Gina Temple on Managing Changes with Lean Change Management

As organizations consider implementing changes, it is not uncommon for a sense of apprehension and unease to arise among their members. The possibility of changes being implemented on a large scale can be difficult, sparking doubts about the success of the organizational changes and prompting questions such as:

Why should this change happen?

How did this change happen?

What are the ways this change can go?

Who should I be involved in the decision-making process?

Who doesn’t need to be involved?

Who should I communicate with?

How will I know if it’s working?

Despite the uncertainty surrounding organizational changes, it is important to remember that change is inevitable in growth and development. An organization can remain competitive and thrive within a constantly evolving business landscape by adopting a forward-thinking approach and embracing the opportunities for change.

Jason Little’s Lean Change Management Model was made to help answer these questions and many others.

Gina Temple says resisting change is a natural reaction when you don’t involve people affected. Lean Change Management shows how to successfully implement change through innovative practices that can significantly improve the success of change programs.

Now, let’s dive deeply into the Lean Change Management Model.

About The Lean Change Management Model

“All models are wrong, but some are useful” is a phrase acknowledged by George Box, a Professor of Statistics at the University of Wisconsin. He believes simple models can make sense of complex situations, even if they’re not 100% accurate.

The Lean Change Management Model by Jason Little consists of three main parts: Insights, Options, and Experiments, and three parts of Experiments – Prepare, Introduce, and Review.

Lean Change Management Cycle:

Insights: Understanding the organization’s current state before implementing any change is crucial. To do that, you can apply assessments, models, and tools to understand the current position. The Lean Change Management book describes many practices you can use to gather insights.

Options: Gina Temple notes that you will need options when your team gains enough insights to start with the planning. Options have a cost, impact, and value. Options typically include one or more hypotheses as well as potential benefits. These hypotheses are then turned into experiments.

Experiments: As your team navigates your current situation, it may be time to introduce something new and explore alternative options. With careful consideration and ample knowledge of your current circumstances, your team can confidently approach new possibilities and gauge their effectiveness. It is essential to gather insights and explore possibilities before making any decision. Experiments also have a sub-cycle:

Prepare: This is the planning stage of your experiment. At this stage, you only have your assumptions about the change, Gina Temple points out. You need to validate your approach with the people affected by the change.

Introduce: The next step is working with people affected by the change. Once a change reaches this step, it becomes part of the process.

Review: Here, you review the outcomes of your experiment, explains Gina Temple. It is typically done after the time you thought you would need for the change to stick.

Gina Temple has served in the healthcare community for over 30 years. Gina has worked in various settings, from unionized to non-unionized facilities, for-profit to not-for-profit organizations, acute care centers, and outpatient clinics. For more of her insights on leadership, organizational change, process improvement, Lean, and other related topics, subscribe to this page.