In a world spinning ever faster, change has become a constant state. To ensure this process does not descend into chaos, structured change management methods are essential. These serve as a navigation system for leaders during turbulent times. But which method is the right one for your specific challenge?

Classics and Modern Approaches

There is a multitude of models, each placing emphasis on different aspects. Here is a deeper look at three key approaches:

1. John P. Kotter’s 8-Step Model: A classic method. It begins with creating a sense of urgency. Kotter emphasizes the need to form a "Coalition of Change"—a strong team that champions the change by example. However, without quick successes ("Quick Wins"), the workforce often loses momentum.
    
2. The ADKAR Model: This model focuses on the individual. ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. It helps you understand exactly where an individual employee currently stands: Do they lack knowledge regarding the new task, or simply the willingness to change?
    
3. Lean Change Management: This approach is ideal for agile environments. It is based on feedback loops. Instead of pursuing a rigid five-year plan, the process involves conducting small experiments and continuously adapting the strategy.

Methodological Integration with Dialog Pictures

No matter which change management methods you employ, the greatest hurdle remains the information gap between the leadership level and the operational level. We utilize our graphic tools to operationalize these methods. A dialog picture, for instance, can visualize Kotter’s 8-Step Process, allowing every employee to see at a glance: "Which phase are we currently in, and what is my contribution?"

Why Methods Alone Are Not Enough

Methods are only as effective as their application; they require acceptance. If you impose methods strictly from the top down, you will encounter skepticism. Instead, use visual formats to initiate a dialogue. Ask your employees: "What is still missing from this picture of our future?"

Are you looking for the right framework for your project? On our "Change Management" landing page, we demonstrate how we provide visual support for various methodologies—thereby ensuring sustainable success.

TRANSFORMATION PLANT HANOVER

Process optimization, strategy, cultural work and good communication are key to the VW Nutzfahrzeuge plant management Hanover in leading the way to a successful future. In the past, strategy and transformation processes were often accompanied by powerpoint "battles".There were numerous charts that tried to make it as comprehensible as possible what goals the company wanted to achieve and how it planed to get there.

Now the company wants to go other ways and has developed a vision for the future together with Goldpark and DIALOGBILD. On the one hand, the picture emerged in an intensive process, on the other hand, the discussion about the things that are important to the board in the picture led to a common understanding and also made it possible for different perspectives to be discussed and brought together.

This helps the Hannover plant to communicate its way into the the future with a common voice.

Thanks to the close cooperation between Goldpark and DIALOGBILD, the dialog picture was used for all events, informations and formats that relate to the transformation as well as to reflect the developments in the transformation process.

TRANSFORMATION MAP „GERA 2020“

ALSTOM Transport Deutschland GmbH is faced with major challenges, the change strategy has to not only be communicated, but above all be lived. Jens Bünte (Personnel Manager for Germany & Austria) turned to DIALOGBILD with this goal. The situation of the company became clear relatively quickly and so we developed a communication strategy, which is not only visually appealing, but also captivating. Since the success of a strategy depends decisively on the acceptance and participation of the employees, we agreed on two creative workshops in order to elaborate the concept. The first workshop took place with around 15 executives and resulted in a landscape where a hub was chosen as the central point of the dialog picture.

It was important to highlight the past of the company, to specify the path of the "GerA 2020" transformation program and to use a part of the picture to show the future. These preliminary considerations were unanimously accepted by the second workshop group and further elaborated. With 20 change agents from different fields, the picture was then discussed and implemented together with all participants and scenes were placed in the landscape. At the end of the second workshop, the dialog picture was absolutely complete and the story was largely written. Decisions were made for positive and negative presentations, which should appeal to all employees and encourage them to think. With only one goal: to lead the transformation program to success together.

LET'S GET PHYGITAL.

Conneqtive, Currenta's digitalization division, which was renamed in 2023, has a long tradition as an IT infrastructure service provider for industry in the Chempark. Building on this expertise, the range of services has been greatly expanded and restructured in recent years to provide comprehensive support for customers in all aspects of digital transformation. The aim is to make industrial companies more efficient, safer and more sustainable through accelerated digitalization - in other words, to help them achieve more with less. To this end, real-time IT infrastructure and industrial IoT solutions are combined on a modular basis and offered as holistic managed services. This allows customers to forgo large IT investments and still benefit promptly from added value through intelligent connectivity, the Internet of Things, automation, data-based decisions, digital twins and artificial intelligence. ...