Change Management Introduction Change management is an approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations to a desired future state. Change is a natural part of business due to influences from the macro-environment. Thus, implementing change is standard practice, but multiple dynamics present challenges to organizations that must be overcome strategically. Objective To perform change management through creating a climate for change, understanding the readiness of the organization undergo change, knowing the resources available, and overall impact of change as it relates to employees.

Change Management Leading Change1 There are eight steps for how an organization and arrange a climate for change, engage and enable the organization for change, and implement change. By following these eight steps an organization can better prepare itself for handling change within the organization. 1Kotter, John. “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail" Harvard Business Review, March-April 1995.

Change Management Strategic Alignment1 In the ever-changing world with a high emphasis on information technology (IT), this article explores how IT can be strategically leveraged within businesses. There are four potential directions based on two fundamental concepts of "strategic fit" and "functional integration.” Direction 1 - Business Strategy: facilitating a top-down approach business strategy objectives Direction 2 - Technology Transformation Alignment: facilitating business strategy with IT creating an architecture for implementation Direction 3 - IT Strategy: creates nimble IT strategy to enable business strategy Direction 4 - Service Alignment: Technology leadership creates nimble IT strategy and develops infrastructure to support customer satisfaction By aligning with one of these strategic directions a business can identify IT’s primary role. In some industries it provides support, while in others it can drive a top-down IT strategy. 1Henderson, J., and N. Venkatraman. "Strategic Alignment: Leveraging Information Technology for Transforming Organizations." IBM Systems Journal 32.1 (1993): 4-16

Change Management Exercise Step 1 Note to Markham: This slide is written from an administrator’s perspective as I will use it with my employees immediately. Change Management Exercise Step 1 In the next 20 minutes, please write down 12 things that are highly important to you about your job. You are encouraged to be as broad in your thinking as possible, but try to focus on the most critically important factors you enjoy. Step 2 Once finished writing all 12 prioritize the "job satisfiers" into three groups of Important, Very Important, and Critically Important. Step 3 Listen to the facilitator as realistic change management scenarios unfold. [Facilitator only]: Identify change management scenarios that impact or eliminate the 12 job satisfiers. Let participants sit with this feeling and raise questions about the changes as they occur. Continue until all factors, including the critically important are removed. Then begin facilitating discussion around how participants felt as the changes occur. What did they learn from this exercise?