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Thursday January 23, 2025

Change management in complex organisations: Practical strategies you can apply today 

  • Change management in complex organisations: Practical strategies you can apply today  image

On a recent Work with Purpose episode, Colonel Jennifer Harris of the Australian Army talks about how you can involve your entire workforce in managing change smoothly, highlighting their critical role in the system for making complex decisions.  

Managing change in big organisations can be extremely challenging, but it’s not impossible. Having led the Australian Army’s Digital Twin Project, Colonel Jennifer Harris shares workable strategies for implementing changes.   

Implement change incrementally   

When implementing change, it’s important not to discard old systems straight away. Instead, introduce new systems in smaller phases. This approach provides a clearer view of upcoming changes, identifies training needs, highlights potential gaps, and helps address them effectively.  

Colonel Harris says, “You can’t just take all the old systems away and put the new systems in. By being able to see even that small ecosystem, we were able to understand with the project coming in how we could optimise, maintain training, but then maximise the new capability coming through.”  

Apart from understanding the way a system works and enabling on-the-go adjustments, implementing change incrementally further fosters collaboration by involving people and addressing concerns effectively.  

Address preexisting biases  

Colonel Harris says, “It’s crucial to address people’s biases toward change, often shaped by past experiences. Clear communication, addressing concerns, and managing expectations can make navigating change much smoother.”  

Biases can stem from preconceived notions and can hinder the change process. Embracing open communication and clearly defining outcomes not only clarifies the vision but also fosters greater engagement and alignment among stakeholders. 

“So, when people look at digital transformation, they look at how we’ve performed before introducing a new application, they have this bias already when you start. All of this is coming together but imagine it in a large organisation. If you can understand those levels, you can manage and help people navigate change more effectively.”    

Get creative, be curious  

Change is constant, and navigating it successfully requires creativity and curiosity. According to Colonel Harris, the younger generation often brings an open mind and a fresh perspective that can greatly benefit your workplace.  

“The [younger] generations coming through are still motivated by that sense of service, but even more so, they have a real curiosity and creativity that brings more richness to our organisation,” Colonel Harris says.   

With rapid technological innovations, the world is evolving quickly. It’s essential to stay curious, informed, and open to learning about new developments.  

“And when we’re navigating a number of global trends all changing at pace- the fourth industrial revolution- we need creative, curious, deep (deeply knowledgeable) experts with fascinations around technology, around AI, around machine learning to really bring us into that future.”  

Explore triple loop planning 

It is important to focus on outcomes rather than processes.Professionals should adopt triple loop planning, where they align their values with existing systems and understand the broader impact. This approach fosters a more flexible mindset toward change.   

Triple-loop planning involves questioning and transforming the foundational assumptions, values, and paradigms shaping strategies and goals. This deeper level of planning enables organisations to align their purpose with systemic impact, fostering adaptability, innovation, and long-term success. 

“The deepest level of learning is where we get to triple loop planning- where we look into our values, we look into why those systems are there in the first place, we focus people on the outcomes. So, creating that level of learning in your organisation is fundamentally important,” Colonel Harris says.  

“So, you’re building people with much more flexible, dynamic mental models to help them process into the future. A change process can actually build a more resilient, continually improving organisation. But it takes work and it’s tough.”  

  

Listen to Colonel Jennifer Harris of the Australian Army, her career journey and her insights on managing change in complex organisation.

The change leader with Colonel Jennifer Harris – Institute of Public Administration Australia (ACT) Limited | Institute of Public Administration Australia (ACT) Limited

 

 

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