Change is simply a fact of life for any business experiencing growth or just trying to stay up to date with the latest tech. However, the process of getting from your current reality to your ideal state can be challenging. And the larger the organization, the more moving pieces need to adapt to the changes being made.
Sometimes, you’re not sure where you’re starting from, how you’ll define success for the change initiative, or you don’t stop to share your thoughts or gather feedback across the organization, which can lead to roadblocks and change that’s stressful, messy, over budget and slower than expected.
At one of my client’s companies, we called this approach “Ready. Fire. Aim.” because so often, new projects would enthusiastically be embarked upon without really pausing to consider the details. But it doesn't need to be this way...
Introducing CAPER - A Framework For Managing Organizational Change
I came up with this framework for organizational change while working with my client. During our work together, we introduced this approach to the executive team and even worked through an example during an executive offsite.
C - Consider
Before we jump into any new change initiatives (no matter how exciting they are) we need to pause and catch our breath. Consider is all about asking the right questions before you dive in:
- What’s the ideal state we’re hoping to achieve with this change?
- What’s the potential impact on operations, employees, customers, and other stakeholders?
- How is the change aligned with the overall strategy and goals of the organization?
- Does it support them?
- And what does success look like?
A - Assess
Now it’s time to gather data. This could include 'getting on the balcony', conducting a current state survey, gathering what customers and employees actually want, investigating what others in the industry are doing, and more. This is the stage where you thoroughly analyze the risks and benefits.
P - Plan
There’s so much that goes into the planning stage. Here’s a short (but not exhaustive) list to give you an idea of what could be involved:
Which aspect will you tackle, and in what order.
Gaining buy-in and commitment.
Identifying key milestones and defining timelines.
Creating the strategy.
Writing the comms.
Establishing performance metrics to measure success.
Deciding who owns each part of the project.
Identifying obstacles and developing strategies to mitigate risks.
Planning combined with a clear communication strategy can reduce confusion and uncertainty among stakeholders. We always want to “shop the ideas” to figure out what’s missing, engage allies to amplify and grow support for the changes, and then gain buy-in when the design is close to being ready. That commitment will reduce resistance and keep people engaged through any bumps.
Communication is key!
I was working with one client to plan the introduction of a new phone system. As it turns out there was another competing initiative being rolled out. And in both cases, there had been work done across middle management between certain functions but not everyone had been clued in.
Timing-wise, the two projects hadn’t been shared with one another, and there wasn’t enough time to create new manuals and train support teams. There was also no clear ownership for creating client-facing messaging or who would reach out to clients and their customers to explain the changes.
The company postponed this initiative and used it as the beta to pilot the new process we designed for them to manage change. It was a lower stake project to try before rolling out a larger software change the next quarter.
While it didn’t go perfectly, it did highlight the need to better align, communicate and collaborate cross-functionally, which the company could then address.
E - Execute
Now that you’ve got a plan in place and everything has been clearly communicated across the organization, it’s time to implement it.
Activities at this stage include project management, resource use, success measures, rolling out the communication strategy, providing support and resources to employees during implementation, measuring against dates and milestones, and, of course, continued communication about what’s happening and what will happen next.
R - Review
The final step in the CAPER model is to introduce the retroactive or project review - a formal process, including a meeting to explain exactly what happened and how it went. This brings you full circle as you reflect on the ideal (or dream) state you outlined in Consider. How close did you come? How did you land? Did it meet everyone’s needs? Is this still the idea/dream state? Does it need to be tweaked or shifted?
To ensure that you’re continuously learning and adapting it’s important to take the time to review how it went, analyze performance metrics, gather feedback from stakeholders, and identify areas for improvement.
When To Use Caper
CAPER can be applied to any kind of organizational change, but here are the top 5 situations that come to mind:
#1: Introducing A New Product Or Service
Applying the CAPER framework can help you plan and execute the launch and reinforce and communicate the benefits of your new product or service.
#2: Mergers And Acquisitions
CAPER can help you assess the impact of the merger or acquisition, plan the integration of the two companies, communicate the changes to employees and clients, and reinforce the new organizational structure.
#3: Tech Implementation
As we saw with the example of the new phone system, the CAPER model can prevent overlap between competing initiatives and encourage communication across the organization. New tech impacts how employees work and interact with clients and deserves careful consideration and thoughtful planning to create a smooth transition.
#4: Organizational Restructuring
CAPER can be helpful in restructuring, whether it is a department, two or more functions, or the entire organization. Knowing your ideal in the "Consider" phase allows you to start at the beginning, including the why behind the change. It also ensures you think through key stakeholders at each phase and how to communicate these changes. Thinking things through and having a clear plan ensures people stay focused on work and are not spinning out about impending changes.
#5: Responding To The Market
There are many instances when the CAPER model can help you respond to the market, and it really depends on your industry. Here are a few examples:
Shifting the focus to other products. / A slow down in delivery of parts that requires a need to communicate new timelines. / An issue with formula contamination that necessitates sourcing supplies from overseas. / A loss due to a banking crisis that means asking for partners to contribute money. / A need to increase staffing and other resources due to an increase in services demand. / An early spring that means customers will want plants sooner. / A change in egg prices that means changing items and pricing on menus. / More people working from home so additional high-speed networking is needed.
The possibilities for applying CAPER are as endless as the changes that companies face. We hope by sharing this framework with you today that you can use it to smooth the process of change in your organization and make it a less stressful transition for everyone involved.
