CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY

An increase in volume and complexity of project initiatives across a highly regarded Victorian Government Agency provided an opportunity to consider how to best lead the change effort. The objectives for this work included:

• Adopt an integrated approach to change leadership that is timely, efficient and resourceful.
• Instil a holistic approach to the way change leaders are identified, developed and supported. 
• Enhance our change leadership capability to embed and sustain the change effort across the organisation.
• Provide greater clarity regarding accountability and responsibility for change leadership roles.

OUR APPROACH

The first step in our process was to understand existing change leadership accountabilities across the organisation. From there, a Change Leadership Framework was developed; an integrated approach to the identification, development and support of those in change leadership roles. This work included the definition of key change leadership roles at different levels:

• Change Drivers - Executive / Senior Managers with ultimate accountability for the successful implementation of the changes across the organisation. 
• Change Leader – a representative group of Middle Managers /  Supervisors responsible for implementing change within their departments and teams. 
• Change Ambassadors, Subject Matter Experts and Super Users – a representative group of Frontline Staff responsible for role modelling changes amongst their colleagues and providing input into the changes being made. 

Four change leadership capabilities were identified and tailored to the different change leadership levels including:

A tailored change leadership development program was designed for Change Leaders and Change Ambassadors  in collaboration with the Change Leaders and Change Ambassadors themselves. This development was incorporated into their fortnightly meetings that were focused on how to best lead the volume and complexity of change across the organisation at all levels. 

OUTCOME

The definition of change leadership roles helped individuals to understand the organisational expectations of them in their roles. The Change Leader and Change Ambassador groups were integral in the successful implementation of a range of changes that impacted across the organisation, and were vitally important in shaping the people change approach. Their ability to make connections, ask questions, and communicate key change messages built buy in and support for the changes across the organisation.