There are many change models and change structures to help you conceptualize and organize the change you envision for your organization. But in my mind, getting people to do something new boils down to mindset, ability, and practice: MAP.
MINDSET: Without the mindset to support your change, you won’t gain traction. Take for example the company that wanted to boost retention by encouraging employees to look for internal positions. It didn’t have the intended effect, because the hiring manager and recruiter mindset didn’t change. People could get 40-50% pay increases and jump up a level or two when they went to another company, but internally, could get maybe a 10% pay increase max and only incremental advancement. The trends in Talent Management include the concept of talent pools, but to make them work effectively, we have to let go of functional alignment and vertical-only advancement and embrace the transferable skills set.
ABILITY: By the same token, people can only implement something new for you if they know how to do it, have the tools to do it, and are socially supported by their peers. Say your organization has all the hallmarks of a fixed mindset and you want people to adopt a growth mindset. You create killer training and cascade it from the top down. People were so excited during the class, why aren’t they changing? Because the systems, structure, and culture haven’t been adapted to support the new mindset; you need to build ability into your plan.
PRACTICE: Ever hear the phrase, “Perfect practice makes perfect?” Not only do people need the opportunity to practice new skills immediately after learning them, but they need support to make sure they’re doing it correctly and consistently otherwise entropy takes hold and a majority reverts to their comfort zone. This is where coaching and course correction ensure consistent application of the new skills and deeper support and embedding within the organization.
Pam Curry 