The ‘5Cs’ of Governance Change Dynamics
THE book “Transformational Governance: How Boards Achieve Extraordinary Change,” published by the American Society of Association Executives (Asae) and authored by Beth Gazley and Katha Kissman, contains documented case studies against a backdrop of quantitative research on high-performing association boards and useful frameworks for understanding change and human behavior.
I want to share with association professionals the case study on change and human behavior based on the work of Bernard Ross and Clare Segal. It is about anticipating reactions to governance change using the “5Cs” framework that describes five possible characterization of change recipients and their influence on board dynamics.
1. Champions. Those who easily embrace new ideas and accept the risks of change. Though champions are ideal to be change agents, some may lack objectivity and may not offer a kind of leadership to thoroughly challenge the merits of new strategies. Nevertheless, champions should be—and will expect to be— involved. Providing them with more tools and resources on best practices and involving them on governance workshops, among others, will give them a more realistic view on the change process.
2. Chasers. Those who may be slower to join up than champions but will engage and can move the organization towards a tipping point when the majority accepts the change. This is especially so when they are given the opportunity to discuss new ideas with others and to have access to key organizational thought leaders for guidance. Open communication with chasers will pay off through greater ownership and co-creation of the change vision.
3. Converts. Those who may form the largest group of change recipients and are hardest to engage and to read as they may never speak up. They may also take a long time to embrace new ideas. Ways of engaging converts include offering them the opportunities to listen and to ask questions on organizational leadership as well as addressing the concerns of converts, including the “what’s in it for me?” question. Converts may be slow to adopt new ideas but they may embrace these more permanently, thus timing the change process at a pace acceptable to the converts can give a change process greater momentum in the long run.
4. Challengers. Those who may comprise a smaller group but may demand the greatest effort. They may include those who will recognize the benefits of change eventually but have been poorly socialized on how to confront change effectively. Efforts to actively engage challengers can focus on both emotional and cognitive levels to understand how to address their expectations. To preempt the most negative aspects of the challenger personality, organizations need to create formal rules about the change process in advance to ensure the process is not derailed by objections.
5. ‘Changephobes.’ Those who, as a small group, may never be convinced of the benefits of a new idea and hence are ‘immovables.’ If these individuals actively oppose the change, they may lower morale of the organization.
Recognizing resistance and addressing it head-on is often the only way to defuse it. Communicating, educating about the value of the proposed changes, finding ways to allow obstructionist feedback, and determining points of agreements can create the foundation on which to build on the needed change.
Octavio B. Peralta is currently the executive director of the Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail Mr. Peralta via bobby@pcaae.org.