| A train requires two well-maintained rails to reach | | | | possible solutions to resolve the issue. As the |
| its destination. Like the train, organizations going | | | | discussion continued, I asked a parenthetical |
| through change require two well-maintained rails to | | | | question, "Just curious, is this discussion about |
| succeed: a change management plan and a | | | | Change Management or Transition Management?" |
| transition management strategy. Even though | | | | One of the managers turned red and said, |
| both are necessary, one usually gets most of the | | | | "Alright, we get your point." |
| attention. "While most leaders focus the majority | | | | This is usually how Transition Management gets |
| of their time and attention on the numbers, the | | | | squeezed out of the picture. It is not intentional; it |
| people issues often make or break a deal." | | | | is simply that the devil is in the details. Naturally, |
| (Gambill and Hodge) | | | | management focuses on the issues that seem |
| What's difference between Change Management | | | | most pressing. Later, when it comes time for the |
| and Transition Management? "Change is the event | | | | changes to occur, leaders encounter surprising |
| and transition is the process." (W. Bridges) Change | | | | difficulties: dependable employees resist making |
| Management concerns itself with the physical | | | | the prescribed changes, confusion and conflicts |
| aspects of change- what needs to be done, when | | | | erupt in the workplace, costs escalate and |
| and by whom. Transition Management, on the | | | | increased sick leave, to name a few. |
| other hand, is about people and how they are | | | | Unfortunately, many leaders assume that if they |
| affected by the change. Transitions must be | | | | plan the change carefully enough, the transition will |
| managed carefully to enable people to let go and | | | | follow automatically. |
| reorient themselves so that the change can work. | | | | Managing transitions can be frustrating for leaders |
| In my experience, most leaders seem to | | | | because the process is not linear or sequential (like |
| understand Change Management, but they have | | | | Change Management). Transition Management |
| not done very well at managing transitions. There | | | | requires a multifaceted, simultaneous approach. In |
| can be many reasons for this, but the most | | | | other words, there are a variety of ways to |
| common is simply that the details clamour for | | | | support people throughout the change process. |
| attention. | | | | Some managers feel their job is done if they |
| Let me illustrate, I was contracted to assist | | | | provide Stress Management assistance. My |
| management with the transitions issues of moving | | | | answer would be "It's a good start." |
| into a new facility. After four days of | | | | This is probably sounding all too familiar for |
| management training, I met with division | | | | managers entrusted with implementing change. |
| managers to help them develop a transition | | | | After identifying some of the traps and pitfalls of |
| management plan for their departments. We | | | | the change process, it begs the question: What |
| began with a reminder of the difference between | | | | can managers do to implement changes more |
| Change Management and Transition Management. | | | | successfully? There is not one easy answer. Let |
| Then, we agreed that we would focus on | | | | me suggest six topic areas that will help |
| Transition Management. After only five minutes of | | | | managers head in the right direction. The list is not |
| discussion, information came to light about | | | | exhaustive, but indicates the kind of needs people |
| structural problems with the facility. Immediately, | | | | have that go through change: Leadership, |
| the managers pounced on the problem, asking | | | | Engagement, Trust and Betrayal, Coping with |
| probing questions about the causes and offered | | | | Anger, Transition Management, Communication. |