It's the business's change, not the change team's

So often the change team ends up being seen as the “face” of a change, the ones carrying out the change, the “doers” of change. As a result, people end up feeling as if change is being done “to them” from the outside.

Empowering the business

Here is another model to consider. In this approach, the change team’s main goal is to equip the business to plan and carry out successful change initiatives, and the business’s main goal is to be the face and lead doer throughout a change initiative.

Change Team	Business
Focus Coach, guide, advise, and teach/train the business. Equip the business to plan and carry out successful change initiatives. Collaborate with and provide support to the business throughout the initiative (can also be the doer if needed). Stay current on the change management discipline (neuroscience and change, trauma and change, etc.) and provide this perspective to the business in actionable ways.	Focus The face and lead doer throughout the change initiative. Collaborate with and receive support from the change team throughout the initiative.
Lead Train, coach, guide, advise, and teach the business how to do the things in their Lead section. Train direct managers, sponsors, change champions, SMEs, etc. on what they can do to help create an environment conducive to successful change.	Lead Clearly define and articulate current and future state. Document specific changes in people, process, technology, etc. Identify groups of people that may be affected by the changes. Determine impacts to each of these groups of people and across groups. Determine what, if any, training is needed. Establish success metrics.
Collaborate Determine what needs to be communicated, to whom, and how often. Define potential risks and how to lessen them. Determine what post training support would work best. Map out the business’s current change landscape (processes, all change initiatives currently underway, what’s upcoming). Create a plan for involving people throughout a change initiative.	Collaborate Determine what needs to be communicated, to whom, and how often. Define potential risks and how to lessen them. Determine what post training support would work best. Map out the business’s current change landscape (processes, all change initiatives currently underway, what’s upcoming). Create a plan for involving people throughout a change initiative
Support Clearly define and articulate current and future state. Document specific changes in people, process, technology, etc. Identify groups of people that may be affected by the changes. Determine impacts to each of these groups of people and across groups. Determine what, if any, training is needed. Establish success metrics.	Support Support the change team as needed.

Disadvantages of this approach

Disadvantages of this approach include:

• The rules of engagement are more inclusive/collaborative, which may be an adjustment.

• This approach can take more time up front. Some bumps in the road are to be expected.

Benefits of this approach

Benefits of this approach include:

• The change team’s focus shifts from being the “doer” of change to equipping the business to plan and carry out successful change initiatives now and going forward.

• The business’s focus shifts from helping the change team to being the lead doer and face of the change. People throughout the business more easily adapt to change that is being led by their business rather than change they think/feel is being spearheaded from the outside.

• The people in the business that are tasked with “making it happen” are involved in crafting the changes. For over 20 years, there have been articles and research that point to the advantages of actively including people impacted by the change in the change process.

What are your thoughts on this approach? What is your reaction to having the business take the lead in fleshing out current/future state, documenting who will be affected, how they may be affected, and what success looks like? I admit, this may seem risky, but I keep asking myself: who is better positioned than the business (with the change team’s help) to articulate these things about their business?

Who is better positioned than the business (with the change team's help) to articulate these things about their business?

Thank you for reading. Please post your thoughts and comments below. Until next time, take care and keep up the good work!

Mike