PDP Global's Role in Change Management Consulting

Change is a constant in today's fast-paced workplace. It extends across practically all aspects of a business, from minor adjustments like updated office furniture to significant shifts such as changes in leadership and operational procedures. In either case, the success of a change hinges on how effectively individuals within the organization adapt and embrace it.

Employees’ reactions to change vary widely. For some, it's an invigorating opportunity for growth and innovation, while for others, it can be a source of anxiety and apprehension. As change becomes increasingly integral to organizational success, the ability to understand and manage these diverse responses is essential.

Change management consultants are well-versed in the foundational principles of their craft: Understand, Plan, Implement, and Communicate. However, despite their expertise in guiding organizations through change initiatives, they may still face challenges in predicting individual employees' reactions or determining the most effective communication strategies to foster acceptance and engagement.

This is where PDP Global steps in. By providing a comprehensive roadmap for navigating change on the individual, team, and leadership levels, PDP Global equips consultants with the instruments, processes, and system that instill the confidence they need to lead their clients through periods of transition. Consultants can enhance their effectiveness using PDP’s insights into predicting employee responses and tailored communication strategies.

Discover how PDP Global's proven people management system empowers consultants to drive successful change initiatives and propel organizations toward a brighter future.

Use PDP ProScan to Identify Each Individual's Natural Response to Change

Understanding how someone views change is rooted in their behavioral makeup, which PDP ProScan objectively maps as part of our people management system. ProScan is a behavioral assessment that measures four cornerstone traits (Dominance, Extroversion, Pace, and Conformity), logic, energy, and stressors based on decades of research. Upon analyzing the ProScan report, change management consultants can uncover tell-tale signs that offer a glimpse into how an individual will likely respond to change. Among these traits, Pace and Conformity emerge as particularly influential factors.

Pace, often intertwined with the concept of patience, plays a significant role in determining an individual's response to change. Those with a high Pace preference tend to thrive in stable, routine-driven environments. They may approach change with caution, preferring familiarity and predictability. On the other hand, individuals with a low Pace preference are more inclined to embrace change and thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments.

Similarly, Conformity—a measure of an individual's inclination toward rules and structure—can significantly impact their response to change. High Conformity individuals prefer clear guidelines and well-defined processes, making them more resistant to change that disrupts established norms. Conversely, those with low Conformity exhibit broader-picture thinking and are often more open to embracing change and innovation.

Consultants can anticipate how well-received proposed changes are likely to be for certain employees using these two traits as a guide. The stronger an individual’s trait falls on the scale, the stronger the correlation to the predicted responses.

Know How to Tailor Communication to Implement the Change

Effective communication lies at the heart of successful change implementation, and ProScan equips consultants with the insights needed to tailor their communication strategies to an individual’s preferences. 

For instance, consultants can glean insights into how much time an individual needs to process change, their preferred level of detail and instruction, and their desire to understand the "why" behind the change. With this knowledge, consultants can craft communication strategies that resonate with each individual, fostering greater acceptance and engagement throughout the change journey.

Moreover, on a broader team level, TeamScan offers a comprehensive behavioral view by combining individual ProScan assessments within a department or branch. This holistic understanding of the team's makeup enables consultants to tailor communication that caters to the collective preferences and dynamics within the group for more effective change implementation.

Get the Right People in the Right Seats

Ensuring that you have the right people in the right seats is essential for success when navigating organizational change. Reaching this goal may involve restructuring within the organization, promoting internal talent to leadership roles, or even hiring externally to fill critical positions. As a consultant, leveraging instruments like JobScan and TeamScan can provide invaluable insights to facilitate role decisions and maximize the likelihood of success.

JobScan serves as a foundational framework for evaluating the alignment between individuals and their positions within the organization. By evaluating ProScans of top performers and incorporating managerial input and cultural goals, JobScan creates an ideal behavioral job model for the role. Consultants can compare individual ProScans to the job model and identify areas of alignment and potential mismatches. Plus, the PDP people management system is focused positively on strengths, meaning that a mismatch now doesn’t mean a mismatch later.

Consultants can offer targeted coaching to develop the necessary skills or traits, ensuring a better fit for the role and fulfilling the desires of the employee and company for a win-win. #1 Cochran Auto Group used JobScan for succession planning and saw a 46% increase in internal promotions to management positions.

PDP also helps consultants facilitate success when onboarding a new hire into their team or department. TeamScan, which combines individual ProScans into a comprehensive report displaying team dynamics, can be used to shorten the amount of time it takes to familiarize team members with one another. Knowing the communication preferences, strengths, and decision-making styles of colleagues in advance provides an advantage to both existing members and the new hire. The same advantage holds true during transitions in C-Suite positions. We've had instances where the outgoing CEO supplied ProScans of the entire staff to the incoming CEO, enabling them to gain immediate understanding and insight. Consultants have the opportunity to facilitate smoother transitions, identify potential areas of conflict, and foster collaboration and synergy within the team using PDP Global.

Monitor How the Change Affects the Workforce

Once a change has been implemented within the organization, it's crucial to monitor its impact on the workforce and ensure that employees are adapting effectively. ProScan is a valuable instrument for evaluating how well individuals are handling the change and offers insights into their energy levels, satisfaction, and stressors. Factors such as energy levels and satisfaction provide indicators of employees' overall well-being and engagement, while insights into stressors highlight areas where individuals may be experiencing heightened pressure or fatigue.

Equipped with this information, consultants can recommend proactive engagement with dissatisfied employees to offer support and assistance in navigating the transition. By setting up regular touchpoints with individuals, consultants or managers can provide guidance, address concerns, and help employees regain motivation and resilience in the face of change.

HealthPlanOne is an excellent illustration of leveraging PDP Global to pinpoint and re-engage dissatisfied employees. Most of HealthPlanOne’s sales occur over a two-month period each year. This timeframe presents a lucrative opportunity for sales employees. However, it’s also a period of immense burnout and turnover. The company decided to send ProScans to employees during this busy season for real-time feedback of flight-risk factors like high energy drain and low satisfaction. Managers could then engage more with the struggling individuals and provide support, ultimately increasing retention.

Change Management Consulting Success

Change management consultants play a pivotal role in guiding organizations through periods of transformation. With the weight of this responsibility on their shoulders, consultants must strive to provide maximum value to their clients. By leveraging the support and insights offered by PDP, consultants can elevate their approach and differentiate themselves, offering scientifically validated data to support their decisions. 

Ready to revolutionize your approach to change management? Request a demo today to discover how PDP can empower you with scientifically validated insights and support, helping you navigate change with confidence and precision. Click here to request your demo now!