The Journey to Change – Landing  the Change

The Journey to Change – Landing the Change Written by Liezl Schulte Article 3 of 4 on our Change Management methodology. In our previous article, The Journey to Change – Lifting Off, we explored the engagement phase, focusing on the emotional journey of employees and the essential activities for implementing change plans. As we progress, we enter the targeted phase of upskilling, where the objective is to build conscious competence. This phase includes testing, relearning, and boosting confidence to ensure a successful Go-Live. Understanding Emotions in the Upskilling Phase During the upskilling phase, employees transition from conscious incompetence—where they are aware of their skill gaps—to conscious competence, where they actively work to fill these gaps. This phase is critical as it involves continuous learning and reinforcement of the new skills. Employees may experience a mix of emotions, from apprehension about their ability to master new tasks to a growing sense of accomplishment as they develop new competencies. Recognising and addressing these emotions is crucial. Organisations must provide a supportive environment that encourages learning and celebrates progress, helping employees build the confidence needed to go live. Continuing and Reinforcing Engagement Activities The targeted upskilling phase builds on the activities initiated during the engagement phase. Ensuring ongoing support from sponsors and key stakeholders is vital, as their active involvement helps maintain momentum and demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to the change. At the same time, continued coaching for executives and line managers is crucial, empowering these leaders to guide their teams effectively and ensuring consistent support and alignment with the change objectives. Clear, consistent, and transparent communication remains a priority, with regular updates and feedback helping to address concerns, provide clarity, and build trust among employees. Leveraging the internal network of change agents continues to be beneficial, as these advocates facilitate communication, provide insights, and address issues, ensuring a smooth transition, while comprehensive and ongoing training programmes, including workshops, e-learning modules, and hands-on training sessions tailored to different learning styles and expertise levels within the organisation, remain essential. Building Conscious Competence The targeted upskilling phase is designed to prepare employees for the Go-Live stage by building conscious competence. This involves: Testing: Implementing testing procedures to ensure employees are adequately prepared for their new roles. This can include simulations, practical assessments, and feedback sessions. Relearning: Encouraging continuous learning and relearning to reinforce new skills and knowledge. Providing opportunities for practice and improvement helps solidify these competencies. Boosting Confidence: Creating an environment that supports and celebrates achievements. Recognising and rewarding progress boosts employee confidence and motivation. Go-Live and Setting Up for Mastery Arriving at Go-Live means that the users have successfully moved from unconscious incompetence to conscious competence.. It’s important to note that Go-Live doesn’t mean mastery yet. This stage of the change journey is, in many ways, only the beginning and not the final destination. The users will still require a lot of support and all the training materials and tools will still be crucial to support them during Go-Live. Go-Live sets the foundation for the road to mastery, which translates to users performing the required actions rapidly as it becomes second nature to them and requires no to very little support while using the new system. Conclusion The targeted upskilling phase is crucial for building the conscious competence needed for a successful Go-Live. By continuing and reinforcing engagement activities, providing robust training and support, and managing resistance, organisations can ensure a smooth transition. With employees equipped with the necessary skills and confidence, the organisation is well-prepared to move into the final phase of the change journey—mastery. In our next article, we will delve into this phase, exploring the strategies that lead to sustained excellence and continuous improvement. Navigating organisational change can be challenging, but it can be managed effectively with the right support. With over 30 years of experience in change management, Can!do Consulting offers the expertise needed to guide your organisation through this process. Our proven methodologies and tailored approach ensure that your specific needs are addressed, facilitating a smooth and successful transition. Partner with us to leverage our experience and help your organisation adapt and thrive. Contact Can!do Consulting to learn more about our change management services. Contact Us