27 May 2025
Pelle Lindell, Senior Consultant
Over the years, change have always interested me, and I have got the opportunity to both practice and deep dived in to studies around change management. The opportunity to work with change comprehensively often arises, and it sometimes includes helping others recognize that change can be a positive experience. One essential part of the job is assisting organizations in mobilizing their personnel to achieve desired results.
Working with change involves helping companies, organizations, and individuals adopt different ways of doing things. This ability to start doing something differently is the essence of change.
When engaging with organizations that are actively driving change, it is important to clarify the actual goals and value of the change initiative. Sometimes clear answers are provided, while other times the goals are not well defined. It is not uncommon for companies to overlook setting specific goals for the change process itself. The focus should be on identifying the intended outcomes of the collective effort in the project. Not only the deliverables.
Often, there is considerable emphasis on establishing new structures, processes, and digital systems. These elements are crucial, but the risk lies in focusing more on the implementation of activities rather than their intended value. While planning and implementing structural changes usually proceed efficiently, genuine change occurs only when individuals begin to adopt new behaviors needed to create the value, regardless of any new system implemented.
Since change requires individuals to adopt new behaviors, it is essential to drive change at an individual level. Each individual is unique, which makes the process complex and time-consuming. Improving the explanation of desired outcomes and necessary behaviors will help ensure that new systems or processes create value, both for the organization and for the individuals involved.
To simplify, let’s use myself as an example. I’m working on a delayed change project, Beach 2025. In a few months, I aim to look like a Greek god on the beach. In a few months, I want to be able to stand on the beach looking like a Greek god with a six-pack and gleaming muscles. And this is a change project of epic proportions. This ambitious goal requires my first change initiative: Implementing Runkeeper on my phone and removing other activity apps.
However, having the system doesn’t guarantee change. Actual results require adopting behaviors that can be measured. Milestones might include running 10 km at a pace of 5 minutes per km or averaging 30 km a week. The behavior sought is starting to run, with Runkeeper aiding progress once the habit is established.
Even using the system could mean that I’ll use it in the wrong way if I don’t understand the vale that we want to create. I could turn on Runkeeper while sitting on the bus on may way to work. If we are only measuring usage and not behaviours.
Organizations often name projects after the systems that is getting implemented, pushing the focus away from the value change should bring or forgetting to define the needed behaviours and focusing on system implementation instead. Measuring activities instead of outcomes leads to the risk of not hitting the target at all or in worse case, sub optimizing the organisation.
Engagement is crucial; understanding the purpose and goals of change helps employees decide if they’re willing to contribute. The real question is whether they’re prepared to take the necessary steps.
If we go back to my example of Beach 2025, I first need to understand why I the change is important for me. Only when I understand what the change will lead to and what it means for me can I decide if I want to be part of the journey. And the question isn’t: do I want to look like a Greek god on the beach in 2025. It’s about; am I willing to do what it takes to get there? That’s quite a big difference.
Change management involves structured processes to transition from the current state to the desired state while managing human and organizational challenges. The structure is not rocket science. It’s about planning, identifying risks and mitigation, but not only on the system and process but also on the human side of change and how to get the right behaviours to stick. Because it is structured, we can also plan and collaborate with both the project organization and leaders to truly help people start doing things differently. It gives us a plan for which tools to use when. That’s why I think I like change. Because it’s structured, planned, and to some extent predictable. It feels safe for a person who is change-averse like me.
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