STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
“Change management is any action taken to smoothly transition a business
process encompassing an individual or group from a current state to a
future state of being.” (Varkey & Anotonio, 2010)
According to national experts, there are several key components to managing organizational change. The Center for
Sharing Public Health Services in collaboration with Michelle Poché Flaherty, City on a Hill Consulting, offer local public
health leaders ideas and tips for successfully managing change. For more information, view the presentation slides for
Managing Change (PDF).
The following change management steps were created by one of Minnesota’s community health boards that underwent
an organizational change involving cross-jurisdictional sharing of public health services. The steps are aligned with
information presented by national change management consultants. The grid is intended to be a working document
where others seeking to successfully manage change can note actions taken by their agency during each step of the
process.
STEPS
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Assess readiness for
change
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Establish a sense of
urgency
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Assemble the steering
team
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ACTIONS TAKEN
Participant interest
Perceived chance of success
Management support
Correlation with goals and values of
the organization
Financial resources
Project will be visible
Executive leader strength
Convince that change is the only
appropriate response to move
forward
Status quo is more dangerous than
moving forward
External forces (accreditation)
Planner/coordinator to monitor
progress and has relevant external
and internal knowledge
Credibility
Connections
Formal authority
Managerial skills
Leadership skills
Content expertise (MCIT, MDH)
Facilitator
1
STEPS
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Create an
implementation timeline
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Pilot test
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Disseminate the change
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Anchor change within
the organization
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Communicate
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ACTIONS TAKEN
Address how the change will affect
the people, culture, performance,
technology, structure, workday and
processes
Set specific phases with necessary
tasks to be completed with leaders
assigned to the tasks
Prepare for unanticipated problems
Plan for resistance to change
Support those with low change
tolerance, but when necessary force
change
Innovators and early adopters
participate in the pilot
Plan simple and surefire wins, then
celebrate those milestones
Let others know about the:
 Elements that created success
 Elements that did not create
success
 Steps to change
Throughout, maintain the urgency
around the need to change
Train current employees
Redistribute personnel
Discontinue or modify old
processes in light of advances
Create standard practices
Empower participants to take part
in the change process
Use phone calls, partner websites,
posters, meetings, emails, memos,
and one-to-one dialogues
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SAMPLE COMMUNICATION MATRIX
One-on-one
Meeting
Telephone
Email
Memo
MDH Health Partnerships
Division
weekly
weekly
weekly
weekly
Public health directors
weekly
weekly
weekly
weekly
monthly
monthly
Steering committee
monthly
County commissioners
monthly
County administrator
monthly
Program managers/
supervisors
Agency staff
weekly
monthly
weekly
weekly
monthly
Etc.
Etc.
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monthly
monthly
weekly
weekly
monthly
monthly
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