Myth 1: Making changes is easy

Myth 2: People will do what they’re told

Myth 3: Enough is Enough: Planning is Important, BUT…

Fact: It goes without saying that you need a solid change management plan, but a plan is useless if nothing is done with it. A plan alone itself is insufficient. Governance, communications, training, and continuing support are all important components of a successful change management plan. The strategy must be feasible, implementable, and adaptable. The plan must also be carried out by change management experts working with reliable stakeholders from across the company.

Given that projects will veer off-plan it is important to ensure planning adjustments are made and new expectations are established with stakeholders throughout the life of a project. This is the one flaw that is hardly ever addressed in textbooks or groups. It should be discussed because the project manager must continuously execute, control, and replan for 90% of the project's duration.

Myth 4: Leadership doesn’t need to be involved in the whole process

Fact: This one always makes our eyes roll! Yes, there must be leadership involvement. Leadership that is approachable, respectful, trustworthy, and has time. Leadership who can and are willing to communicate early and often. Leadership has a clear strategy, a clear direction, and a clear vision, most of which should already be transferred to the workforce. When individuals perceive a lack of commitment to success and leadership in the change, they may dismiss it as a passing trend or empty platitude. So why bother getting committed to the change themselves?  

Myth 5: Only a few will resist and they can’t derail things

Wherever there is a change effort, there will be resistance. – Beckhard & Pritchard

Fact: Never underestimate a small determined group of people who have a shared vision. Especially if that shared vision is to squash changes. If ‘resistance coalitions’ are forming, that shared vision is probably to preserve the status quo. This can’t be ignored. Voices must be heard. The concerns of these people, or small groups, must be addressed.

Myth 6: We eliminate them or lessen their roles if they refuse to comply

“All resistance is mobilization of energy, not lack of energy. Those who “resist” are “bundles of energy” not passive, lifeless blobs” – Nevis (1998). 

Fact: If you really want your change to be a success then you must find a way to engage the resistors and harness their energy in a positive way. People may decide to give up and begin their own small-scale sabotage if they observe that people who are opposing the change are being disregarded or dismissed. Or worse, they could check out all together.  

Myth 7: We can move quickly to make it happen.

Fact: Some changes can happen faster than others. However, nothing can happen instantly. This is one of the most common myths I encounter. If you find a magic wand to make change happen fast and successfully, or ‘quick wins’, please share your best practices to the readers. However, change overall, particularly deep culture change or transformational change, can’t happen overnight. It is essential to establish realistic expectations concerning the completion timeline as well as achievable targets for milestones and success metrics. And whatever you do – don’t give up midway through the process!

Myth 8: Technology will address the issue

In many aspects, technology can be beneficial, but it can also be a detriment. When technology evolves, it's common to become overly focused on the process and technical aspects of the changes, missing sight of the human side of the equation. Technologies and models (SaaS, PaaS, ERP, Bespoke, MicroServices, etc.) have been a major driver or catalyst for change in many of the change initiatives, but that's all technology can do. Even while technology can help with some of your process and service delivery problems, end users will still need to adjust to a new way of doing things.

Myth 9: We don’t consult with our customers 

Did you gather information from them? Did you ask them how the change is going to impact the way they do business with you? What are customer concerns? In most cases, businesses are changing to better serve their customers as well as employees. If customers are to be involved in the process of change, then why shouldn't they? They should. Or at the very least, their concerns and opinions should be taken into account.

Myth 10: We'll use a model from a book written by a guru that worked and applied successfully somewhere else.

There are numerous frameworks and paradigms for change management. However, you are setting yourself up for failure if you take a one-size-fits-all strategy to change and transition. At TIGO, we always mix and match and customize the existing frameworks and approach based on client culture and situation. Just because a certain model or framework worked well someplace else doesn’t mean it will work the same at your organization. Every organization is different, every culture is different, and change management frameworks should be flexed and adapted to best suit the organization and strike the right balance between cost and benefit for each type of change.