Change Management
What is Change Management?
Change management is a structured process to move individuals, teams and organisations from the current state to the desired state. Change management ensures that the identified change is carried out effectively and efficiently with stakeholder buy-in and engagement.
Change occurs when something changes and organisations have to adapt or react to that change. The change could be a micro/internal or a macro/external change and could be something that is radical and requires urgent and immediate response or could be something that is gradual and needs a long term, structured and gradual approach.
What Are the Principles of Change Management?
The ADKAR model is a tool that can be used in the change management process. The tool focuses on five areas:
- The AWARENESS for the need for a change to happen
- The DESIRE for the change to be supported by the stakeholders
- KNOWLEDGE of how to ensure the change happens
- The ABILITY to demonstrate the correct skills and behaviours for a successful change to occur and
- Finally REINFORCEMENT to ensure the change is constant.
The ADKAR model works well when used alongside the Change Cycle model and in accordance with Change Management Template and Change Management Diagram
8 Steps of Change Management
Dr John Kotter created 8 step process for leading change model from observations over four decades. The big opportunity was developed to help create lasting transformational change within an organisation. It aims to help you to prepare for the change and also ensure stakeholders are committed for the change to be most effective. More information on the model and Kotter can be found here.
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What Are the 5 Elements of Successful Change Management?
For change management to be effective and for the change to be accepted by stakeholders, the process should be well structured, work in accordance with the organisation’s strategy, vision and culture.
The Change Management Model is a circular process which can be followed to promote the effective and accurate management of change. This model can be used for all four types of change regardless of whether they are step or incremental.
The effectiveness of change management is related to the resources, process and stakeholders which are available, created and involved with its roll out.
Resources relate to time, materials, skills and finances. Processes are the ways in which change is applied and conducted and stakeholders are anyone that has an interest in the change and its outcome.
5 Elements of Successful Change Management
Once a need for change has been identified by the existence of a driver the next stage is to evaluate whether the change needs to happen rapidly, in a reactive or anticipatory style.
The change team is formed with key stakeholders and the individuals are communicated with in relation to what to expect and the reasons why.
These stakeholders and team members are managed in accordance with the chosen approach.
The change is then created, the way in which it will happen is defined and finalised, taking into account views and feedback from the stakeholders and supply chain representatives.
Implementation is a critical stage – the implementation is where the desired future state is actions and becomes the norm. Moving forward after implementation this future state will be the current state.
Through the entire process and at each stage feedback should be invited, accepted and reacted to in a positive and professional manner.
Once the change is complete the process and change itself should be reviewed. From this review lessons can be learned about how the process was conducted and areas for improvement learned in readiness for when the next driver presents itself and change starts again in its continuous and unrelenting cycle.
Change Management Model (Source: Jarvis-Grove, 2020)

What Are the 5 Barriers to Change Management?
Barriers:
Related Podcasts:
CIPS Change Management Tools
The need for change can be instigated by a variety of factors. These can be generated from internal/micro drivers or external/macro drivers.
- Drivers for change - The need for change can be instigated by a variety of factors. These can be generated from internal/micro drivers or external/macro drivers.
- Types of change - This model shows the four main types of change to which a procurement professional may be exposed to.
- Change cycle - The change cycle outlines the most common seven stages after a change process has been instigated.
- The big opportunity (Kotter) - Dr John Kotter created this model from observations over four decades.
- Change Vision - This model shows how change is conceptualised in the form of a vision. That vision is the way in which an organisation moves from the current state or status quo to the desired future state.
- ADKAR - The ADKAR model is a tool that can be used in the change management process. The tool focusses on five main areas.
- Stairs Of Change - Change can be approached in a variety of ways. The approaches used depend on the situation in which the change instigator finds themselves along with the mindset and degrees of buy-in from the stakeholders.
- Step V Incremental - Change can take two forms in the way in which it is rolled out.
- Freeze unfreeze model - If change is step change this model is relevant. This model shows how change can happen rapidly and drastically.
- Shared values - For change to be effective, buy in gained and the results adopted it is important that the values associated with the desired/future state are shared.
- Resistance to change - Resistance is the refusal to comply or accept something. Within change management resistance can be caused by a number of factors – these factors are identified within this model.
- Change Management Model - This model is a circular process which can be followed to promote the effective and accurate management of change. This model can be used for all four types of change regardless of whether they are step or incremental.
- Change Management Plan - This template is to be used in conjunction with the Change Management Model.
CIPS members can download the CIPS Change Management Tools to use in your organisation along with the guidance notes with full explanations of all of the tools listed and how to use each tool effectively.
DOWNLOAD TOOLS
Effective Change Managers
The following reports have been created by Embedding Project with tips on how to be a more effective change agent and also how to win over stakeholders.
Embedding Project: Being an Effective Change Agent Guide
Embedding Project: Being an Effective Change Agent Personal Inventory
Change Management Resources for Members
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