The Change Management Step is the fifth in the ASTD Human Performance Improvement process:

Change Managers:

Good change managers are the driving force for implementing change. Their role is to ensure that interventions are implemented in ways consistent with desired results. They help individuals and groups see the purpose for change and instill the desire to want to make the change for improvement. They determine ways organizations should address the cause of human performance gaps now and in the future. They establish communication networks and have a good understanding of the group dynamic process. There are three main types of change approaches which one forces, one encourages, and one creates the intrinsic desire for change.

Change managers begin by having a change management plan. They prepare for change by soliciting for stakeholder involvement by establishing a "business case" by monitoring the industry and periodically reviewing organization publications. This would include emphasizing the benefits to others of the change by having them think about, "what’s-in-it-for me?" They communicate the importance of the need for change with objectives with foreseeable results. They understand the group dynamic process and develop their consultation skills by motivating others. They continuously access for group support, follow through on ideas and tasks, and they address risks. They observe group dynamics¸ formulate actions plans, establish measureable objectives and milestones, and track progress routinely.

When communicating change to an organization there are various approaches. The most popular method that creates the intrinsic desire to change is the “Action Research Model (ARM) or Normative Reeducative Approach.” This aim taps into the need for people to want to be productive and useful. It begins by finding individuals or groups who want to change. They clarify the scope of the prospective effort by communicating exactly what needs to be changed. They conduct background research by collecting information from individuals, groups, stakeholders, customers, suppliers, and distributors. They then feed that data to the organization and communicate perspectives, so everyone is basically sees the same vision. They help identify the best ways to solve performance problems by achieving group consensus. They inform on the expected results by creating a timeline with time-specific milestones and critical paths. They clearly describe, what is happening, what is desired, how wide the performance gap is, and how to narrow that gap.

Next, there is the method that tries to encourage people to change with the “persuasive approach” which basically communicates that they need to make the change and describes the consequences if they don’t. They communicate what needs to be done by giving background information of the issue. They also convey the benefits for the individual and the organization and asks for their support.

Lastly, there is the common method that forces people to change by basically saying, "Do it, or else!“ This is called "coercive approach.” It orders change and takes corrective action if employees don’t make that change. This method is usually not as successful as the others. It creates for a hostile working environment where people do not understand why there is a need for change.

There are other methods to encourage change used by the change manager one of them is Tuckman's Teamwork theory which was developed in 1965, Tuckman's model is widely known as a basis for effective team building.

Tuckman's Teamwork Theory

As described by the Happy Manager website, Tuckman describes working with a team of social psychologists for the U.S. navy. They studied small group behavior, from several perspectives. In doing so, Tuckman reviewed fifty articles on group development and noticed that there were two features common to these small groups: the interpersonal or group structure and the task activity. From this he identified that groups evolved into teams in four common stages.

The first stage is the testing phase which is first characterized by a degree of conflict, resolution and then the functional phase, during which they focused on role-relatedness. These four phases, Tuckman coined terms: "forming", "storming", "norming" and "performing".

Tuckman's teamwork theory is best illustrated on a graph which shows the link between group relationships (the horizontal axis) and task focus (the vertical axis). The optimal or "performing" position is reached when relationships have developed within the group. Tuckman's ideas indicate that it takes time to reach the "performing" stage, and it's normal for these teams to go through ups and downs as they develop relationships. Particularly in the early period, which is perhaps why Tuckman called it the "storming" phase!

The 4 Phases of Tuckman's Teamwork Theory

Forming:
The initial stage of team development during which individuals have not yet gelled together. Everybody is busy finding their place in the team, sizing each other up, and asking themselves why they are here!

Storming:
People begin to see themselves as part of a team. However, at this stage they may challenge each other, and the team leader, about such things as what the team is doing, and how things should be done. As the stage title suggests, conflict and confrontation typify this stage, as differences surface. This may result in some loss of performance or focus on the task, as the diagram illustrates.

Norming:
This is the phase where team members start to come together, developing processes, establishing ground rules, clarifying who does what, and how things will be done. This phase is characterized by a growing sense of "togetherness".

Performing:
This is the final stage where increased focus is on both the task and on team relationships. Performance is delivered through people working effectively together.

 
The value of Tuckman's model is that it helps in understanding how teams evolve. It also assesses a uniformity how groups may encounter different problems at different stages of their development. One limitation of the model may be that it makes team building appear too linear and sequential. It is a useful model in helping the change manager better understand and manage circumstances.

Tuckman's famous phases are part of a teamwork theory based on stages of team development. His theory may have gained popularity partly due to the catchy labels for each of his stages. However, it also provides a useful and simple way to think about how people interact in team situations. Firstly by illustrating that it's normal for teams go through common stages as they develop. Secondly, by highlighting the need to manage different aspects of team behavior at each level. The beauty and usefulness of Tuckman's model is perhaps in its simplicity.

Team development theories such, as Tuckman's group development stages recognizes that teams develop through different stages, from forming to performing. These theories give a useful perspective in understanding group dynamics at different stages in its development.

References:

http://www.the-happy-manager.com/teamwork-theory.html

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Stages-of-Team-Development.topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8904.html