Knowledge of Change Management is fundamental skill everyone needs, especially those in leadership roles. Change is constant and requires planning and preparation. By its nature, public sector management has nuances that must be examined and anticipated. Change Management is a people-centered approach that requires understanding the ways that people generally react to change. Change creates stress among employees, and managers need to use strategies that help minimize stress and its negative impacts. There are established models and best practices in change management that can be learned and applied to most change situations.

In this course, information will be provided on reactions to change and best practices in Change Management. Participants will work as individuals and in small groups to apply these concepts to both past change experiences and those they anticipate will come in the near future.

Learning Objectives

·         Define change, Change Management, and the various categories of change types.

·         Discuss various Transition and Change Management models in relation to a prior change situation.

·         Identify the core principles of Change Management and the challenges faced by public sector organizations regarding change dynamics.

·         Use a Focus Wheel to predict an upcoming change, and:

1. Determine the likely impacts on the organization.

2. Utilize the ADKAR Model to generate action steps to help employees with the change.

·         Apply each of the six different “Reactions to Change” to a video-based scenario.

·         Understand the role of stress management, explore a variety of stress management techniques, and experience their potential benefits through participation in a Progressive Muscle Relaxation activity.