happens one person at a time. And change itself is a process, or better said, a journey. Breaking down change into smaller steps is the single best way to keep things on track and eliminate obstacles. Create Awareness and Desire for the change; deliver Knowledge; foster people’s Ability to implement skills and required behaviours; Reinforce the outcome: This is AKDAR´s method in a nutshell. Now, how do you apply ADKAR to today´s challenges, more specifically, to help people go back to the workplace? Just so we are on the same page, the first part takes you through the basics of the model. We then turn to explore the challenges specific to each phase ...
Written by
Morten Kamp Andersen