What we will cover in this webinar: Why are Managers so important? Best Practices findings – what do we know about the ‘Manager’ group? What are the main reasons Managers resist change? What’s in it for Managers to engage with the change? What’s in it for the organisation to engage Managers early and well? Top 5 Tips to building engagement with Managers

1. Community of Practice Webinar
27 March 2018
Engagement – not just communication: Building Engagement with Managers
Presented by: Vicky Emery, General Manager

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Agenda
• Why are Managers so important?
• Best Practices findings – what do we know about the ‘Manager’ group?
• What are the main reasons Managers resist change?
• What’s in it for Managers to engage with the change?
• What’s in it for the organisation to engage Managers early and well?
• Top 5 Tips to building engagement with Managers
• Wrap

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How do we define ‘manager’?
Let’s start with defining what we mean by ‘manager’ in this webinar.
• Someone who leads people
• They are our focus, especially if they and their team/s have to adopt
the change or can influence it’s outcome
• Your organisation may have many titles and layers that fall into this
category

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Why are Managers so important?
• Closest to the ‘front line’ – employees, customers, community
• Critically influential
• They know the business, products and services, brand promise
• They know the history
• They potentially know the answers
• They know the culture

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Why are Managers so important?
• They are a preferred sender
Copyright © 2018 Prosci Inc. Best Practices in Change Management – 2018 Edition

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What do we know about this group - Best Practice
Findings (2018)
• They are the most resistant group
Copyright © 2018 Prosci Inc. Best Practices in Change Management – 2018 Edition

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What do we know about this group - Best Practice
Findings (2018)
• We don’t adequately prepare them for the change, let alone their
role in leading their people to adopt and sustain the change
Copyright © 2018 Prosci Inc. Best Practices in Change Management – 2018 Edition

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What do we know about this group - Best Practice
Findings (2018)
• 49% of respondents said that over half the resistance from
Managers was avoidable
Copyright © 2018 Prosci Inc. Best Practices in Change Management – 2018 Edition

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What are the main reasons Managers resist
change?
• Organisational culture
• Lack of awareness and knowledge about the change
• Lack of buy-in
• Misalignment of project goals and personal incentives
• Lack of confidence in their own ability to manage the people side of
change

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What is in it for the Manager to engage with the
change?
• Faster adoption by their team which means
• Less resistance and a potentially smoother implementation which means
less coaching
• Building change muscle – personally and for their team
• Achieve purpose/outcomes to higher degree
• Skills that are transferable
• Time back to spend on other issues
• Increased control of timelines, training, SMEs and resourcing
• Access to information to help make decisions – personally and for their
team
• Channel to table their concerns, alternative implementation paths, head-
off any issues
• Finally ‘get it done’
• Increased confidence

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What is in it for the organisation to engage
Managers early and well?
• Faster adoption by team which means less rework
• Less resistance and a potentially smoother implementation which means
space for BAU and other initiatives
• Building change muscle – across a vital channel
• Achieve purpose/outcomes to higher degree
• Skills ‘baked in’ to the organisation and which increase resilience and
flexibility
• Access to information to help make decisions – project teams, Sponsors,
vendors, customers, teams
• Channel to hear and understand concerns, alternative implementation
paths, any issues to make informed decisions
• Finally ‘get it done’
• Increased confidence in the organisation’s ability to change and sustain it

12. Top 5 Tips for Building Engaged Managers

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Tip 1
It is worth every cent and every minute to get the Managers across
the change as an individual, first.
• Start early, even if you don’t have the full story – they get that
• The aim is to include them and keep them up to date with progress
and the changes that will impact themselves, first so they can make
some decisions
• Don’t short-track it – it may take time to listen first!
• This is critical work for the Primary Sponsor – coalition building
• Tap into the Manager’s/Managers’ drivers – how does this change
help or hinder those drivers?

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Tip 2
Be clear on the role they need to play in the change and what they
will have to help them do it
• No surprises
• Establish clear communication channels and tools and use them
regularly – make it easy
• Even if it is a tough change be crystal clear on the steps,
conversations, choices and decisions they need to make and what
they will need from their team
• Provide a map of the tools, supporting documents, resources they
will have, who will it come from, how can they access it (scripts,
conversation guides, team meeting outlines, scenarios)
• Keep the commitments and maintain channels
• Sponsor holds them accountable and visa versa

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Tip 3
This is Change Gym for Managers – help build muscle
• Provide training for Managers to help build their confidence and
personal toolkit
• Use the Manager Competency Assessment (eToolkit) as part of
individual development plans
• Provide coaching JUST for them from a safe person (external?
Internal? Their own skilled leader?)
• Start Coaching Circles – self-managed to share skills and knowledge
• Provide tools and resources Managers can easily access and apply
• ADKAR is an excellent and adaptable core model
• Add it to KPIs, Competency Maps, development conversations,
performance conversations
• This is evidence of a commitment to change-fitness by the
organisation

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Tip 4
Make sure Managers know what they can and can’t offer their team
• They know their team and their potential reactions to the change
• Be clear on the boundaries
• What is acceptable and what is not? What promises can they make
and what can they not?
• Keep them safe

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Tip 5
Get them some back-up! Change Champions can help
• Critically important that managers and change champions have role clarity
and want to work as a team for the team!
• Three benefits for Managers working together with Change Champions
– Better coverage to provide specific support to team members based on their
needs (am I more comfortable talking to my manager or to the change
champion about my concerns?)
– A = support each other with different communications approaches to build
awareness within the team
– D = support / complement each other to communicate WIIFM messages for
the team
– K and A = provide different approaches to on-the-job support during the
knowledge and ability phase
– R = support each other to ensure people are able to work in the new way (but
reward and recognition is the role of the manager)