Change in an innovation context

Change is a constant in an innovation context. Taking your team, organisation and stakeholders along in the development or implementation of new products or services, in a new process approach or new organisational structure… It often creates resistance for all kinds of reasons. There’s no quick fix in helping people through this change, but with these 5 leading questions you can start designing your change case. 

5 questions to ask when starting a change track :

• WHY of change: Is it clear why change is needed? Why now? What are the risks if we don't do it?

Think of ways how you can raise awareness of the need for change. There are all kinds of ways in doing this: by inviting inspirational speakers, organizing group training, demonstrating the potential, taking people on field trips, … My experience is that the most powerful ways in addressing people about the why of change is by storytelling (for instance using future scenarios) or by letting them experience the relevance (for instance by taking them on an experience trip and stepping in the shoes of a customer).

• WHAT of change: What do you want to achieve? What do you want to change? What innovation do you want to realize and what is needed to achieve this?

Make the change vision concrete, realistic and simple! Take it back to the essence: what is it exactly about? It’s easy to state that you want to create an innovation culture in your organization. But what is it exactly about? Try to define it in concrete change you want to see. For instance, you want to increase idea-time, you want to reward risk-taking, encourage collaboration with external actors, …

• HOW of change: How will the change take place? Can we decide in advance where we are heading? Or will we have to fill in gaps along the way?

It’s difficult to eat an elephant as a whole. Make it feasible. It’s key for major change to think of ways to make it smaller. What are the concrete actions we need to take in the change process (in the different sprints)? List all potential actions that you have in mind. Next you can evaluate these actions on the value in terms of the intended change they have and the effort that is needed to achieve them. This can help you prioritise your change actions. To build confidence and engagement it’s wise to look for some low hanging fruit, but make sure you don’t overlook the high value actions that will take more time. You may already see small valuable initiatives in your organization that you can give a platform. Try to lead the change from behind. Guide the change, but spread the ownership. Empower others to do the change!

• HOW MUCH of change: Should we take a radical approach? Do we go for a revolution or an evolution?

Sometimes it’s advised to go for a radical approach, short and powerful. A short and intense period of change, followed by period of stability. In other cases a continuous process of gradual change is more suited. External market situations could force you in a more disruptive change. This could also for instance be the case in when you need to deploy a new way of working or a new operating system. In a more evolutionary change track you can take your time but the downside could be that the change continues to drag on.

• WHO of  change: Who are the important stakeholders involved in the change? 

First step is to identify the most important stakeholders. Think of people that you will need to make the change happen (implementation partners), people that can give you the necessary input (info, insights, resources) to achieve a good change project (formulation partners) and all interested partners who have a stake in this change. Next it’s good to map out how these stakeholders stand on the change. Are they possible opponents, do they support the change? And what influence do they have?  This mapping can help you create a coalition of the willing, but also get to know the “boxers” who will challenge you along the way.  Lastly, resistance is inherent in change. You have to be well aware of what type of resistance it is! Then you can deal with it. Check these reasons for resistance before you start mobilizing:

• Is the change clear? Do they understand what it's about?

• Can they do it? What barriers are there to change: are time and resources been made available? What are they locked-in into (lecagy)?

• Are they willing? Does it go against their interests? Are they aware of the importance? Fear of loss of freedom, power, ... ?

There is no magical recipe to guarantee you a successful change, but I believe that by addressing these questions upfront it will empower you in a role as change leader. And use those agile innovation principles to learn quickly what works in short sprints. It’s our way of working when taking up your innovation and strategy challenges.