How To Implement Change

How to
Implement
Change
Steve Wise November 2010

CHANGE – How Do You React to It?
• Does Change give you heartburn?
• Or are you an Embracer of Change?
• Are you the type of Individual that likes to do the
same thing all of the time and is happy with status
quo?
• Or do you like to try different approaches?
• Do you believe that Change is too hard to
accomplish?
• Or are you the one that likes to try the
impossible in order to improve what you do and
what your organization does?

Change is Everywhere
• For those of you of my generation – we did our
research for school papers – from reading
hardcover books and encyclopedias.
• I grew up with a black & white TV that had three
(3) channels – that you manually had to turn.
• When I started my work career – computing
included paper, pencil, and a lot of brainpower.
• Today at the touch of a button – I can instantly
send this presentation out to hundreds of People
across the Globe.

Management of Change
• I believe that in the world that we live in today – we
all must be “Managers of Change.”
• Things change so quickly that we must do our best
to stay in touch with current day methods, tools,
and processes.
• If we don’t our competitors will.
• One cannot rest on their accomplishments and
think that – that is good enough...because it is not.
This presentation is being offered to give Others
ideas from what has worked for me in my
Change Efforts...along my way.

How to Be a Change Manager
• If you Google – “Change Management” – you
will find a wealth of information to aid you in
your Change Efforts.
• I write this presentation to offer you what has
worked for me along my way – in my efforts to
Change Processes, Correct Problems, or to
Improve Job Performances.
• Such offerings may or may not work for you.
The important thing for you as a Change
Manager – is to strive to find out what
works…and to believe in what your are doing.

How to Implement Change
• My Change Background
• Know What to Change and Why
• Research / Plan / Present
• Get Senior Management Support / Mentor
• Start Small – Get Buy-in – and GROW
• Publicize Your Efforts & Accomplishments
• Learn, Learn, and Learn Some More
• Do It All Over Again

My Change Background
• My Change Background was formed by two of the
most influential Managers that I worked for in my
career – at a Railroad Car Repair Facility.
• The first General Manager was the type of
administrator that shot first – then asked questions
later. He liked to “stir the pot” and kept his reports
on edge.
• What I learned from this GM – was to look ahead
and be prepared for the unexpected. He taught me
how to identify issues at their onset and to take
care of them before they became problems.

My Change Background
• The second most influential Manager was my next
General Manager who was not happy with “status quo” –
and always looked for ways to improve what we did – and
expected his reports to do as well.
• Upon his arrival at our Plant – his message to those that
worked there was...“Embrace Change.” He believed that
any process that was in place should be looked at and
improved if needed.
• This GM taught me to “break down my walls” – those
things that we put up when someone complains about
what we did or suggests how we could do it better – and
to learn from what was offered and include such in
addition to my own Change efforts.

My Change Process Examples
• Lean Six Sigma (LSS) – It is common place at any Organization to have
Business Processes that have been in place for a number of years that
are falling short of current day expectations. To help aid my
organization in their various Change efforts – I am leading an effort to
introduce LSS – with the goal of improving such every day Processes
and their contribution to our organizational and strategic goals.
• Plant Survival – My last plant ranked as one of the top repair locations
for Quality and Efficiency Measures – but was dead last in terms of Cost
to Operate. Our change efforts included working with our rank and file
in identifying areas where we could reduce our Operational Costs and
including them as a part of our Change Efforts.
• Improving Ergonomics – One particular Repair Program was generating
several “soft tissue” injuries among our People. I introduced an
Ergonomic Effort that not only identified Job Hazards that were leading
to such injuries – but also what actions and efforts could be taken by
those performing to prevent such an injury.

Change Abstract
To help illustrate how to successfully implement a Change
Initiative –
• This training session will describe specific Change Efforts
that I employed or were part of – that were part of the
previously mentioned Change Process examples.
• The intent is to show the Reader, how specific Change
Efforts can be put into Action.
• Such Change recommendations and actions are not
assurances that they will work for you – but are provided
to help give you ideas on what may work with your
Change Efforts.

Know What to Change
• Efforts to Change should never be taken – just to
Change something.
• There needs to be a clear-cut reason to Change –
otherwise your efforts will not be supported by
Senior Management – nor accepted by those
performing the detailed work ranks far below.
• You must have a clear understanding of what needs
to be changed in your Organization and why.
• And it must be properly communicated and
explained to those needing to know or who may be
affected by.

REASONS FOR CHANGE
Outdated Processes New Technology
Not Meeting Organizational
Goals
Competition / Survival
Excessive or Non-Value
Added Labor
New or Updated Rules or
Standards
Costs are too High
Change in either
Management or Personnel
Performances or Processes
that are “Just Not
Cutting It”
New – Products, Customers,
or Markets

“Why Change” – Sources
There are many sources available to the Change
Agent for identifying Why Change is Needed –
• Reports – Financial / Departmental / Audit
• KPI’s – Key Performance Indicators
• Employee Feedback & Suggestions
• Operational & Performance Reports
• Cost Comparisons
• External Knowledge
• Regulatory Standards Changes

CHANGE – What / Why – Example
LEAN SIX SIGMA • After my relocation back to my Corporate Office – I
was asked to Chair my Organization’s – Quality
Improvement Team (QIT).
• This Team is responsible for soliciting Employee
Suggestions for Improvements – as well as providing
them with Quality Improvement Process Education.
• Upon taking over, I interviewed both current and past
QIT Members – and found that our Quality
Improvement Education was lacking in current day
efforts.
• In addition, it is common to find both People and
Processes that have been in place for quite some time.
• Why Change = Outdated Business Processes + Need to
Improve Quality Improvement Education

CHANGE – What / Why – Example
ERGONOMICS • A specific Railcar Modification Program that my Plant
was involved in – required the Mechanics involved – to
Cut, Grind, & Weld for long periods of time.
• Due to awkward and static Body Positions that were
held for long periods and repeated frequently – a
number of Mechanics were incurring “Soft Tissue”
Injuries that were limiting what they were able to do.
• In order to reduce and prevent such Injuries – we
needed to find out what Manual Operations were
causing such Injuries – and change the Processes that
were causing them.
• Need for Change = Improve Operational Processes or
start incurring excessive Workman’s Comp Costs, Lost
Work Days, and Program Inefficiencies.

Research How to Change
• Once you have identified “What to Change” –
what will be your next step?
• My recommendation is to RESEARCH your issue
and find out what Change Options that you have
available to improve what you want to Change.
• This step is critical not only to the success of your
Change Efforts – but to your Organization as well.
• You must spend time to identify what is the best
option for Change and what you want to Change.

Researching Change
There are numerous ways and avenues that a Change
Manager can use to research “How to Change” –
• Process Owners – Start by talking to the People
involved with the process – asking them for their
thoughts on how to improve their process.
• Benchmark – Take actions to compare how the
performance of your process compares with others
– both inside and outside of your organization.
• Internet – I am a “Googleholic” and believe that you
can find whatever you are looking for on the net.
Search web pages devoted to your change effort.

Researching Change
Numerous ways to research Change (con’t) –
• External Change Efforts – Spend time reading and learning
what others have done with similar Change efforts. It is
fairly easy to find out what actions others have employed
including the results that they attained with their efforts.
• Use Your Contacts – Reach out to your Contacts both those
that you have established with your Job Responsibilities as
well as social networking like “Linked In.” Find out if
anyone has undertaken a like initiative and learn from
them.
• Seek Out Subject Matter Experts – If you have a particular
problem, seek out People that are considered experts on
the matter – and ask them for Change recommendations.

Research Change – Examples
ERGONOMICS
In trying to understand “Soft Tissue” Injuries and what can
be done to prevent them – I met with one of the Doctors at
a Medical Clinic that we used. He explained how they are
incurred, their symptoms, and what can be done to prevent
them = SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
PLANT SURVIVAL
When Operating Costs were reaching levels of concern, the
General Manager undertook efforts to reduce our costs.
One effort he directed was to compare our Operating Costs
to that of our other Divisions in order to identify where
improvement was needed = BENCHMARKING
LEAN SIX SIGMA
In order to improve our Quality Education Process – I
started searching for what other Companies did to upgrade
their Quality Education. Such efforts showed that many
companies were employing LSS Training to promote
continuous improvement = EXTERNAL CHANGE EFFORTS

Plan How to Change
• My question to you now is – “How would you go
about changing your workgroup or organization?”
• Things that you should consider includes –
 How does your organization or people accept
Change?
 Are there any burning issues that you can
leverage off of to promote your Change efforts?
 How can you link your Change efforts to your
Organizational Strategic Goals?
 Are there current Change type efforts underway
that you can build upon?

Plan How to Change
• Things that you should consider includes (con’t) –
 How will you communicate your Change effort
to your organization?
 Who will be part of your Change Team – and
how will they find time to be part of this Change
Effort?
 How much of your time will this Change Effort
take and how will you accomplish your other
job responsibilities?
• All of these considerations must be answered
when you establish your Change Plan.

Plan How to Change
Once you
know
“What to
Change”
– you must
then
“Plan How to
Change”
Your Change Plan should include –
• Targeted –
o Items / actions to Change
o Employee segment to Change
• Explanation on Why you are
proposing your Change effort
• Expected Benefits from your
Change effort
• Time frame for your Change
effort
• Your Change Vehicle = HOW
• Senior Management Support

Plan Change – Example
ERGONOMICS
After researching Soft Tissue Injuries including identifying
what was happening and what can be done to prevent – I
developed a plan to form a Ergo Committee that would
address with the goal of correcting this problem.
• Such efforts would center on the Workgroup that was
incurring the Soft Tissue injuries = TARGET
• The main purpose was to identify the Job Hazards that
were causing our Soft Tissue Injuries = WHY
• The goal of this effort was either to reduce or eliminate
Soft Tissue injuries that were not only impacting our
People but the Workgroups efficiency = BENEFIT
• Committee efforts would include weekly actions that were
expected to take 6 months to complete = TIME
• This committee would be made up of representatives
from the Workgroup involved that would conduct such
efforts – and would include outside help = HOW
• Due to the Cost of Soft Tissue injuries and the Loss of
Work Days – support was there = SR. MGT. SUPPORT

Present Your Change
• Once you have RESEARCHED your Change Effort and
have PLANNED how you will implement your Change –
you are now ready to PRESENT your Change Effort.
• Before undertaking any Change Effort, you first must
be able to communicate to –
 SENIOR MANAGEMENT – This could include the Senior
Management of your Organization if your Change Effort
will be cross departmental or strategically related – or
your Manager if your effort is only Departmentally
directed.
 TARGETED EMPLOYEES – People of your Organization
that will be part of your Change Efforts or will be
impacted by – must also receive advance notice.

Present Your Change
The following are helpful hints on what critical aspects
you should consider when you Present Your Change –
• KNOW YOUR SUBJECT – Presenting anything to the
contrary will result in many questions. Be prepared
for them and be able to answer them.
• SHOW YOUR PASSION – If you believe in your Change
Effort – show your passion for it to those you are
presenting to.
• WHY SHOULD WE CHANGE? – The number one
question of any Change Effort – Will you be able to
answer this question?

Present Your Change
Helpful hints for your consideration (con’t) –
• PROBLEMS + CHANGE = BENEFITS – Be able to discuss
and/or show how your Change Effort will provide
solutions and benefits to the problems at hand.
• SPEAK TO YOUR AUDIENCE – Whether your audience
is your Senior Management or those that will be most
impacted by your Changes – make sure that you speak
in the words that they understand.
• MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME – Know exactly how much
time that you have to present and use it wisely.
• INVOLVE YOUR AUDIENCE – Make sure to ask
questions and encourage input from your audience.

Present Your Change
• MASTER YOUR MEDIA – Be fluent at using available
Media (i.e., Laptop, Projectors, etc.). Make use of
paper copies or post on your Company’s website for
future reference.
• LEARN FROM OTHERS – When introducing Change – it
is always good to include examples of other
Companies – that have improved their operation(s)
from similar Change efforts.
• KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR AUDIENCE –
In order to win support with your Change Effort – you
must know what your audience is wanting to hear /
see from your Change Presentation.

Present Your Change
• HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? – This is another important
question that you must be able to answer in your
Change Presentation.
• INCLUDE AN ACTION PLAN – In addition to telling your
audience the why / how of your Change – be able to
discuss the milestone events of your efforts.
• BE UPFRONT WITH THE DETAILS – Be sure to
communicate what you need to be successful including
anything out of the norm and the reason(s) why.
• RECOMMENDATIONS – Encourage and be open to any
recommendations that are offered.

Get Senior
Management
Support /
Mentor

Get Sr. Management Support
• In order to succeed with your Change Effort – it is
essential that you get Senior Management Support.
YOUR CHANGE EFFORT IS DOOMED FOR FAILURE
WITHOUT SENIOR MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
• They must see that such efforts relate to and will
help attain Organizational Strategic Goals.
• Senior Management should be active in your Change
Effort – and be able to discuss it at a general level
with Organizational Employees.
• It is imperative that you find ways to include them in
your Change Efforts and keep them abreast of your
actions and results.

Get Sr. Management Support
The following are suggestions on how you can maintain
Senior Management Support –
• COMMUNICATE your Change Efforts and Results to
them on a periodic basis – keep them well informed.
• FOCUS YOUR CHANGE EFFORTS initially on those items
that can get you “quick wins.” Be able to show that
your Change Efforts works and provides benefits.
• MAKE AVAILABLE your Change Efforts & Results for all
of your Organization to see – keep up their interest.
• ENGAGE not only the Senior Staff in your Change Efforts
– but those involved or impacted as well.

Use a Mentor
• Another important element of your Change Efforts
– is to make use of a Mentor – someone whom is
an influential Supporter or Senior Sponsor.
• This person should be one who has vast knowledge
of the Organization and how it works.
• This person can aide your change efforts by giving
you advice and recommendations.
• Such can also serve as a sounding board – by
advising you how your Change Efforts will be
received – and what you could do to improve the
success of your efforts.

Sr. Mgt. / Mentor – Examples
ERGONOMICS When several People of our Plant came down with “Soft
Tissue” Injuries – it got Senior Plant Management
attention. When it resulted in W/C Claims, Lost Work Days,
and Inefficiencies – it got a lot more attention.
Due to the number of our People that were involved in this
program that were subject to such ergonomic hazards – it
was a universal decision to support efforts to eliminate
such Injuries and include Worker participation.
LEAN SIX SIGMA
A LSS Implementation Plan was drafted and presented to
the Senior Staff – that detailed how it would be introduced,
the type of education conducted, and the benefits that
were expected to be achieved.
Throughout this effort, my Manager has guided me by
providing various advice, recommendations, and has
shared his experience in working with People. Such has
been critical to the success that has been achieved so far.

Start Small
Get Buy-In
and GROW

Start Small
• Unless the issue at hand has a Business or Regulatory
need to apply your Change Effort across the entire
organization – it is advisable to start small and grow.
• Every organization has People that need to see that
Change Efforts work – before they jump on board.
• In addition, applying Change Efforts to a smaller
population or segment – requires much less time,
effort, and cost – than if applied organizational wide.
• Starting small allows you the opportunity to learn
from your initial Change Efforts and to adjust them –
in order to help improve the success of your effort.
Start by going after the
“low hanging fruit”

Get Buy-In
• In addition to getting Senior Management Support
– it is also critical for you to get the buy-in of the
People that are impacted by your Change Efforts.
• If the People that are impacted by your efforts do
not see any benefit for themselves –
 Your Change Effort will either fail due to their
resistance to your Change, or
 It will require substantial more effort on your
part to see your Change through.
• In order to be successful – you must find ways to
include your People in your Change Efforts.

How to Get Buy-In
• START EARLY with your efforts to achieve Buy-In –
even as early as your Research Stage.
• You should ALWAYS CONSIDER HOW your Change
Efforts will impact your People and what you must
do in order for them to accept your Change.
• LOOK FOR WAYS so that the focus of your Change
Efforts is part of what your People do – and be able
to show them how such efforts can improve what
they do.
• It is critical that you FIND WAYS TO ENGAGE your
People in your Change Efforts – they need to
become part of your Change Process.

How to Get Buy-In
• Other ways that you could use to get Buy-In include –
 ENCOURAGE YOUR PEOPLE to make
recommendations to assist you in your Change
Efforts – and use their suggestions that can help.
 FORMULATE A “CHANGE TEAM” that will include
representatives from the area or process that will
be impacted by your Change Efforts.
 INCLUDE AND USE “OUTSIDE EXPERTS” that can
come in and give / share their knowledge and
expertise which should drive interest in – as well as
aid your Change efforts.

And GROW
• Your mission as a Change Agent
– is to GROW YOUR CHANGE
so that others can benefit from.
• You accomplish this by building
interest and excitement in your
Change Effort…and repeating again – engaging
your People in your Change Efforts.
• This effort on your part started the day that you
decided to undertake your Change Effort – and will
continue throughout.
• A Change Agent is aware of or learns how to reach
out to their People and provide them information
that spurs them to be a part of the Change Process.

Publicize
Your Efforts
and
Accomplishments

Publicize Efforts & Accomplishments
• In order for your Change Effort to be successful –
 You must be actively involved in Publicizing your
Change Efforts.
 And letting your Organization know of the
Results that you will achieve / have achieved
from your Change Efforts.
• If Senior Management is going to give your Change
Effort their support and needed labor and capital –
they most certainly need to know about and see
positive Results and Benefits.
• If you are going to get your People involved – they
must know what your Change is about – and how
the results can benefit them.

Ways that you can publicize your Efforts and
Accomplishments include –
• WEB PAGES – Devoted to communicating
information on your Change Effort – must also be
kept current to draw interest.
• NEWSPAPER ARTICLES – Can be written that
feature various Change Actions, Improvements
attained, and Participant feedback.
• WORD OF MOUTH – Encourage those that are
participating in the Change Effort – to talk about it
and answer questions that others may have.
• Q&A’s – Open Meetings can be held on said
subject, allowing for Questions of those attending.

Ways that you can publicize (con’t) –
• INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSIONS – As interest in your
Change Effort builds, various Personnel will stop and
ask you Questions. Make sure to take the time to
meet with them and discuss what your effort is about
and how they can be part of it.
• CHANGE TEAM POSTINGS – If your Change Effort
employs various Teams – such as what you find in LSS
– find and use ways to post information about those
Teams, such as on a Web Site.
• HOST OUTSIDE SPEAKERS – When introducing a
Change Effort that is outside the organizational norm
– make use of Outside Experts that can share their
knowledge and experiences.

Publicize Efforts &
Accomplishments
LEAN SIX SIGMA Web Page – Upon the implementation of our Lean Six
Sigma effort, we created a web page that included
information on what our LSS Effort was about, how it was
going to be implemented within the organization, and
included how other organizations have benefited from LSS.
It is now essential to keep it current to spur interest.
Open Meetings – LSS Teams working on their Projects have
certain stages or tollgates where they must discuss their
efforts including LSS Tools used, findings, and
recommendations. As these Teams progress their efforts –
such tollgate meetings are opened up to our People who
have interest in LSS – including answering questions that
they may have.

Learn, Learn,
and Learn
Some More

Learn, Learn, and Learn
• Each day – we could and should
learn something new.
• Once you do – it is up to you
whether you do something with it
or not.
• When I apply learning to my
Change Efforts, I am constantly
looking to see what I can learn
from them –
 What is working vs. not
working?
 How are my Change Efforts
being received?
 What should be adjusted?
 What can be done better?
SHOULD
YOU EVER
STOP
LEARNING?
To be a successful Learner
– you must be open
minded – and to be able to
look & learn
“outside your box.”

To Be Successful @ Change
• Lean on and Learn from
others.
• Don’t try to do it all by
yourself.
• Assuming that your way is
the only way – does not
work.
• Have Patience and
Perseverance – Change
does not happen
overnight.
• Share your Passion for
Change – it can help it
spread.
• Engage…Engage…Engage –
Your People.
• Always be looking to
improve what you do –
and what your
Organization does.
• Make use of Outside
Experts – people that can
add more than you know.

• To be a successful Change
Agent – you must be
willing to take “risks” in
order to improve what
you do.
• When you implement
Change – you are doing so
for the good of the
Organization – not for the
good of You.
• Finding ways to include
your People as part of
your Change Effort – is
critical to its success.
• Learn from your People –
especially from those that
are performing the Work –
they are best to know.
• Don’t assume what works
today – will work
tomorrow.
• Incorporate as many
Sources of information
relating to your Change
Effort as possible.

• When someone complains
about an issue – ask them
how they would solve
it…it may be a good
recommendation to use.
• When researching what
needs to be Changed –
keep digging for details
with open ears.
• Networking with outside
People or Organizations –
can provide you ideas or
suggestions that you may
not have thought of.
• When implementing
Change – always try to
“Look Outside of Your
Box.”
• Be prepared for obstacles
– which will be many.
• Turn any obstacle into an
opportunity.

How to Implement Change –
Conclusion
• This Presentation has been provided to give the
Reader ideas on how to Implement Change.
• The job of a Change Agent requires you to be a –
Visionary, Communicator, Director / Manager,
Listener, Supporter, Cheerleader, and Risk Taker.
• Good luck with your Change Efforts…and keep up
the faith.
STEVE WISE – sdwiser@comcast.net

How To Implement Change

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