Change Management Skills: Definition and Examples

Have you ever found yourself struggling to manage change in your organization? Have you been considering growing your career in change management? Today, technology evolves so fast that the nature of the business environment has ensured that change is inevitable. 

Garner has reported that 39% of employees feel able to respond to the evolving needs of their business and customers. However, as an entrepreneur myself with certifications in IT Service Management courses, I found it challenging to handle such changes without the right tools and expertise. Now, how did I achieve success? Of course, by equipping myself with the necessary skills for successful change management.

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Now, are you one of those key people in your organization but unsure of the key skills required for change management? This blog is for you!

Who is the Change Manager?

A change manager has a critical role in any business. They are responsible for overseeing any changes in the workspace. Their primary goal is to make changes with as little disruptions to business processes as possible. Change managers are usually senior professionals who are certified in ITIL foundation training to build their skills. Obtaining the skills required for change management encompasses a broad range of structural, systemic, and strategic changes within the organization to optimize the current operations.

Why are Change Management Skills Important?

According to a recent report from Gartner, 48% of HR managers consider organizational design and change management as their second priorities. This static figure indicates that every organization requires a professional with change manager skills to embed willingness in every business process throughout the workforce. Additionally, change management skills can reduce disruption and unnecessary costs.

When my organization started to adapt to certain changes, acquiring this unique blend of change manager skills pushed me to contribute to its success. I have been able to navigate the complexities of the transitions and guide my team through the process seamlessly and effectively.

Essential Change Manager Hard Skills

Changer manager skills are abilities that can assist an organization in making effective changes. Here are the top 10 skills that you have to learn to implement efficient change initiatives.

Leadership

Change manager leadership skills are all about guiding your team through the change process. As a leader, you must be able to articulate a distinct vision for the transition, inspire the team, and motivate them, creating a sense of ownership and accountability. You can also lead the process by example, prioritizing the desired attributes and behaviors and encouraging them to do the same.

Analytical Qualities

The most important change manager skill is the talent to analyze changes for their benefits and impact on the business. As a change manager, you must be able to ensure that the stated and unstated data are analyzed. Of course, to achieve this, you should be equipped with solid knowledge of management databases and configuration management databases.

Stakeholder engagement

The ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels across functions is one of the key change manager skills. Stakeholders are the people who are heavily affected and have an interest in the change. As a change manager, you should identify and analyze the groups, their needs, expectations, and their level of support or resistance to the change.

Project management

One of the strategic change manager skills is the ability to plan and execute the project effectively and efficiently. Possessing project management skills will help you apply the principles and practices, establish the roles, ensuring the project is delivered on time.

Emotional Intelligence

Being aware of and managing one’s emotions, as well as being able to understand others, is one of the key change manager skills. Emotional intelligence is critical to building trustworthy relationships and creating a positive and supportive work environment. I have witnessed several leaders with excellent EQ who emotionally connect with employees and stakeholders to have a better understanding of their concerns and perspectives.

Research

As a change manager, you have to assist an organization's plan for change by honing your research skills. I believe this will help you to develop clear and concise suggestions for organizational changes and examine the strategies and procedures employed by other businesses.

Planning and organization skills

Planning skills for a change manager are critical in driving successful change management. Drawing from my experience, the process involves complex and interconnected parts that demand careful planning, organization, and better coordination. You have to develop workable plans amidst uncertainty and limited resources to resolve issues and manage the potential risks.

Measurement and analysis

Organizational change is an intricate process that involves careful planning and execution. One of the crucial change manager skills is to measure progress and ensure that the company achieves the desired outcomes. To accomplish this goal, it is important to identify the KPI (key performance indication) corresponding to the objectives and provide evidence of its success.

Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is one of the most efficient change manager skills, and it involves finding, addressing, and resolving conflicts that might arise during the transition. In the change management context, conflict resolutions will ensure that all stakeholders feel heard and valued, addressing their concerns promptly. As a change manager, your employer will expect you to possess strong conflict resolution skills so that you can take proactive steps on any issues.

Digital literacy

Digital literacy is another important change manager skill for implementing digital solutions and technologies to support the change initiative. Securing this skill set will also enable you to assist your team members in effectively carrying out their roles in the virtual environment.

Change Manager Soft Skills

Let us look at the soft skills change management required to ensure that the organization is in the right set of hands.

Communication

Having excellent communication skills is one of the important skills for a change manager in an organization. With my decade of experience, I have understood the criticalness of developing the ability to influence and persuade individuals to support change.

Adaptability

Being able to adapt and respond to new situations, ideas, and approaches is one of the crucial change manager skills. If you want to emerge as a leading change manager, you should be able to respond to unexpected challenges, pivot, and adjust strategies as required.

Active listening

Active listening is about engaging and understanding the perspective of your team members. During the transition process, having these change manager skills will aid in trust-building, fostering open communication, and addressing any resistance.

Mentoring

Guiding and supporting your team members through the change process is critical for a successful transition. Having an excellent mentoring capacity as your change manager skills will make it easy for you to enlighten the team about the purpose and goals of the project.

Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is one of the important change manager skills that build the base for a successful transition. When you know how to think strategically, you will be able to translate the goals and requirements into a clear roadmap. In this way, you can analyze the bigger picture and anticipate the challenges and trends in the future.

How to Develop Change Manager Skills?

 Now, are you wondering how to develop change manager skills for your career? Here are some tips to take your career to the next level.

• Conduct a self-assessment: One of the best ways to improve your change manager skills is to self-analyze the current state of your skill set. For instance, if you are one of those starting, pursuing the TOGAF certification online training will help you cover the fundamentals of change management and build a strong foundation in the field.
• Take an analytical approach: Change management is about defining hard metrics based on your goals, measuring them, and analyzing how you can improve them. Being more analytical will help you improve your change manager skills without wasting time or effort.
• Work with a consultant: A good consultant can make a big difference in developing your change manager skills. Look for a team of experts with expertise and experience to drive successful change in your industry.

 Challenges and Solutions

Here, I have listed the common challenges you might face when developing change manager skills and the solutions to overcome those hurdles.

• Overcoming Skill Gaps: The first challenge in emerging as a change manager is to get the right skills on your resume. It can be a difficult task to change management as its own specialty. There are plenty of resources and experts available in the market to assist you in developing change manager skills and achieving a successful transition.
• Balancing Multiple Skills: Managing multiple skills at the same time is another challenge for change managers. When you are trying to learn multiple change manager skills, make sure to prioritize and focus on one skill at a time. Doing much at once will only lead to hassles and frustration in change management.

Conclusion

Change manager skills are critical for anyone seeking to lead change initiatives, drive innovation, and achieve success in today’s ever-evolving business environment. Now, are you ready to take your change manager skills to the next level? I strongly recommend that you enroll in the Knowledgehut IT Service Management courses today! The course equips professionals like you with the essential change manager skills to develop a strong foundation in change management and show your expertise to potential employers.