Garrett Gitchell President Vision to Work, Inc.

Corporate Change Management

Designing High Level Change

Creating an entity that provides for consistent and predictable change
to tie strategy to business objectives

© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com

 Executive Summary

This paper will guide you to adjusting your perspective about corpo-

rate change, help rid you of status quo approaches and suggest steps

to ensure your organization and its people start and finish change

successfully, not just once, but consistently. Included are the initial

steps to the design of a corporate change management entity, lan-

guaging to communicate corporate change and discussion of how to

tie the context of work with the big picture/idea/end state.

Executive TOC Fast Change CCM Languaging 5 W’s High Level Change About
Summary Change that works
© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com
Table of
Contents
Executive Summary 2
Dealing with Fast Change 4
Establishing a High Level Change Entity 5
Corporate Change Management 5
Big Picture 6

Definitions and New Languaging 6

End State 7

Context 7

Corporate Change Management 7

Horizontals 8

Participation 8

Structure 9

The 5 W’s of Change 10

Why 11

Where 11

Who 11

What 12

When 12

How 12

A High Level Change Entity gives you… 13

Change that Works- Again and again 14
About Vision to Work 15

© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com

Dealing with Fast Change

C-level executives are faced with an increased pace for change

coupled with a lagging ability to implement in a constantly changing
environment. The environment necessitates collaboration, clear inter-
action, understanding and a new kind of matrix organization.
 
CEO’s rate their ability to manage change 22 percent lower
than their expected need for it — a “change gap” that has
nearly tripled since 2006.

IBM. (2008). The Enterprise of the Future. White Paper

Executives must be innovative and disruptive, better and faster than

their competitors while leading, participating and modeling through-
out change initiatives- a pull and tug that is difficult to sustain. It
requires different and disparate skills, entrepreneurship/energy/moti-
vation butting up against project skills and process strength.
Change Management has a similar push and pull.
One component is the participation in the change effort. The other is
the structure and process that creates the path and the lists (action
items and tactics).
This paper will illustrate how to balance, integrate and invest in these
two broad areas of change management- Participation and Structure.
It will show how to view change with an end-state-back approach
rather than a “fill in the gaps” now-to-then process. This is a signifi-
cant perspective switch from the status quo.
Introduce and explain “horizontals”.
The five “W’s” of change- Why, Where, What, Who and When will be
explained (and placed in the correct order for success).
 

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 Establishing a High Level Change Entity
Corporate Change Management
Establishing a high level (VP and above) change entity in your orga-
nization elevates the significance of change and ties that significance
directly to the corporate strategy. Done correctly a balance between
external and internal competencies can provide the skills to tie the
change to the work and feed into a process that makes the right lists
given to the most competent individuals.
We say “entity” because there must be the ability to morph and
reshape to match the environment, the end state and resources. This
is in contrast to a function that quickly becomes vertical, defined and
structured.
You will be tempted to set this up just like other functions, with the
same kind of performance system, the same hierarchy and the same
politics. That would be an expensive recreation of what probably
exits in your organization now. Your rewards will need to be different;
your structure of reporting and collaboration will be different. Done
correctly, you will include key external resources that view their per-
formance as the accomplishment of business objectives and are not
subject to the vagaries of internal politics.
To be successful this entity would need a high-level reporting struc-
ture disconnected from any vertical function. It is important at this
level of change management to have flexibility, equal connection
throughout the organization and, most importantly, no organizational
performance measurement ties.
The members of a Corporate Change Management Group must focus
on people and strategic business objectives not their next perfor-
mance review.
To structure the change entity this way is innovative, smart and dis-
tanced from the status quo.
 

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com

 Definitions and New Languaging

Keep in mind that at the core of this new approach is the individual,
context and strategic intent (or big picture, or greater good or busi-
ness objectives).

On a recent engagement we asked the question, “What would

effective change management be for you?” to over 200 indi-
viduals cross functionally in a Fortune 50 company. Various-
ly worded, to a person the response was, “show me how my
work fits in to the organization.”

Vision to Work, Inc. 2008 Fortune 50 Internal Survey

In order to illustrate this perspective and differentiate, and distance

this approach from current change methods we have coined new
terms. The communication of the change process relies, when done
well, heavily on languaging and culture. The following terms give you
examples for this new language for change.

Big Picture
Can you lay out an overarching description of the change and the
environment? That will be the Big Picture. The other terms we have
heard (from stakeholders) are, “greater good”, “corporate strategy”
and for governmental change “civic responsibility”.

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 End State
This is the description of the change completed.
That description may be different for different stakeholders.
The End State, will give stakeholders a vision and feeling of what their
world will be like after the change. Once that description is in place,
not before, then a path is illustrated.
With transformational change this could have very little to do with
the current state. In fact including the current state and, especially
starting with the current state is automatically a negative perspective
(hence the resistance most initiatives get right at the start).
End State back is the crucial perspective for successful Corporate
Change Management. That is very different from the status quo his-
torical “gap” approach to change management.

Context
Stakeholders will always want and need to understand how their
work fits in to the bigger picture, the path, the company, the external
environment and the relation to other stakeholders. With a status
quo, historical change management approach those stakeholders get
either a list or a demand. Neither has much potential for motivation.
An end state back approach forces a definition of context early on
(you will see later in the paper that to determine stakeholders context
must be defined).

Corporate Change Management

Change Management at the highest level in an organization. The CEO
is the figurehead and leader and the first horizontal (C-level execu-
tives and the Change Entity VP) guides implementation. This is our

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 coined term because Organizational Change Management (OCM) typi-
cally means any change that touches the organization, which is differ-
ent from change in the whole organization. The other term thrown
about is Enterprise Change Management. It too carries the “touches”
definition and defines large scale IT projects (since they always touch
the whole organization).
For the purpose of this paper and our work at Vision to Work, Corpo-
rate Change Management is as much about the perspective, approach
and methods as it is about the separate change initiatives (no matter
who they touch or how big).
Creating a Corporate Change Management entity ensures a culture
that understands change, approaches change from the people side
equally with the business side and does so efficiently.

Horizontals
These are the invisible strings of connection, the matrix, which occurs
when collaboration is necessary in organizations. Horizontals can be
defined and included in the organizational structure. This is a consid-
eration in creating a Corporate Change Management entity if formal-
ization is important.
The most essential horizontal is the first row in the organization. This
could be SVP’s, VP’s or the CEO/Board depending on the size of the
organization. In terms of change initiatives, it is important that they
can operate with shared purpose toward business objectives. Ad-
dressing the competing objectives and resultant rewards that exist in
all organizations (especially at this first horizontal) as roadblocks to
change is essential in the design of a Corporate Change Management
Group.

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com

 Participation
Used to measure and communicate stakeholder contribution at dif-
ferent times throughout a change initiative. Historical approaches to
change management are immature in their ability to define degrees
of participation. Stakeholders become confused when motivation
and participation appear in the same sentence. There are times when
we can participate with little motivation. It is crazy to expect all to be
gung-ho from beginning to end, especially when some change pro-
cesses last for years.

Structure
Corporate Change Management has a loose and malleable structure
in terms of who will be involved in any particular change initiative.
The process is structured when it gets to the PMO project level but
that is more project management than change management (and they
are not the same and work better in partnership because of skill dif-
ferences).
A good and experienced Corporate Change Management consultant
will have a structure to help guide the change, but it too has flexibility.
It must.
Key elements to Corporate Change Management are translations
and translation phases. Idea, Plan, Action and Use are the translation
phases. There are roles in the transitions from phase to phase. These
are the translators.
An example-
Idea to Plan might be a handoff from the CEO and an external consul-
tant to the first horizontal and the implementation team (senior PMO
and internal Change consultants).
Plan to Action a pass from the first horizontal/implementation team
to the project team (PMO and junior change consultants internal and

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com

 or external).
Action to Use the project team to Adoption team transfer.

The 5 W’s of Change

The five “W’s” of Why, Where, Who, What and When provide a basis
for languaging, communication and understanding. They simply and
clearly address people, process and framework. They help your orga-
nization balance Participation with Structure.
The order these are presented is well thought out and in response to
mistakes we have seen and feedback we have received from stake-
holders of multiple projects. The distinct difference we present from
current approaches is that four of the W’s are defined before ad-
dressing When. This calms any sense of urgency (which goes against
one historical approach we can think of) so that change can proceed
smoothly.
Each one helps specific types of people (who could be one stakehold-
er group). That help is the trigger for motivation.
Some people want to know why before they jump in.
Some people want to know where the change will land.
Some want to know who will be participating, when and at what level
of accountability.
Some just want to know what they are supposed to do.
Some need a date to shoot for, when.

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com
 Why
Change as an understandable, easy to communicate process starts
with defining why. This is the first step to create the end state. It must
include the CEO and leader connection to change (as stakeholders not
leaders), a picture of what the environment and culture will look like,
the improvements, the relationships, the interactions and the new
technology (if applicable).

Where
With why you can determine where this change will land. This in-
cludes all of the groups of people who may participate, be effected by
or be aware of the change initiative. This is not just internal areas but
also external partners, customers and the greater business environ-
ment. At this point, there are no lists, no timelines, no procedures and
no rules. Where is to build understanding of what this change is, how
big an area it covers and get clear on strategy/big picture/vision and
be ready to translate that into the end state.

Where benefits from the inclusion of expertise in the organization.

Those called on to help with the definition will be stakeholders in the
change process later with implementation. This early connection will
be the glue to hold together wide reaching change. In a historical ap-
proach, you might say these are the “champions”. They will certainly
champion the change because they were included, but they will do it
with their own motivation and not as cheerleaders.

Who
However tempted you may be to figure out what, Who is the next
step. Who determines individual and group stakeholders and their
general responsibilities. It is important to differentiate between who
will participate and who will be effected by the change. This determi-
nation is valuable for the communication process later in the timeline.

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 little what, little when and little how…
These are items of secondary importance (to change management).
This is the start of the lists, the timelines, the checkoffs, resource
determination etc. We make them “little” because status quo ap-
proaches, focus on these, especially with a PMO led change initiative.
That focus is detrimental to the people/corporate strategy side of our
equation (at least at the beginning). This is a differentiator in our ap-
proach. People and strategy first; plan and action later.

What
Why, Where and Who have set up the frame work for the specifics of
Action or, the big What. Now is the time to create a tight timeline for
work effort. The project management PMO process can begin includ-
ing formalization of resource and budget alignment, agreements and
responsibilities. Metrics are also defined for process measurement.

When
The previous when (the little one) covered the planning of dates in the
timeline. The When of the 5 W’s is the Adoption date or the date in
which a transition to the new change has become inevitable. It is not
necessarily the date of the end state, but close.
This date is the time to transition from work to use. The past, present
and future must begin to tie together to form the End State.
When that date arrives, there must be celebration, support and a
commitment to Adoption and or the behavioral change needed for
the End State to be a success. 

How
From a change management perspective How is the use of the right
person at the right time with the right skills and competencies. If they
are not present internally they will have to be contracted. How is also
the process and approach to use throughout the change timeline.

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A High Level Change Entity gives you…

The creation of a Change Management Group gives your organization

a way to address the people side of change. It provides the ability to
create horizontal connections across functions with strategic corpo-
rate business objectives as the glue to collaboration. Designed well
the internal politics that resist a matrixed approach get pushed aside.
It is an easy entry point for external expertise and guidance. Chosen
well those external consultants can also be part of your organizations
Human Capital development program. Equally valuable is the easy
link to operational effectiveness. Both the external and the internal
team members will move through the organization differently than
any existing resource up to and including the CEO. With a balance of
change management and an eye for efficiency, the savings can cover
the overhead.
The CM Group allows for a consistent and up to date approach to the
management of change. There is the potential for the consolidation of
communication if a good structure for the division of topics is includ-
ed.
Since there are few Change Management groups within organizations
that do not look just like the other functions there is the opportunity
to highlight success as an advantage for recruiting. Innovations and
firsts always draw talent.
In short, a well designed Change Management Group:
• Addresses the people side of change at a high level of visibility
• Provides a resource avenue for external expertise
• Has the potential to facilitate operational savings
• Can streamline employee development
• Is a magnet for talent acquisition

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com
Change that Works- Again and again

Today’s leaders have not been able to keep pace with the need
to manage change. They are pulled from one side with the expec-
tation of business results and on the other with the necessity of
addressing the people and the work involved. The design and in-
clusion of a Change Management entity operating at the highest
level of the organization, separate from the vertical/operational
status quo structure, narrows the gap between ability and need.

Focusing on connecting the context of work with the big picture/

corporate strategy ties motivation, realistically, to business ob-
jectives. The executive who understands the importance of this
description can innovatively balance People and Structure.

Adding a language of change to current culture through the ex-

pertise of the members of a Change Management Group ensures
consistency of approach and replicability. With the use of the
Five W’s of change- why, where, who, what and when- communi-
cation and approach acknowledge different people and different
perspectives.

With the right external and internal talent, operational savings

are pinpointed during change initiatives, employees can be devel-
oped in real environments and corporate strategy is given a clear
path to success.

The result is an organization that gains flexibility for innovation

and fast change.

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com
About Vision to Work

Vision to Work, Inc. is a management consulting firm specializing in

the design of Corporate Change Management capability, horizontal
implementation of change and human capital development.

Founded in 2000 by Garrett Gitchell, we work with our clients to

leverage change initiatives, develop client internal capability and im-
prove the efficiency of operations. We are unique in our approach to
change because we work at a high level in the organization and we
weave the change process into the culture. Because each culture is
different each engagement we partner in is also unique.

For the executive that means confidence that strategy has a path for
implementation and for the individual stakeholder it means a con-
nection between their work and the goals of the organization. The
result is the ability to address present efficiency and mold capacity
for current and future change.

For more insight visit us at: http://horizontalchange.com

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© 2010 Vision to Work, Inc. www. vision to work.com