It is an illusion to think that we create change: change is permanent, and it happens no matter what.
The only thing we control is how we can make it easier and more flexible for individuals and organizations to get around it. This is an important nuance: “leading” or “managing” change, so, in effect, it will be a facilitation rather than a pre-set framework for it to be applied.
In the so-called VICA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world where everything is evolving rapidly, project management and thinking about organizational and/or digital transformations through a linear and inflexible process becomes obsolete. when’Uncertainty is strong“,” Old ways will not open new doors »: Our old ways will not open new paths.
In this context, it might be interesting to ask about this relatively new discipline: Managing change in organizations. The term ‘accompaniment’ evolves in environments where adapting to changes is essential, and seems more appropriate to me, rather than ‘behaviour’, ‘management’ or ‘management’. Also, I suggest sharing lines of reasoning for an appropriate and contextual accompaniment, particularly through the strong illumination of the systemic approach.
Understand, engage, anchor, relay
In companies, organizational, digital, and process transformations can begin suddenly. It can occur distressingly if no awareness-raising milestones or actions are planned. What makes these periods difficult for individuals Get rid of old habits to re-learn new ones. This movement uncomfortableHence the importance of follow-up in stages.
The starting point is consideration of the path and path that individuals have to take to cross it. the Organizational change requires individual changeNot everyone expresses the same needs and expectations. It is necessary to position oneself from this point of view: the greater the effort to use this post of analysis, the more important it is to adhere to and embrace this new state.
Unwillingness and resistance to the process often provoke a Lack of transparency, communication and stakeholder participation Or considering the players and the initial ecosystem too late. This is detrimental at the individual level, but also at the organizational level because not adopting new practices or tools will have it Strong influence on overall project success and performance.
In my opinion, we can only talk about resistance when appropriate actions are taken so that the collaborator and user can go through the different stages of customizing the ongoing or upcoming change. These steps can be categorized in different ways depending on the methodology used, but it is important to Go through the following stages : To understand (reasons for switching, its potential benefits and risks), get engaged (verbs, our ability to do, learn), anchor (New Practice, New Tool) f I reincarnated, I reincarnated (Adhesion cannot be achieved without proximity), rotation (Organizing self-management to transfer new knowledge and resources within the organization).
Our brain is made in such a way that changes are perceived as risks, a potential threat that can lead to a “survival mode”. This natural mechanism can be mitigated by ensuring Be progressive in approach – because The more we stress and force something to resist, the greater the resistance – A strong principle of the systematic approach to alto alto.
from experience, Support gradual change It makes the path for individuals run smoother and quieter, for projects run more efficiently: we collectively find a better way to get to our destination.
Go slow to go fast
rather than speed The gradual approach is worth the gold in many cases. In prohibitive and complex situations, acting the opposite of what one has always tried can work remarkably well.
An interesting example to illustrate this: Let’s delve into the world of Alice Modolo, an apnea therapist, MD and lecturer. During one of her presentations, she told us that she was meter by meter, step by step building her presentations, little step by step. So that the body gets used to it, and we open the level.
This approach, in small steps, allows for a “mind liberation”. Once I do that, my body knows how to do it, and it lets me go a little more calmly: ” 2 meters by 2 meters the body gains confidence Small steps after small steps.
Our brain works on the same principle: any change that is too sudden triggers a “survival” mode because we identify it as a potential danger. whileGradual change step by step will make the process more acceptablegentler and therefore more effective because the process will slow down less.
From a psychological point of view, the consistency of repetition and progression accustoms our body and mind. This allows Reduce our brain alertness Which is defined as a potential risk of a very sudden change or a very new task.
A certain charm arises from the repetition of the accompaniment: as in pedagogy, the different forms of discourse and the variety of communication channels used make the message more accessible and understandable.
By steadily activating this pattern of repetition, Body and mind gain confidence in our abilities, which lowers our resistance.
For a better understanding, I would like to make the connection with the feeling of empowerment that psychosociology tells us: Our physical and emotional state is a factor that positively influences my feeling of empowerment in the face of action, in a given context. The more empowered you feel, the more you act. The more you act, the more legitimate you feel. And the virtuous circle begins.
For all of these reasons, one of the keys to change management is to focus on these first small changes, with a philosophyGo slow to go fast – an expression dear to francophone actors of Palo Alto’s methodical approach.
In the loop: be iterative, not linear
The change time is not linear. Traditional project management methodologies often introduce a linear and causal process, which doesn’t really align with the already experienced phases of development. So an iterative approach that follows its development cycles seems more appropriate.
To support this, let’s take what Gregory Bateson, the founding anthropologist of the systems approach, tells us:
” The biggest problems in this world come from the difference between the way men think and the way nature works. “.
The thread to be drawn is there, for our organizations, our project management methods and our interactions:
” We think linearly while nature works in circular processes “.
Our actions produce effects that, in turn, affect the situation in the feedback loop. Not considering these effects on the current system amounts to basing our decisions on a view of the problem that is always partial and wrong because it is already outdated.
How to solve this?
Instead of betting everything on our ability to plan (the Western approach) when we have a goal, Danny Gerbenet – pioneer of the systems approach from Palo Alto in Europe, founder of the Institut de l’Inverse, recommends:
” identifying in our environment the springs we can draw upon, the resources available to us, and the processes of change naturally at work; To make the most of it, and combine it with our actions to achieve the situation we desire “.
The act of trusting one’s own resources and those of the environment What surrounds us, this situation encourages us to take another look at solving the problems we face.
So let’s take a little more time to make the effort to analyze the context with both More hindsight (Analysis of the overall interactions of the system, stakeholders, and macro issues) f More depth (Learning about and drawing on local resources, taking into account the expectations and needs of the population).
Let’s choose to support cycles in a circular and agile way. There are different iterative approaches: let’s use the one that allows us to do thisAccompany the transformations in our institutions as accurately as possible.
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