SIX BATTERIES OF CHANGE
In the book Six Batteries of Change, Peter De Prins, Geert Letens and Kurt Verweire present a new model for managing organizational change. The main idea is that effective change is all about managing energy. Only when you generate enough energy, you can make lasting change happen. If your energy reserves are running low, your change efforts will quickly fizzle out.
The new change model sets out which aspects within an organization generate energy for change. There are six key areas in your organization that must be energized for change to be successful. We call these areas the ‘batteries of change.’
There are three rational batteries of change which cover the hardware of change: strategy, management infrastructure, and action planning and implementation. The emotional batteries of change affect the software of change, including the dynamics within your top team, the culture, and the connection with the employees. Two batteries deal with the top, two focus on the operational side of management, and two batteries provide the bridge between the strategic and the operational level. The authors have found strong empirical evidence that all batteries of change need to be charged for change to be successful.
EXERCISE: SIX BATTERIES OF CHANGE
HOW WELL IS YOUR TOP TEAM BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / In our organization, top managers’ needs are more important than collective goals. / /
2 / Our top executives are role models for change. / /
3 / Our organization has a cohesive top team in which members trust each other. / /
4 / The top team has no clear mandate and lacks support from major stakeholders to transform the organization. / /
5 / The top team has allocated significant budgets to fund our change initiatives. / /
6 / Our change vision is uninspiring: it does not generate energy within the organization. / /
7 / Our top team radiates an inspiring and motivating ambition within the organization. / /
8 / Our top team periodically assesses the gap between current and desired change capabilities of our organization. / /
Total score:
HOW WELL IS YOUR STRATEGY BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / Our organization systematically collects information on performance and actions taken by the competition. / /
2 / We are always late in detecting and responding to new industry developments. / /
3 / Our organization systematically collects information on how well we meet the changing needs of our customers. / /
4 / Our organization has set up a portfolio of initiatives to renew the organization. / /
5 / Our employees have a clear idea of where and how we make the difference with competitors. / /
6 / Our strategy clearly outlines whom not to serve and what not to provide. / /
7 / Our business strategy is a compilation of our departments’ action plans. / /
8 / We have set up strategic experiments to come up with radically new products or business models. / /
Total score:
HOW WELL IS YOUR MANAGEMENTINFRASTRUCTURE BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / Our management infrastructure and processes assure that we focus on what matters for our customers. / /
2 / Due to a lack of time or experience, we tend to outsource important change initiatives to external specialists. / /
3 / Our organization communicates well between every level of management. / /
4 / We struggle to complete our change initiatives due to the sheer number of projects that we try to implement concurrently. / /
5 / We periodically assess progress and results and link this to how this was achieved. / /
6 / Reporting on change projects is an overly complex bureaucratic activity in our organization with little added value – or it is rather inexistent and ad hoc. / /
7 / We share lessons learned and best practices through systematic knowledge management to avoid reinventing the wheel. / /
8 / Our program management office systematically identifies best practices and opportunities to simplify our change approach. / /
Total score:
HOW WELL IS YOUR CULTURE BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / Our values are more than words or slogans on wall posters: they guide us in our daily work. / /
2 / In our organization, we continuously challenge and stretch our goals. / /
3 / When errors occur, employees and managers blame their colleagues or find excuses in the company's management systems. / /
4 / In our organization, we focus attention on building relationships with key people across functions at all levels. / /
5 / In our organization, change communication is mostly a one-way top-down street following the structure/hierarchy of the organization. / /
6 / We openly share information that allows us to discuss individual and team performance and behavior. / /
7 / When new initiatives are proposed, ‘no’ is the norm, ‘yes’ the exception. / /
8 / Most people believe that change happens too quickly and causes too much disruption. / /
Total score:
HOW WELL IS YOUR ACTION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / We launch change initiatives based on a strong project mandate that clarifies scope, boundaries and expected results. / /
2 / Our individual change initiatives miss a strong ‘why’: they don't address day-to-day operational problems or customer needs. / /
3 / We define unrealistic time horizons for the implementation of individual change projects. / /
4 / Resources assigned to our projects include budgets, IT support, and dedicated time for team members. / /
5 / In our organization, we deal with problems through analysis of reliable data and direct observation of our practices. / /
6 / We use prototyping and experimentation as a way to assess the value and risks of alternative solutions. / /
7 / We periodically (weekly/monthly) assess variance towards expected progress and results to learn and adjust. / /
8 / We fail to embed the results of change projects in standard operating procedures. / /
Total score:
HOW WELL IS YOUR CONNECTION BATTERY CHARGED?
Tick whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. You can find the scoring for this battery at the end of the document.
AGREE / DIS-AGREE / POINT1 / In our organization, everyone feels the change, but nobody really knows where it leads to. / /
2 / Our organization sees employees merely as means to improve performance, not as persons behind the function. / /
3 / We actively engage employees in change initiatives that impact them. / /
4 / Our employees experience a daily reality that contradicts with the main messages sent by managers. / /
5 / Our change approach includes education and training in project and process management for employees. / /
6 / Leaders spend a significant amount of time coaching employees on the floor. / /
7 / We communicate frequently about change and openly share information related to change initiatives. / /
8 / In our organization, people feel appreciated for their change efforts. / /
Total score:
SCORING
This scoring page allows you to see to what extent each battery is charged.
For the top team battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 2 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 8.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 1 – 4 – 6.
Count how many points you have(on 8).
For the strategy battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 1 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 8.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 2 – 7.
Count how many points you have (on 8).
For the management infrastructure battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 1 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 8.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 2 – 4 – 6.
Count how many points you have (on 8).
For the culture battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 1 – 2 – 4 – 6.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 3 – 5 – 7 – 8.
Count how many points you have (on 8).
For the action planning and implementation battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 1 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 2 – 3 – 8.
Count how many points you have (on 8).
For the connection with employees battery, give yourself one point each time you agreed with the following statements: 3 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8.
Give yourself one point each time you disagreed with the following statements: 1 – 2 – 4.
Count how many points you have (on 8).
How to interpret your results?
If you have 0-2 points, your battery is empty. It’s a real energy drainer that sucks energy out of the organization and limits the success rate of your transformation project. Take some actions to get this battery charged.
If you have a score of 3-4, your battery is draining and needs some extra charging. If you’re not taking any action, this battery will further drain energy from your change project, leading to low change effectiveness.
If you have 5-6 points, your battery is charging. This battery starts generating energy for your change project.
If you have a score of 7-8, you have a fully charged battery. Actively use the power of this battery to generate energy in your other change batteries. Then there is a high probability that your change efforts will lead to the desired outcomes.
© Peter De Prins, Geert Letens & Kurt Verweire1
© Peter De Prins, Geert Letens & Kurt Verweire1
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE
Learn the successful components of bringing about positive change.Read Six Batteries of Change: Energize Your Company by Peter De Prins, Geert Letens and Kurt Verweire
(LannooCampus, 2017) /
MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN WITH VLERICK
Join our Leading Change program and become the agent of change in your organization or contact one of our learning and development consultants for a tailor-made learning journey.
Check out the following website: or
MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN WITH TCHI INNOVATION
For guidance and coaching of your transformation projects, check out:
© Peter De Prins, Geert Letens & Kurt Verweire1