Dual C Business Solutions

Top 5 Client Resistance Justifications

Below are the Top 5 client justifications for resistance to positive change along with responses.

1.    Client: "We don't want to stir the pot."

a.    “Are you more concerned that you will stir up something unpleasant or that you will have to eventually replace the pot?”

b.    “The only result of stirring in cooking is a better tasting soup.”

c.    “Put away the spoon and start cooking with a hammer.”

2.    Client: "We've always done it this way."

a.    “That would only be effective approach if all of your competitors felt the same way but I’m positive they don’t.”

3.    Client: "That would harm an internal relationship."

a.    “How much harm will be created by allowing dysfunction to fester?”

4.    Client: "This message should be softer.”

a.    “When has a soft message resulted in meaningful change?”

b.    “The only thing that can result if professional candor is not encouraged is mediocrity through sycophantic, decibel-driven decision making.”

5.    Client: “Leadership would never approve this approach.”

a.    “Why?  I’d love to illustrate the value to them.”

b.    “If the concern is how you’ll look if this idea is rejected, then you are not the correct person driving this change through.”

Be prepared, objective, candid and professional. 

Your attitude will set the state for your partners to act in the same manner.

The best advice I can give in overcoming resistance is to confront without being confrontational.

Consultant Interview Questions

This last week I was asked what questions a client should use to interview a potential consultant.  We’ve all had consultants come in looked fantastic on paper but had no practical experience.  I recall interviewing a project manager who couldn’t handle a question regarding scope creep and managing client expectations.  One technical architect claimed six years of Microsoft.NET® in 2004, which was odd considering it was released only two years earlier. 

Note: These questions are geared towards Change Management and Organizational Development consultants rather than technical contractors and staff augmentation.

Additionally, the requirement of being able to work closely with the consultant in a mutally respectful manner is implied.

Experience Questions

1.    Have you successfully addressed this issue for other direct clients? Please provide the contact names and numbers.

2.    What type of interventions did you use?

3.    If you have not addressed this specific issue, what similar experience would you be able to leverage to address this issue?

4.    What resistances did you face in implementing the intervention(s)?  How did you overcome them?

5.    What other industries have you worked in besides mine? 

a.    Specific industry experience is not necessary but there are might be optimal practices that exist elsewhere that you can leverage.

6.    What is the value of the largest change you’ve helped a client realize?

7.    Describe a change or intervention that was not successful.

a.    Humility is important.

b.   Applied learning is equally important.

Process Questions

1.    What is your process?

a.    “It depends.” Is not an acceptable answer.  Dig further for examples.

2.     What level of partnership will be required and at what levels?

a.    Look for incongruence between the issue and the expected level of partnership.

b.   The board of directors does not need to be interviewed to address a line manager’s performance.

3.    How do you define success?

4.    How will you make your recommendation?

5.    Are you willing to train our internal staff for the implementation?

a.    An excellent consultant will say “Yes”.

6.    How would you verify the results of the change?

What consultant interview questions do you use? 

Change Acceptance Spiral

Overview:

    The Change Curve has been used for years in Change Management to help individuals understand their response to change.  Unfortunately the pressures exerted throughout a change are not effectively captured in the curve so I introduce the Spiral of Acceptance®.  Each quadrant represents a set of pressures on an individual related to any change.  Note that the spiral starts in the External Drivers quadrant but the source of change could be from any of the four.  As the progress towards internalization continues an individual must overcome resistance, incorporate knowledge, and finally acceptance from each quadrant.

In Spite of ... Change

 

Have you ever seen or perhaps sent the following email?

 

 “Congrats on the implementation of the New Cool System or NCS that the IT team and select business users have [implemented;delivered;built].  The Old Decrepit System or ODS has been shut off and the majority of your data has been transferred.  Please contact the Help Desk if you experience any issues.  The NCS will allow us to better: [increase shareholder value; realize operational efficiencies; increase top-line sales].  Training will be scheduled soon.

 

Thanks,

The Management”

 

Technology change reflects a significant portion of the change employees experience.  Unfortunately poorly managed technological change has resulted in a cynical attitude by the end users.  The above letter will often result in open revolt or a grassroots movement attempts to identify various ways to work-around the new system.  In Spite of Change, the organization continues to function; albeit hobbled by the NCS.  The prevailing feeling “In spite of the NCS, we are able to deliver our product or service” when the feeling should be “Because of the NCS, we are better able to deliver our product or service”.

 

How can a change agent effectively ensure a proper technology innovation? 

 

Recognizing the guardrails of OD in IT are vital.  First, I posit that the majority Software Development Life Cycles (SDLC) models that exist today are effective at creating a realistic solution.  The effectiveness of each methodology is outside the scope of this article.  Secondly, the solution delivered will result in a change to an organization or subset of the organization in a significant way.  A “significant” change being defined as a change that results in the altering of current or expected behavior to accomplish a process or series of processes. Additionally, the team will create a business process document outlining the as-is versus the to-be process.  Most software requires input from a specific subset of the affected team.  This subset of business users is expected to sufficiently represent the business needs to influence the solution.    Finally, the organization is sufficient in size so that the technology development team is external to the affected organizational subset. 

It is within these guardrails that the change agent must act.  Change management is often defined as “Training” within the project plan, usually towards the end of a project.  Sometimes this occurs after the project is completed.  Effective technology change management means ensuring the user is meaningfully engaged throughout the entire SDLC.  Adoption velocity is an important measure of the success of an implementation.  The quantity of individuals who are effectively using the new tool will help leadership understand, reactively, how effective the change is be embracing.

The following table outline the primary phases that occur throughout a project;  SCRUM will occur iteratively and Waterfall will be sequentially. 

Project Phase	When OD / Change Management is “Training”	End User’s Perspective
Pre-Scoping
Analysis
Design
Construction
Test & Validation	Training – ready set go.	“Another change? How will the new system affect me?  I don’t remember being asked for my input.”
Implementation	Keep Training	“It has been released?”
Post Implementation	Even More Training	“Why am I learning about this the hard way? Grrrrrrrrrr.”

 

The process in the table above will not result in the most effective adoption of the new system.

 

 

The optimal OD & Change Management process in IT projects is below.

 

Project Phase	Effective OD in IT steps	End User’s Perspective
Pre-Scoping	Identify affected user groups.
Analysis	Create ownership within affected user groups. Ensure visible leadership support.	“I’m engaged to help define the optimal solution.”
Design	Engage affected user groups to communicate changes and value. Ensure visible leadership support.	“I realize there are other stake holders who have inputs.  I need to be flexible.”
Construction	Create transition plan. Identify barriers to transition. Ensure visible leadership support.	“Knowing the changes and how I can embrace them allows me to plan appropriately.”
Test & Validation	Engage the user groups to ensure transparency and validation of transition plan. Intervene as necessary. Ensure visible leadership support.	“My feedback is valued since I will be working directly with the new system.  The transition plan ensures efficient steps towards the new state.”
Implementation	Monitor change after implementation. Ensure positive change is encouraged and negative change or backsliding is discouraged.	“I expected and planned for this change since I knew what to expect.  Here we go!”
Post Implementation	Follow up on change.  Incorporate recommendations in future changes.	“Here is what works, here is what didn’t.”

 

 

The second process will increase adoption velocity, adoption coverage and build trust between the technology and business teams.

The reality is that most organizations cannot immediately adopt the a stringent OD approach.  If the teams are willing to engage this change management process over time until the full process is utilized then the incremental success will be readily recognized.

 

Help move the organization perspective from “In spite of change we are generating revenue” to “Because of change we are better able to generate revenue”.