Human Change
What is human change & why is it important?
Human change
At changemaker we recognise the critical role the human being plays in realising sustainable change. At the heart of every successful change programme is an engaged, supportive audience of colleagues, customers and other stakeholders.
Creating this engaged audience is not easy, but it is achievable. We have built a team that brings together expertise, experience, processes and tools designed to support the people involved in and impacted by change. This enables people to adapt and to adopt new approaches and ways of working in a seamless and sustainable way.
We understand the dynamics and psychology of change, as well as the processes and capabilities needed to design, manage, and deliver it. We bring class leading tools such as the Lumina Learning psychometric suite and Prosci’s ADKAR model for supporting human change, blended with our own approaches such as the Values Journeys © model.
How we support human change
People are at the heart of all lasting and meaningful change. We help organisations shift mindsets, behaviours, and cultures to enable sustainable transformation.
Shifting Behaviours
We live in a volatile and unpredictable world. This is driving organisations across private, public and 3rd sectors to transform the way they deliver their services and connect with their stakeholders. To deliver this transformation requires a shift in the culture and behaviours of the organisation, evidenced by the people in the organisation consistently behaving in a new way.
Shifting culture is more than posters on the wall, it is about helping leaders, colleagues and teams to understand what the DNA of the organisation looks and feels like, and critically, how this delivers the success of the organisation.
Our structured yet human-centred approach to realising behavioural change is built upon clearly articulating what the future DNA looks, feels and sounds like. We use our Values Journeys © model to help organisations build stories that translate their values and principals into tangible experiences and beliefs that drive the outcomes the organisation needs.
Complex Change
Human Change is a complex endeavour and this complexity increases exponentially with the size of the change being undertaken. At changemaker we bring a structured, intentional approach to supporting the human change needed for large scale change programmes to be successful. Whether your challenge involves digital transformation, organisational redesign or new market and product development we can develop and deliver formal Change Strategies that address the need for human change.
Our teams include certified practitioners in toolsets such as the Prosci® methodology blended with traditional change delivery frameworks, but presented in a practical, pragmatic approach centred on the human being.
Taking a structured approach to realising human change significantly mitigates the risk of programme failure, whilst also ensuring the return on investment isn’t compromised dependant on the engagement of your people. It enables our audience to be engaged and supportive of the change through a deeper understanding of the human change journey.
Prosci Methodology
Our teams include certified practitioners in toolsets such as the Prosci® methodology blended with traditional change delivery frameworks, but presented in a practical, pragmatic approach centred on the human being.
Taking a structured approach to realising human change significantly mitigates the risk of programme failure, whilst also ensuring the return on investment isn’t compromised dependant on the engagement of your people. It enables our audience to be engaged and supportive of the change through a deeper understanding of the human change journey.
Developing Leadership
The ability to define and lead successful change is quoted by organisations such as Forbes and Harvard Business Review as one of the most critical modern leadership skills.
Simply put, successful organisations are led by teams who understand the importance the role of the human being plays in change delivery, and are able to support, encourage, influence and lead change in others.
For most leaders however, leading change is not part of their day-to-day job or past experiences. It can often create new challenges that are very different to their area of technical expertise.
It requires a strong level of self-awareness, awareness of others and the ability to manage both our rational and emotional responses to those around us.
Lumina Learning
Since 2009, Lumina Learning has been providing world-leading, cutting-edge personality, emotional intelligence, competency and qualification tools for over 1,000 organisations worldwide.
How we support your change journey
At changemaker, we take a comprehensive and holistic approach to change, offering a wide range of services across four key areas:
Change Design
Supporting you in exploring what change might look like, or navigating your way to realising the change you desire.
Change Delivery
Implementing the governance and skills to plan and deliver change in an ambiguous world.
Human Change
Supporting the human being in understanding why and how to change to realise their full potential.
Resourcing for Change
Providing you people with the skills and values that matter to you on a temporary, interim, or permanent basis.
Video resources
Learn how to support human change, build engagement, and lead people successfully through transformation.
Video
How do you change the culture & behaviours in a large organisation?
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Frequently asked questions
Explore our FAQs to learn how we help organisations unlock the people power behind every successful and sustainable change programme.
How do you define human change, and how is it relevant in achieving goals within organisations?
Human change refers to the process of influencing individuals—whether it be oneself, a team, or an entire organisation—to think, feel, and act differently in order to achieve a specific, agreed-upon outcome. This concept is critical in any change initiative because, regardless of the plans put in place, the success of those plans hinges on human behaviour. For instance, if a team decides to implement a new workflow process, it will only be effective if the individuals involved actually make the choice to participate and follow through. Human change is about guiding and encouraging these behavioural shifts, ensuring that the desired outcomes are realised.
What is the ADKAR model?
To facilitate human change, a structured approach like the ADKAR model is often used. This model, developed by the research organisation Prosci, outlines the stages individuals must go through to successfully implement and sustain change.
ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. First, individuals need to be aware of why the change is necessary. Then, they must develop a desire to make that change. Once motivated, they need the knowledge of how to change and the ability to implement it. Finally, reinforcement ensures that the change is maintained over time.
This model helps organisations systematically guide people through the change process, increasing the likelihood of achieving long-term success.
What are the common challenges organisations face when trying to implement human change, and why do these efforts often fail?
One of the most significant challenges organisations face in implementing human change is the frustration that arises when employees do not change their behaviours simply because they have been told to do so.
Despite having well-designed project plans or top-tier deployments, many change initiatives fail—around 70%, according to some studies—because there is a disconnect between what the organisation expects and what the employees actually do. The root of this issue is that change cannot be effectively mandated; it requires guiding individuals through a process where they choose to embrace the change. This highlights the importance of using models like ADKAR (awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement) to drive successful and sustainable change.
How do changemaker’s methodologies, like Lumina Learning, the ADKAR model and the Values Journey model, differ from other human change frameworks in the market?
The methodologies we choose or design, such as Lumina Learning, ADKAR, and the Values Journey model, stand out from other human change frameworks because they are grounded in practical, everyday language and are designed to be accessible to everyone in an organisation.
Unlike traditional change management approaches, which have historically focused on project management and only recently started considering the human side of change, our tools are specifically tailored to address the human aspects from the outset. Lumina Learning, for example, is a psychometric tool that values diversity and avoids labelling, making it applicable and relatable to all employees, from the CEO to a gas engineer.
This focus on pragmatism ensures that our methods are not just theoretical or abstract but are actionable and easily understood by every individual, which is crucial for effective and sustainable change.
What role does emotional intelligence play in managing change?
Emotional intelligence is crucial in managing change because change inherently increases discomfort and triggers strong emotional responses. Neuroscience tells us that our five senses feed into the limbic region of the brain, which processes emotions and triggers fight, flight, or freeze responses before our rational brain even gets involved. By helping clients understand this process, we equip them to better manage their emotional reactions during change initiatives. This awareness is essential as it helps individuals navigate the discomfort of change more effectively, leading to more successful outcomes.
What are the most common misconceptions and fears organisations have about undertaking large-scale change, and how can they be addressed?
One of the most common fears organisations face when considering large-scale change is the belief that it is simply too difficult to manage, especially the human aspects of change. This fear often stems from a misconception that change is an intangible, “fluffy” concept that cannot be systematically addressed.
While many change initiatives are simply abandoned as a result, some leaders might resort to hoping that their employees will naturally adapt to the changes or believe that sheer force of will, charisma, or personal heroics can drive the change. This approach is not sustainable and often fails to engage the entire organisation.
To overcome these fears, it is crucial to adopt a structured and pragmatic approach to change, such as the ADKAR model, which provides clear steps to guide individuals through the change process, making the transition more manageable and less daunting for everyone involved.
How does your approach to behavioural leadership support creating sustainable culture shifts in organisations?
The changemaker approach to behavioural leadership focuses on fostering congruence among leaders, which is key to creating sustainable culture shifts within an organisation. This involves ensuring that leadership teams are not only consistent in their behaviours but also share a common belief system around how they lead and the culture they wish to cultivate.
The Values Journey tool, for example, is used to help leaders align their actions with the desired cultural outcomes. This approach emphasises the importance of leaders “walking the walk” and holding each other accountable for maintaining the agreed-upon values and behaviours. By promoting diversity in leadership styles while ensuring that all leaders are committed to the same cultural goals, this method helps to break away from outdated leadership models that rely on charisma or personal heroics, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable organisational culture.
Can you explain the Values Journey model?
The Values Journey model is a proprietary tool used by changemaker to connect an organisation’s core values to tangible business results, with culture at the centre. Many organisations claim to have certain values, like integrity or curiosity, but often fail to reflect these values in their day-to-day culture, leading to a disconnect between stated values and actual behaviour.
The Values Journey model addresses this by defining specific behaviours that represent each value. For instance, if an organisation values curiosity, the model helps identify the behaviours that embody curiosity at all levels of the organisation. It then goes further to consider the experiences these behaviours create for colleagues, customers, or other stakeholders. In this model, culture is essentially the collective experience people have when interacting with the organisation.
The model also highlights how these experiences influence personal beliefs. For example, if a customer consistently experiences honesty and transparency when dealing with an organisation that values integrity, they form a belief that this organisation is trustworthy. These beliefs, in turn, drive actions, such as choosing to continue doing business with the organisation, leading to tangible outcomes like increased revenue.
The Values Journey model helps organisations map out how their values translate into everyday behaviours, how these behaviours shape the experiences and beliefs of those they interact with, and ultimately how these beliefs influence actions that impact business results. This creates a clear, actionable pathway from values to outcomes, ensuring that the organisation’s culture and practices are aligned with its stated values.
What are the key indicators of a successful human change initiative?
Key indicators of a successful human change initiative include strong buy-in from employees, evidenced by their commitment to new processes even if they initially disagree; the speed of adoption, where quick uptake of new practices indicates effective implementation; and the sustainability of the change, ensuring that new behaviours and systems remain in place over time. We help clients achieve these outcomes by aligning leadership with the change, ensuring they model desired behaviours, and establishing clear, measurable milestones to track progress and adjust as needed.
What are the first steps an organisation should take if they're considering a major change initiative?
The first step in any major change initiative is achieving clarity of purpose—understanding exactly what the organisation wants to achieve. This means making sure everyone has a common understanding of the goals, even if the final solution isn’t clear from the start. Once the purpose is clear, the next step is defining the process or journey to achieve those goals. We support clients by helping them establish this clarity and then guiding them through both the structural and human change processes, ensuring that the journey is well-planned and aligns with their objectives.
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