Stakeholder analysis with an assessment of influence, degree of impact and attitude for each group.
change management
Change Management Consulting: Change That Sticks in the Plant
What change management means in practice
Change management is the work between the decision and the change being lived. Models such as Kotter, ADKAR or Lewin are useful maps, but none of them replaces the work on site: understanding who is affected, explaining why the change is necessary, enabling managers, taking resistance seriously and following up until the new way becomes routine.
My change consulting combines this with Lean. Many changes in plants are process changes. I know both sides: the method being introduced and the people who are expected to live it every day.
Sound familiar?
Change projects rarely fail on the substance.
What you get
A change that reaches the people and holds after the project:
Change story in versions for senior management, managers and employees.
Communication concept with channels, timeline, responsibilities and key messages.
Managers who are trained to explain the change and to work through resistance.
Action plan with quick wins, milestones and success indicators.
Support through the critical phases on site and embedding in routines and standards.
Frequently asked questions
Change management: questions from practice
What is change management?
The work between a decision and change being lived in practice. The decision is made quickly; embedding the new way in daily work takes considerably longer. Change management ensures that those affected understand what is happening, leaders can answer questions and objections are addressed instead of continuing below the surface.
Why do change projects fail?
Rarely because of the substance. Usually, those affected find out too late what is coming, leaders do not support the decision themselves or nobody follows up after the project ends. The organisation then falls back into old patterns.
How do you deal with resistance?
I take it seriously. Resistance usually indicates that something has not been considered, and anyone who objects openly has at least thought about it. Silent agreement is more dangerous. I therefore bring objections to the table early, while they can still influence implementation.
Do you work with a particular model?
I know the established models and use them as a map when that helps. What matters, however, is what happens in the plant. A model cannot tell you how to speak to a shift that has already been through three restructurings.
How does a change project with you work?
I first look at who is affected, how people feel about it and who has influence. From this come the change story and a plan for who learns what and when. I then support the leaders through implementation until they can answer questions themselves. The communication structure is described in detail on the Communication management page.
What does a change management consultant actually do?
I translate a decision into a path that people in the plant will follow: stakeholder analysis, change story, communication plan and support for leaders until the new way holds in daily work.