GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia
Greetings on this Global Change Management Day! Today I would like to highlight the work of Braden Kelley, an internationally-recognized thought leader and best-selling author passionately committed to advancing human-centered change and innovation. Today, I want to share insights that emphasize the importance of placing people at the heart of transformation efforts and how this approach fosters sustainable change.
Change management, at its core, is about guiding human behavior and perception. While organizational strategies, structures, and systems are critical, they mean little without addressing the human side of change. This is where human-centered change comes into play, an approach Braden Kelley has dedicated much of his career to developing and promoting.
The Essence of Human-Centered Change
Human-centered change is more than a methodology; it is a philosophy that reclaims the importance of empathy, communication, and collaboration in organizational transformation. It’s about understanding the human experience and designing change initiatives that align with the intrinsic motivations and needs of individuals.
When people feel heard and understood, they become genuine advocates of change. This approach leads to not just short-term success but long-lasting impact, turning change-resistant cultures into adaptable ecosystems thriving on innovation.
Insights from Braden’s Journey
Throughout his career, Braden has created frameworks and tools that encapsulate the essence of human-centered change. One such resource is the Change Planning Toolkit. It provides a unique visual framework to help change managers plan, implement, and sustain change initiatives with meticulous precision and empathy for those involved.
The toolkit is grounded in the principle that every change journey is unique, yet structured guidance can illuminate paths to common goals. This is reviewed in various workshops and talks where he emphasizes iteration and engagement over top-down mandates. This toolkit — and many others he has developed — aims to demystify change management by involving stakeholders from the ground up and serves to get everyone literally all on the same page for change.
Empowering Change Agents
One of Braden’s objectives with creating tools and resources is to empower change agents—those individuals within an organization who understand the importance of human-centric transformation. By equipping them with comprehensive tools, such as canvases and diagnostics, these change leaders can effectively convey and execute change efforts.
For those interested in exploring these resources, be sure and get the 10 free human-centered change tools that Braden makes available here on this web site – including a visualization of the ACMP Standard for Change Management®.
These tools serve as a starting point for embedding human-centered practices in change management projects. They are crafted to encourage dialogue, understanding, and alignment among all stakeholders.
Celebrating Progress and Looking Forward
Global Change Management Day provides an opportunity to reflect on our progress and set aspirations for the future. As we acknowledge the evolving challenges facing businesses and societies, it becomes imperative that change management professionals continue to evolve, embracing approaches that prioritize humanity.
Moving forward, the objective is to foster communities of practice where change professionals can share insights, challenges, and successes. Through collaboration and shared learning, we can enhance our understanding and implementation of change practices that honor the human spirit while achieving our organizational objectives.
In closing, I encourage all change leaders and enthusiasts to continuously pursue learning and adaptation. Engage with new methodologies, share your stories, and remain open to experimentation. The future of change management rests in our ability to be both innovative and empathetic facilitators of transformation. One great place to start is to get a copy of Braden’s best-selling book Charting Change, which is now in its Second Edition with several new chapters!
Image credit: ACMP, Braden Kelley
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“There’s no denying it: Change is scary. But it’s also inevitable. In Charting Change, Braden Kelley gives you a toolkit and a blueprint for initiating and managing change in your organization, no matter what form it takes.”
“Thoughtful, thorough, and practical is the rare blend that Braden has achieved in this Change Management field guide. Much more than a series of tactics, Charting Change will explicitly, sequentially, and visually help users create a diverse set of experiences for stakeholders that will most certainly increase likelihood of success.”
“Braden Kelley and his merry band of guest experts have done a nice job of visualizing in Charting Change how to make future change efforts more collaborative. Kelley shows how to draw out the hidden assumptions and land mines early in the change planning process, and presents some great techniques for keeping people aligned as a change effort or project moves forward.”
“As the pace of change speeds up, the market disruptions and resulting changes can be daunting for all. We all wish we could predict how change will affect our business, our market and our people. No matter what business area you come from, change affects us all and can produce great outcomes when managed well. In Braden Kelley’s newest book, Charting Change, he provides a terrific toolkit to manage this process and make it stick.”
“Higher employee retention? Increased revenue? Process enhancements? Whatever your change goal, Charting Change is full of bright ideas and invaluable visual guides to walk you through change in any area where your organization needs it.”
