5 Innovative Ways to Share Change Management Skills in the Workplace

A key requirement that often goes along with the job of being a change manager is transferring skills to stakeholders, the delivery team and impacted groups during the change process. Organisations recognise change as a constant factor: employees must often adjust to new systems, processes, and team structures, and developing strong change management capability equips organisations for long term success.

However, the challenge lies in effectively sharing these skills with everyone on the team. Several factors can hinder the transfer of change management skills during projects.

• Time constraints can limit opportunities for in-depth training and skill development.

• Project urgency may prioritise immediate deliverables over long-term skill-building.

• Resistance to change from stakeholders and impacted groups can create a defensive environment, hampering effective communication and collaboration.

• Lack of resources, including budget and personnel, can limit the availability of training materials and dedicated change management support.

• A lack of buy-in from project or business leadership can undermine the importance of change management, making it difficult to allocate resources and prioritise skill development.

If you feel you're being asked to do the improbable in building long term change management capability for people who don't see it as a priority, this guide provides five innovative ideas to try.

1. Develop a Change Management Toolkit

Creating a comprehensive Change Management Toolkit is a practical starting point. This toolkit can include templates, checklists, and guidelines to simplify complex processes. You can read more on a similar strategy in What's in your Change Agents Toolkit?

Step-by-Step:

1. Identify Key Resources: Collect existing materials that have been seen as beneficial for managing change in this particular organisation. This can include communication plans, risk assessments, and training schedules.

   
   

2. Organise the Toolkit: Arrange the materials logically so employees can find what they need based on their specific situations. For example, create categories for different types of changes, such as technology upgrades or team restructuring. Provide both a template and a completed example of the materials.

   
   

3. Make It Accessible: Store the toolkit on a shared platform where all team members can easily access it.

   
   

4. Keep It Updated: Regularly review and update the toolkit based on feedback and emerging best practices. According to Prosci, organisations that frequently update their change management resources see a 70% success rate in their initiatives.

   
   

By providing these resources, employees will have a go-to set of tools at their disposal, enabling them to self-discover parts of change management that they see as directly relevant to their specific situation.

2. Conduct Informal Lunch-and-Learn Sessions

Informal Lunch-and-Learn sessions can create a relaxed setting for sharing knowledge about change management. For more on this strategy, have a look at Why Workshop? A Guide for Change Practitioners.

Step-by-Step:

1. Schedule Regular Meetings: Set a specific day and time each month for these sessions, making it a reliable part of the work calendar.

   
   

2. Choose Relevant Topics: Select areas of change management to focus on, such as stakeholder engagement or overcoming resistance to change. Aim for topics that provide solutions to the people-change problems currently creating pressure for the team.

   
   

3. Encourage Participation: Invite team members to share their experiences and insights related to the topic. This not only enhances learning but also strengthens team bonds. By demonstrating that the Change Manager is also willing to learn about change from the experience of others, you help contribute to a positive team culture.

   
   

4. Use Interactive Formats: Incorporate discussions, case studies, or role-playing exercises to keep participants engaged. Research shows that active learning formats can increase retention by up to 75%. See some ideas here 8 Creative Ways to Make Change Fun Again.

   
   

These informal gatherings not only facilitate knowledge sharing but also promote a culture of open dialogue and teamwork.

3. Share Success Stories

Sharing success stories can illustrate the impact of effective change management and inspire others. Take this article Change Management Agility: Lessons from Successful Organisations as a leaping off point to research success stories from within your own organisation and team.

Step-by-Step:

1. Collect Stories: Reach out to individuals or teams who have successfully navigated a change initiative. For instance, if a team successfully implemented new project management software, ask them to describe their process and outcomes.

   
   

2. Highlight Key Takeaways: Focus on the strategies they used and lessons learned, ensuring these insights are actionable. For example, if a team improved communication during a major shift, emphasise the specific tactics they employed.

   
   

3. Create a Library of Stories: Compile these narratives into a digital library, making it accessible to anyone facing a change. This could be housed in a shared drive or internal communication platform alongside the Change Management Toolkit (see above).

   
   

4. Encourage New Stories: Continually promote sharing new experiences to keep the library fresh and relevant. Recognising contributions can motivate others to share as well.

   
   

When employees see real examples of successful change management, they are more likely to adopt similar practices. Recognition of success goes hand in hand with continuous improvement, see more here Continuous Improvement and Preparing for the Unexpected.

4. Implement Mentoring Programs

Mentoring can be an effective way to share change management skills through direct interaction. In Navigate Workplace Transitions with Mentorship we shared that mentoring can help significantly with the experience of undergoing change.

Step-by-Step:

1. Identify Mentors: Select individuals who are skilled in change management and willing to share their knowledge. This could involve creating a panel of experienced change leaders within the organisation.

   
   

2. Match Mentors with Mentees: Pair mentors with team members eager to develop their change management skills, ensuring a good fit based on interests and experience levels.

   
   

3. Define Objectives and Expectations: Establish clear goals for each mentoring relationship so both parties understand the desired outcomes, such as improving specific skills or gaining insights into a particular project.

   
   

4. Provide Support: Offer guidelines and resources for mentors to help them guide discussions and activities. Providing a framework can result in a more productive mentorship.

   
   

This structured approach can accelerate skill acquisition while fostering relationships across different teams. However be prepared to start small. If all you have are one or two mentoring partnerships, recognise that this is still providing benefit to both parties; and that skills transfer will occur as a result.

5. Utilise Digital Collaboration Tools

Digital collaboration tools can aid in sharing change management strategies among a wider audience. For more depth on establishing digital and remote teamwork take a look at, Navigating Change in a Remote Work Era: Strategies for Success.

Step-by-Step:

1. Select Appropriate Tools: Identify digital platforms that enhance collaboration. A quick internet search provides many options such as Slack, Trello, or Microsoft Teams. These tools facilitate real-time communication and resource sharing.

   
   

2. Create Dedicated Spaces: Establish sections within these tools specifically for discussing and sharing change management strategies and resources.

   
   

3. Encourage Contributions: Invite team members to share insights, documents, and tools related to change management. Engagement can lead to a richer collaborative environment.

   
   

4. Foster Community: Organise ongoing discussions, webinars, or Q&A sessions that cultivate a thriving learning community. A study found that organizations with active collaborative environments experience a 30% increase in employee satisfaction.

   
   

By leveraging technology, you can expand the reach of change management capabilities, making it easier for everyone to learn and adapt. Online collaboration provides several benefits over offline teamwork, for example automatic version control of documents and asynchronous communication. This enables team members to collaborate at their own pace and may break down some barriers present in in-person interactions.

Sharing Change Management Skills in Your Workplace

Improving effective change management capability over time is essential for the success of in-house change management teams and the organisations they serve. By exploring these five innovative ways to share change management skills with your colleagues, you can create a supportive environment that drives progress and better understands the mechanics of change.

Whether through toolkits, informal sessions, shared success stories, mentoring, or digital platforms, the goal is to empower every employee with the curiosity to understand more about change, and to investigate the skills required to be effective. Sharing knowledge goes beyond transferring skills to cultivation of an adaptive culture where everyone feels equipped and inspired to embrace change.

Through skills transfer, you will enhance change management capabilities within your team and contribute to a collective resilience that can handle future challenges.

To investigate how to improve change management capability and to build a culture of collaboration and innovation, book us in for a free discussion.