Core message:
- To be successful, change management requires a balance between those who want to innovate and those who want to maintain stability.
- Rigid models often fail; an individualized approach that focuses on employees' strengths is more effective.
- An agile roadmap with targeted methods makes all the difference. Three proven measures: Team strengthening workshops, world café focus groups and flexible action plans.
The duality of change dynamics
“Employees who embrace the new and those who prefer stability complement each other perfectly and ignite a superpower that enables innovation without losing balance.”
Corporations vs. start-ups vs. SMEs
Corporations
Corporations rarely lack representatives from both camps, but all too often I have seen critical maintainers pushed aside during change. A whirlwind of termination agreements then hits those who voice their concerns. Yet it is precisely these concerns that are very valuable. Listening to them can be painful, managing them costly, but ignoring them costs every company dearly. Corporations are like giant freighters that are slow to correct their course. Change advocates take the helm, but even the smallest errors in navigation can lead to long-lasting turbulence. And paradoxically, it is often the advocates of change who abandon ship in choppy waters.
Start-ups
In contrast, start-ups are as agile and fast as speedboats, but often lack the necessary stability and consistency. They thrive on change, but the lack of keepers who stay the course and sharpen the focus is a common problem. In my work with start-ups, we specifically look for these guardians. If they are not there, it is crucial to recruit employees who will ensure continuity and anchor the company.
Middle class
The midmarket is a unique mix and we encounter a colorful fleet: there are the yachts that sail full speed ahead into new waters, and then there are the ferries that faithfully hold their familiar course between two shores. The key is to set your own compass so that you neither lose sight of the familiar coastline nor shy away from new horizons. The key for SMEs is to find the balance between preservation and innovation. Innovative change managers can serve as trailblazers for new directions, but they must encounter a culture that is willing to open up and adapt. The challenge is to create a movement that is strong enough to sustain change, but also cautious enough to respect the status quo and be considerate of people.
“The secret lies in continuous balance – too much change is just as risky as standing still.”
Recognizing personalities and using strengths
Numerous tools exist to identify readiness for change, but without a deeper understanding of the individual personalities involved, these are less effective. The key to successful change processes lies in recognizing and understanding the different characters, coupled with their unique strengths, weaknesses and needs.
Effective changes are only brought about when managers not only recognize these individual characteristics of their team members, but also address them in a targeted manner. My experience has shown that with a stable foundation based on personalities, additional identification tools become superfluous. That’s why I rely on the personality and strengths analysis #STÄRKENSTÄRKEN. It’s more than just a hashtag – it’s a philosophy. The aim is to recognize and use each individual’s unique combination of strengths to create effective change.
Individual approaches as the key to success in change management
Pursuing change management with a “one-size-fits-all” mentality is like trying to dress everyone in the same size. It may work at first glance, but in the end it only really fits a few people. We need to recognize the individual personalities in the team, their strengths, their concerns and their hopes. A plan that ignores these personal facets is often doomed to failure. When I argue like this, I get skeptical looks from some in management and meet with resistance:
“We can’t respond to every single employee!”
My answer to this is clear: “Maybe not you personally, but your managers can and should do this. And if that’s not enough, there are other ways, such as training motivated change agents. The real question you should ask yourself is whether you want to be part of the 70 percent who fail, and how high the cost of failure is in the end.”
Targeted measures to support change
- Team strength workshops: These workshops focus on the individual and collective strengths of the team. They provide a platform for discovering and developing both the obvious and hidden potential of team members. A key component is to uncover and transform weaknesses into productive energies, which not only increases tolerance among each other, but also creates a stronger bond and an improved team spirit.
- Focus groups à la World Café: Interviews and focus groups are tried and tested methods in change management. The World Café is a particularly effective method. Participants meet in a relaxed café-like environment to discuss relevant topics in small groups. Each group works on a specific issue. After set times, the participants change tables to share their ideas with a new group. This method encourages the exchange of different perspectives and generates creative solutions to complex change management challenges.
- Action plans, but flexible: Instead of rigid guidelines, flexible action plans create room for individual adjustments and real-time feedback. They are designed to take into account and utilize the unique skills of each team member. The aim is to allocate roles and tasks in a way that reflects personal and professional strengths, allowing the team to respond to change cohesively and efficiently.
Conclusion:
Whether global corporations, traditional SMEs or dynamic start-ups – it’s the people that make the difference. By applying targeted but flexible action plans, creating interactive forums such as the World Café and holding team strength workshops, an environment can be created that values each individual and has the potential to effectively meet the challenges of change. Let’s achieve the 70 percent together
Now it’s your turn!
Have you already gained experience with change management in your company? What approaches and solutions have you used? I invite you to take part in an intensive exchange in the comments. Share your experiences, ask questions or offer advice for others who may be facing similar challenges. By sharing, we can learn from each other and develop effective ways to make change processes in the professional environment successful and smooth.
So don’t hesitate – let’s dive into the discussion together!
