Change Management Tool

Five stages, in order

Each stage asks one question and hands its answer to the next. You can stop after any stage: save your progress file, and pick up later on any computer. The organizational change playbook explains the method behind each one.

1. 1

   Stage 1 of 5 · Stakeholder Analysis

   Who does the change affect?

   2 to 3 days

   You bring

   An hour with the people leading the change, to list every group it touches, inside and outside.

   You get

   Each group placed by power and interest, with its stance today, a first move, and who to meet before announcing anything.

   How stakeholder analysis worksUse the stakeholder analysis tool on its own

2. Every group, with the opponents named
3. 2

   Stage 2 of 5 · Kotter's 8 Steps

   What is the plan for the whole organization?

   1 to 2 weeks to plan; the steps run for months

   You bring

   The figures behind the change, the leaders' agreement, and names for a guiding coalition.

   You get

   A case for why now, a coalition people trust, and one action for each of the eight steps on one timeline.

   How Kotter's 8 steps worksUse the Kotter planner on its own

4. The plan, and the announcement date
5. 3

   Stage 3 of 5 · ADKAR

   Where is each group stuck?

   A first check 2 to 3 weeks after the announcement, then monthly

   You bring

   Five questions to each group whose work changes, in a short survey or team meetings.

   You get

   Each group's barrier point, one action aimed at it, and the trend from one month to the next.

   How ADKAR worksUse the ADKAR assessment on its own

6. Each group's barrier point
7. 4

   Stage 4 of 5 · Resistance Management

   Who is pushing back, and why?

   From the announcement onward, alongside stage 3

   You bring

   What people said, in their own words, from conversations with the groups pushing back.

   You get

   The real reason behind each objection, a response that fits it, and the plan changed where an objection was right.

   How resistance management worksUse the resistance tool on its own

8. The responses, and any changes to the plan
9. 5

   Stage 5 of 5 · Bridges' Transition

   How do people let go of the old way?

   From the announcement, for 3 to 12 months

   You bring

   A go-live date, the output you expect to dip, and one measure of people working the new way.

   You get

   Support for each phase, the dip planned and announced in advance, and reviews at 3, 6 and 12 months.

   How Bridges' model worksUse the transition planner on its own

10. The transition plan, and the full report

What you finish with

A PDF report of the whole playbook. One headline for each stage, as in the example, then each stage's diagnosis: what it found, what that means, and what to do next. It ends with the transition plan and how you'll know the change stuck.

A progress file you keep. An Excel workbook with a sheet for every stage, updated each time you save. It holds a year of monthly ADKAR checks, and it is how you come back: choose it on this page or on any stage, and the playbook reopens where you left off.

Checks along the way. A powerful opponent is met before anything is announced; the plan stops without a case for why now; a group stuck before Knowledge isn't trained yet; and an objection that holds up changes the plan.