Managing a Transition

Certain facts regarding the nature of change in an organization are constant, regardless of the purpose or scope of the organizational initiative. To successfully deal with these facts, the management team responsible for the transition must address the following questions.

Fact #1:
Successful transitions require leaders to communicate a clear image of the future.

• Do we, as the management/transition team, have a clear and shared view of the future?
• Where are our views fuzzy?
• Where do we conflict in our views?
• What do we need to do to resolve these conflicts and fuzzy views in order to maintain a stable vision of our future?

Fact #2:
Successful transition management requires systems that support the desired changes, such as rewarding people for the right behaviors.

• What do we consider to be the right behaviors during this transition? From our managers? From ourselves? From others impacted by the changes?
• How can we encourage these behaviors and extinguish the behaviors that are counterproductive to the change?

Fact #3:
Some aspects of the transition are more critical to success than are others.

• Which parts of the new systems, culture, and processes are most critical to our success?
• Which parts are less critical, and thus negotiable?

Fact #4:
Some resistance is inevitable.

• Which aspects of the change are likely to cause the most "heartburn" in those who must approve the changes? Which aspects are they most likely to support?
• Which aspects of the change are likely to cause the most "heartburn" in those who are impacted by the changes?
• Who is likely to lose what from the changes?
• Do we expect resistance from those who will lose something from the change?
• What do we think the resistance might look like?
• How will we handle this resistance if it occurs?

Fact #5:
Change requires people to acquire new knowledge and skills.

• What are our highest priority developmental needs to ensure the success of this transition?
• What do our people need to learn/acquire across the board at every level of our organization?
• What are the level-specific developmental priorities?
• How will we address these priorities? through coaching? training? other?