Hello all! If you’ve read this blog at all you know I’m not a huge fan of how change management is currently practiced.

When I say traditional change management, I mean a methodology specific (Prosci, LaMarsh, ACMP, Kotter, etc.), tool, template, and assessment focused approach that includes:

• A command and control approach
• Telling and training
• Doing change to people rather than with them / co-creating change

In this post, I’m suggesting that there are six questions that a change practitioner should partner with the business people they are working with to ask and answer before diving in to a particular change methodology, tool, template, or assessment.

6 questions to ask before focusing on a particular change methodology, tool, template, or assessment

I believe partnering with the business people you work with to answer the following six questions will positively influence and impact the entire change initiative process. Taking the time to become clear about these topics before diving in to a particular change methodology, tool, template, or assessment will save time throughout the initiative and give it a better chance to be successful.

1. What are your change goals?
2. What changes, if any, are needed to these goals?
3. What are your beliefs about people and change?
4. Which, if any of these beliefs get in the way of successful change?
   • Whether people are aware of them or not, their change goals and beliefs about change and people significantly influence the decisions they make/actions they take to carry out a change. It’s better to be aware of them.
5. Which, if any, of your policies, procedures, and ways of working get in the way of supporting human centric, participatory, kind, and goal-oriented change?
6. What are all the changes taking place simultaneously in the group(s) that will be a part of this change?

Whether people are aware of them or not, their change goals and beliefs about change and people significantly influence the decisions they make/actions they take to carry out a change. It’s better to be aware of them.

Closing thoughts

I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts about asking these questions before diving right in to tools, templates, and assessments? What questions would you add to this list?

Please post your thoughts and comments below. Let’s help each other become the best change management practitioners and enthusiasts we can be!

Thank you for reading. Until next time, take care and keep up the good work!

Mike