Change Learning Plan Copy

Topic time estimate: 25 Minutes

The Change Learning Plan is a major component of the Change Management Plan. The Change Learning Plan can be highly effective in driving behavioural change and results if change leaders understand:

• Why to create the plan in the first place?
• Who the stakeholders are?
• How the plan will bridge the capability gap to the change goal?

Creating the Change Learning Plan is a three-step process:

1. Conducting training needs analysis
2. Preparing a training plan
3. Preparing a coaching plan

As a change leader, you need to identify the skill and knowledge gaps for your people and yourself early in the process. This will allow you to provide the right training and coaching to help individuals through their change journey.

Tips for a successful Change Learning Plan

• Don’t rely on HR and the project team to know all / your training needs
• Don’t limit yourself and your organisation to formally provided training
• Look outside the box for learning opportunities: Shadowing, seconding, mentoring, MOOC’s, Industry events etc.
• Increase the level of individual’s responsibility for their own development: Provide time to learn and flexibility about how
• Always favour sustainable learning approaches that accompany the learner over time

Training Needs Analysis

Let’s assume for just a moment that you are embarking on a change journey, and you’ve allocated some budget for training and development. How will you decide who should receive training and coaching, and what type of training they should receive? Training needs analysis is your tool for making the right decision.

To achieve the highest return on investment the training needs analysis need to be done strategically and align with your business goals.

The Training Needs Analysis is done in three phases:

1. Identify the skills required by all your stakeholders to make this change successful
2. Evaluate your stakeholders’ current skill level against each identified skill
3. Identify appropriate learning options to close the gap

Example

Lisa had been made aware that as part of the new IT system implementation, the payroll system that she has been using will be upgraded. This will reduce manual data entry by 30% and rework by 60%. She is supportive of the change.

She recognises that she will require some training to understand the new system and how her work processes will be changing. During the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) he team uncovered that she used extensive coaching and problem-solving skills in her previous role. She is therefore flagged as a very strong candidate for the change advocate team. Subsequently, she may require additional training to understand her role as a change advocate.

Change Learning Plan

Your Change Learning Plan should address all learning needs all the way from pre-implementation to post-implementation.

Once you have identified the appropriate learning options to address the learning needs, it is time for you to put your training and coaching plan together.

Use the below template to complete your Change Learning Plan.

For the purpose of practice allow 20 minutes to reflect on your training needs and how you will plan your training and coaching so that it encourages a learning culture and growth mindsets.

Ideally, you will discuss your Change Learning Plan as a group involving the project sponsors, the change manager and the project manager.

Reflection

Before you progress to the Learning Checkpoint, spend a minute to reflect on this change leadership activity and share your insights with the EXCELerate community.

Now, check out what your peers learned from creating their Change Learning Plan:

Mark this topic complete to proceed to the Learning Checkpoint.