INDEA 8 STEPS FOR INVOLVING CHANGE

 
 
 

INDEA's change model has its origins in Harvard professor Dr. John P Kotter's model for change management. When I worked at INDEA (an management consulting firm in Stockholm that I worked for for ten years) and started using Kotter's model, I and my colleagues discovered early on that it didn't fully translate because of the cultural differences between the United States and Sweden.

 
To turn an idea into a new way of working into truly changed behavior requires a well-thought-out change process and pedagogy. At INDEA, we were (and still are) convinced that real involvement of managers and employees who are affected is a prerequisite for good decisions in the change project and for managers and employees to shoulder responsibility for implementing the change.

INDEA's change model has its origins in Harvard professor Dr. John P Kotter's model for change management. Kotter's model "eight steps for leading change" is the result of more than 30 years of research and has since its introduction in 1996 become one of the most recognized and proven models of change (Read more here!). When we started using Kotter's model at INDEA, we discovered early on that it does not fully take into account the cultural differences between the United States and Sweden. The consequence of this cultural difference is, in our opinion, that Kotter underestimates Swedish employees' need to be involved in the change process.
 
INDEA's CEO Thomas Krook at the time and I made an adaptation of Kotter's model to the Swedish management culture, which has resulted in “INDEA's change model”. During the time I was at INDEA, we were able to state in a number of change projects that the modified Kotter model really works for Swedish conditions.
 
 
INDEA's eight steps for change
 

Build the change project platform

 
Step 1 - Make the urgent motives for change visible 
In order to create an understanding of the necessity of the impending change, it is of great importance that a lot of effort is put into analyzing, describing and communicating the reasons for the necessity of change. We ourselves have been able to state in a number of change projects that the communication of accurately describing the causes of change has been perhaps the most important part of a change project.
 
Step 2 - Identify and activate change drivers
The next step in the process is to identify the leaders and employees who are expected to take a driving responsibility for the change process. The group of change drivers also needs to be one step ahead of the rest of the organization in the change process and must have a strong consensus regarding their roles in the process.
 
Step 3 - Clarification of the direction of development / goal
To create energy in the change work, a clear direction is required. This direction can be formulated as a vision, goal or strategy. The most important thing is that it clearly shows where the organization needs to move and that the current situation is not an option.
 

Engage the entire organization

 
Step 4 - Broad involvement
When the “WHAT” parts of the change have been communicated, ie the motive for the change, the current situation and the goal, it is time to involve the employees to work with “HOW” the new looks. Important target groups to involve are partly the employees who have knowledge in the areas to which the change applies and the employees who will be affected by the change.
 
Step 5 - Formulation of change strategy / change plan
Based on the employees' contribution to what the new should look like, it will be the management's task to create a clear change strategy that clearly shows how the change is to be implemented. What should happen and in what order?
 
Step 6 - Communication and action
With the strategy as a starting point, relevant development projects are formed in the organization. The management leads and coordinates the work of communicating, commissioning and implementing the project groups' results. In this phase of change work, it is important to clearly show quick gains from the new way of working in order to motivate as many as possible to start working in the new way.
 

Drive on and anchor

 
Step 7 - Evaluation, learning and continuous improvement
When a major step has been taken, it is valuable to pay attention to the progress, evaluate the solutions and decide on what is to be consolidated and what is to be further developed in the next wave of improvement.

In order to then be able to fine-tune and further develop the new business processes in an effective way, a system for continuous learning and development is needed, which makes the effects of the new way of working visible and which provides knowledge of what works more or less well. Our experience is that many of Toyota's lean tools such as visual steering and improvement meetings are an effective way to ensure the desired effects of the change process.
 
Step 8 - Anchor the important changes
In order for the implemented change in attitude and behavior to take place long after the CEO and management team have disappeared, the change needs to be anchored in the company's (invisible) culture.