What is Change Management?

Change is inevitable in every industry, from entry-level roles to C-suite executives. Dr. Michelle Caron, associate dean of business at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), said effective change management helps businesses of all sizes and types remain become and remain competitive.

What is Change Management?

Caron defines change management as an approach to guide leaders and their teams through transitions to meet stated business outcomes. In addition to overseeing SNHU’s graduate business programs in organizational leadership and international business, Caron has industry experience in technology integration and global expansion. Her higher education administration focus includes oversight of coursework on structural changes for resource optimization.

Change management is a multi-step technical process that involves three key steps, according to Brian Sollenberger, senior director of talent development at SNHU:

1. Name the desired outcome and its goal
2. Map out the step-by-step process for implementation
3. Monitor the process to completion

“No matter how small, changes impact people,” Sollenberger said. The process of change management is essential for effectively implementing an organizational change, he said.

There are many possible driving forces of business transformation. These may include technological advancements, organizational growth, regulatory changes, labor market trends, crisis events and the competitive landscape, Caron said.

What Are the Key Pillars of Change Management?

Leadership and communication are the foundation for effective business evolution. For Caron, change management begins with a clear vision of the goal. Aligning your goals with the organizational strategic plan and establishing measurable outcomes can help you identify objectives and define your purpose for the change.

According to both Caron and Sollenberger, the key pillars of change management are:

• Communication – Being able to clearly articulate what the business adjustment is, as well as the timeline, necessary steps and necessary progress along the way, is key for successful change management, Sollenberger said. It’s important that the communication goes both ways and is not just top-down, according to Sollenberger. “Having a space for stakeholders at all levels to be heard, provide input, feedback and even suggestions along the way (is important) to foster buy-in, and novel ideas that may emerge,” he said.
  
  
• Leadership Support – Leadership happens at all levels of business. Understanding the goals around the business transformation and being able to support the people impacted are critical, Sollenberger said. For Caron, leadership’s role includes developing the roadmap for change, including timelines, milestones and deliverables. She said that leaders should be in tune with stakeholder engagement so they are ready to support staff through change they may resist or find stressful.
  
  
• Training Support – The type of change will determine the complexity of training support that’s needed. Regardless of the training need, it’s critical to consider what type of upskilling team members may need to confidently implement the new processes and reinforce the new way of working, Sollenberger said. Leaders should ask: Does every team member have the necessary knowledge and skill set to transition into the new way of doing business? If not, a training development plan may be needed.
  
  
• Assessment – Simply implementing a change is not enough. You need to be able to know how you’re progressing both in terms of meeting goals and measuring the confidence of your staff along the way.
  
  
• Intentional Coaching and Support – Coaching and training support are closely aligned. However, a direct manager coaching their team members through business transformation can help mitigate change resistance, Sollenberger said. They can provide feedback along the way to help team members move from being informed to being involved to ultimately becoming advocates for the new way of doing things.

A solid change management plan can have each of these components, but if the plan isn’t communicated effectively, implementing and sustaining the new processes is jeopardized, Caron said.

Why is Change Management So Important for Businesses?

Businesses are constantly evolving and need to adapt to the market, customer needs and technology, “Change is inevitable,” Sollenberger said. “Change done poorly or without intention tends to miss the mark of its vision.”

When change of any size is announced, it can have a cascading effect on your organization. “It causes fear and stress, maybe even turnover, which comes with costs,” Sollenberger said. The way to mitigate those costs is by communicating well and leading change with intention, he said.

Caron agrees that change permeates every industry and all roles, from entry-level to executive. “Change pervades the very culture of all business environments, making change management essential for fostering resilience, remaining competitive and safeguarding sustained success,” she said.

Why is Change So Hard in the Workplace?

There are a variety of reasons that people might resist a change. That’s why coaching and manager support is crucial to the change management process. “You don’t want to make assumptions as to why a team member is not on board,” Sollenberger said. It’s better to know for sure what issues your team is facing and provide appropriate coaching and training to assist them.

A few of the more common reasons for resistance to new business practices, according to both Caron and Sollenberger, are:

• Fear – Employees could be afraid of failure or of not knowing how the change may impact them or their team.
• Loss of Control – Staff may feel that a change was made without their input. This could lead to staff feeling as though their contributions aren’t valuable. They may see this as a loss. “Change can often evoke sadness,” Sollenberger said. A team member may have been an expert in the old system but is a novice in the new system, and that can lead to hurt feelings.
• Perceived Threat to Job Security – “They might view the change as a threat,” Sollenberger said. Staff may try to debate the new way versus the old way. This is common when the person feeling threatened was the architect of the old way and feels a strong sense of ownership of current processes.

The best way to combat these common responses is by listening for understanding and providing clear communication throughout the change management process. Highlighting advantages of the new process and practices, answering questions and addressing concerns are ways to help others feel heard and valued, Caron said. This can help your team build up their confidence and improve morale.

Sollenberger said that good coaching conversations will help leaders determine if the resistance is due to a misunderstanding, a need for training or if staff members just need a bit of time to process what's new. “I think it comes down to people’s need to feel valued in the work they do,” he said.

What Types of Businesses Use Change Management?

While all businesses could benefit from change management best practices, Sollenberg said, typically, more complex organizations invest in formal training.

“For a larger organization, a robust change management department or even strategy is necessary, but also a luxury,” he said. “A small business, for example, wouldn’t be able to afford a team dedicated to change management. But that’s not to say that intentional change management isn’t as impactful (for smaller businesses). It’s a matter of scale."

Regardless of size, the scale, scope and speed of digital transformation drive the need for rapid innovation and implementation of change management practices across different types of business, Caron said. This is due to technological advancements, evolving regulatory changes and shifts to online platforms.

“These drivers significantly impact IT, manufacturing, healthcare, banking, education, energy, biotechnology and retail sectors,” she said.

What Degree is Best for a Career in Change Management?

While there isn’t a specific degree focused on change management, a bachelor's degree in business or a graduate business degree will provide the coursework and help you develop skills found in change management practices. These skills include collaboration, communication and ethical business practices.

Caron said that a master’s degree in organizational leadership, in particular, can prepare you well for leading an organization through transformation. Some Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs, such as those offered at SNHU, also have change management themes integrated into their curriculum.

If you’re interested in a leadership, project management or operations career, for instance, a change management specialization or certification can be a valuable asset in your career, Sollenberger said. (Change management certifications are not currently offered at SNHU.) Though a formal certification is not necessary to apply change management best practices, such programs can help hone leadership skills that are valuable in a business career.

Specific skills that Sollenberger said are important to lead change management efforts are:

• Coaching
• Communication
• Data-driven decision-making
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Team leadership

The benefit of developing the skill of change management is in intentionally and thoughtfully leading a team through a transition with patience, clarity and openness. “Formal training can refine these skills and help you apply them to change initiatives,” he said.

If you are interested in formal change management training to supplement your degree program or add to your career, two professional, industry-recognized certification programs that can help you build your skills are:

• Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP) from the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP)
• Prosci Certified Change Management Certification

"Change management is a topic studied and applied across all industries to navigate organizational transformation," Caron said.

The important thing to remember is that change is not a one-time event. It’s a transition that requires leading people through new innovative practices with intention, empathy, patience and clarity. “No matter how small, changes impact people,” Sollenberger said.

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn.