ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS QUESTIONS ARE YOU READY FOR CHANGE? KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW AND SURVEY QUESTIONS Dashe & Thomson www.dashe.com KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Whenever a change impacts a high volume of stakeholders, change management becomes critical. Interviewing key stakeholders to assess change readiness might seem like Consulting 101, but is a critical step. Though anecdotal, these interviews help reveal opinion themes at the leadership level. These questions should be open-ended, allowing the stakeholder to fully convey their thoughts. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Can you explain how this (change initiative) fits with the strategic goals of your organization? 2. How well do you feel the rationale for the change has been communicated to the organization? 3. Can you explain what you are hearing from key (users, clients, customers – internal or external, or regulatory agencies) about the need for this change? 4. What are you hearing from your users about project progress to-date? 5. What are you hearing from your peers about this project – e.g., other company leadership, or steering committee members? INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CONT. 6. How will you measure success for this project? 7. We often talk about the triple constraint – Time, Cost, and Quality. Some people say “you can have two, but not three.” So far, how would you rank the order of importance the organization has placed on each of these three constraints. For example: “The organization has cut the project budget, but kept scope the same, so the priorities would appear to be 1) cost 2) quality 3) time." 8. What has the organization’s past experience been with major change initiatives of this magnitude? 9. What do you see as the major risks for the project? 10. How do you normally communicate with employees in your organization? 11. What messages have you put out to date about this project? 12. What other issues should I know about that we have not discussed? The information learned during these interviews is vital. Some examples of outcomes that can be revealed include: • Level of understanding of the project rationale • Level of understanding of the benefits and barriers that the project/change will present • Whether the project vision has been appropriately disseminated to stakeholders • A baseline understanding of company’s appetite for change STAKEHOLDER SURVEYS This could very well be the most essential step in the change readiness process. Because the survey goes to a larger audience (leadership, project team, and end-users), it reveals areas that need specific focus and any level of misalignment between leadership and endusers. The survey uses a mix of questions, asking the stakeholder to rate how much they agree with the statement on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being strongly agree and 1 being don't agree at all). SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. The project sponsor has a clear vision of where we are going with this project. 2. The project sponsor has shown a clear commitment to making the change happen. 3. Key executive clearly support the project. 4. Project leaders and executives have made it clear that the project is aligned with the company’s strategic goals. 5. It is clear what my department has to do to make the project succeed. 6. My department has sufficient resources (people, training, support) to help the project succeed. 7. My department has a plan to get ready for the project changes. 8. The project stays on track, despite other corporate/organizational priorities that may come up. SURVEY QUESTIONS CONT. 9. My management is committed to making the project a success. 10. The project is receiving priority in my department. 11. I understand how my role will be affected by the project. 12. We get regular project updates that indicate what progress we are making towards our goals. 13. The reason for change has been explained to my department. 14. We are following a detailed plan. 15. Changes to business processes have been explained to my department. 16. People who embrace change and innovation are rewarded for their efforts. 17. People share problems and concerns with leadership rather than keeping them quiet or hiding them. 18. Key technology partners are delivering on what they promised. 19. Our present organizational culture can support the way we will do things in the future. 20. I believe I will be ready for this change. The combination of the results from both the interviews and survey provides data which inform the overall change readiness assessment report. Analysis of the data provides a road map for change and communication tactics to best serve the needs of the business.