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Businesses must continue to adapt and innovate if they are to thrive in the face of disruption and intense competition.

Change is essential to the growth and profitability of an organization, but it is frequently resisted by individuals and groups within the organization, making its implementation challenging.

Change Management is the process of assisting and preparing individuals, teams, and organizations as they modify their operations, processes, and structures.

Change Management requires addressing and overcoming significant obstacles that impede Transformation.  These obstacles include:

• Change disrupts the routines and comfort zones of individuals, resulting in creating resistance to change. It induces fear of the unknown, a lack of trust in the change, and a loss of control.
• Change Management requires a well-planned and implemented strategy. Ineffective planning causes confusion, delays, setbacks, and obstacles that impede the effective implementation of change.
• Change initiatives necessitate resources, including time, money, and people. Inadequate resources impede the effective implementation of change and produce subpar results.
• Effective and consistent communication is required for Change Management, but there has been a disruption in this area. Inadequate or absent communication leads to misunderstandings and resistance to change.
• When instituting change in a global organization, cultural differences present a significant obstacle. Diverse cultures have diverse perspectives on change, and their values and beliefs frequently contradict the initiative for change.

To effectively implement change, organizations must address these obstacles and implement a well-thought-out Change Management Strategy.

To overcome any obstacles in implementing Change initiatives, leaders must carefully consider and implement the 5S Keys, which all begin with the letter "S:"

1. Sponsor
2. Strategy
3. Straw Boss
4. System Map
5. Stakeholders

None of the 5S alone ensures the success of a Change Management initiative; all five are indispensable for sustainable change. 

Now, let's examine the first three of these in greater detail.

Sponsor

A Change Sponsor is the person in charge of the Change initiative.  The Change Sponsor ensures that the Change initiative is adequately staffed with competent and committed individuals and removes any obstacles that could impede its progress.  This person invests in the Change initiative, advocates for it, and possesses the ability to make it a reality.  Typically, the Sponsor is a prominent executive with significant authority over the system undergoing modification.  The Sponsor oversees progress and provides the Change Management team with feedback and direction.

Strategy

A Change Strategy provides a clear direction and roadmap for implementing the desired change.  These actions are designed to make it easier for stakeholders to accept change and resolve any potential problems.  A Change Strategy helps establish a sense of direction and purpose, which is crucial for gaining stakeholder buy-in.  It ensures that stakeholders are engaged and invested in the project, manages risks, and establishes measurable success criteria and metrics.

Straw Boss

In the context of Change Management, "Straw Boss" refers to an informal leader or influencer who may not hold a formal leadership position within the organization but has considerable influence over their colleagues.  This individual, with the support and assistance of the sponsor, drives the change initiative at the front lines.  Informal leaders can be a valuable ally in promoting change adoption within an organization by using their influence to encourage coworkers to adopt the change, serving as a role model, and providing change managers with feedback on what is and is not working.

Interested in learning more about the other keys to effectively managing Change? You can download an editable PowerPoint presentation on 5S Keys to Successful Change here on the Flevy documents marketplace.

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