213: Effective Change Is About People

Change management is a critical topic for successful transformation. However, it’s often a topic which is confused with project management. And it can easily be forgotten or just not considered until the later stages when ready to deploy a change. So in this episode, Oliver Banks speaks with change specialist and author, Simon Costigan, about how to deliver effective change.

Listen to this episode of the Retail Transformation Show to hear:

• Why it’s important to recognise the change catalyst that will start the process
• The difference between project management and change management
• Why transition is important
• The significance of giving yourself time to think. And the confidence to get it wrong!

 

Introducing Simon Costigan

Simon Costigan is a highly regarded change management professional.  He is the founder of The Change Partner consultancy which supports businesses of all sizes to deliver long-term, sustainable changes through effective strategy planning, governance reporting and leadership.

Simon has worked with some huge companies like Boots and Walgreens, as well as DFS, Wilko and others. Across these companies, Simon has helped them bring change into reality.  Having overseen close working relationships with partners internationally, he’s been able to increase efficiencies by 75% and has overseen large equipment deployments and managed large budgets.

He has recently written a book ‘Change Isn’t What you Find in your Pocket – Effective Change Methods for Delivering Market Leading Results’.  You can purchase a copy or find out more at thechangepartner.co.uk.

You can also connect with Simon Costigan on LinkedIn. Or email him directly at simon@thechangepartner.co.uk.

More episodes of the Retail Transformation Show to listen to

If you enjoyed this episode, then you should also listen to these earlier episodes.

Firstly, take a listen to episode 103: Creating Courageous Change Champions. In this episode, you’ll explore how you can build capability and capacity to take on effective change management and change delivery within your organisation.

The next one to check out is episode 130: What Makes A Transformation Superstar. Oliver shares more about what he calls a five star transformation manager, and how you can go about developing these skills.

And because communication was key in this episode, you should also go back and listen to episode 209: Powerful Change Communication, with communications expert, Lucy Eckley. Lucy shares loads of advice about how you can create excellent communications which will help you land change effectively.

And finally, try episode 132: Overcoming The Confusion Of Transformation, where we explore the aspects that contribute to the confusion around retail transformation. As Oliver and Simon discussed in this episode, lack of clarity and other elements that cause confusion can really disrupt a change initiative.