In Part one of Leading Change – A Training Trend for 2014,we looked at some of the reasons why change management programs have not been successful. In Part Two, we’ll look at the role behavioral assessments can play in establishing a successful change management program.
One of the fundamental premises of Change Management is that leadership needs to create a compelling story that will motivate employees and other stakeholders to adopt the recommended change.
It’s not surprising that teaching leaders how create that compelling story has been an pivotal part of change management training. However, when McKinsey & Company did some research on the effectiveness of Change Management programs they found that there are some significant challenges with telling a compelling story.
What the leader cares about (and typically bases at least 80 percent of his or her message to others on) does not tap into roughly 80 percent of the workforce’s primary motivators for putting extra energy into the change program.
The Inconvenient Truth About Change Management
According to the report, when trying to manage a change process in an organization most leaders rely on one of two change themes to communicate to their various audiences.
1. This is going to take us from good to great
2. We are under-performing, and unless we make dramatic changes, investors will no longer put money into our organization
Experts say that message will only appeal to about 20 % of the workforce. The rest of the workers are motivated by extremely different things. Feeling that the work they are doing is important for society motivates some employees. Others are motivated by the impact that the change will have on the customer base. Still others focus on how the change will impact the relationships they have with team members and not surprisingly, a significant group of employees are motivated most by understanding the impact the change will have on their income and future development opportunities.
Is there one message that has a greater impact than the others? Not according to the research. Regardless of the industry, size of the organization or location of the business, there is usually a 20% split among workers on what will motivate them to change.
As a result, Change Management training needs to spend more time on teaching leaders how to create a change story that addresses the five different motivations that employees have.
While learning how to tell the right story to the right audience won’t guarantee a successful change initiative, it can promise that the initiative won’t fall on dead ears to 80% of the audience before you even begin.
What is your motivation for change?