In both business and our personal lives change is a constant presence and how we manage change is crucial in charting our path forward.
Change broadly falls into two categories: intentional changes we seek and changes we must undergo.
Intentional changes are proactive decisions driven by individuals or organisations, borne out of aspirations for improvement, innovation, or growth.
Conversely, changes required of us stem from external influences such as shifts in legislation, regulations, or industry standards. Within this category, we encounter changes imposed upon us, prompted by forces beyond our control, such as market dynamics, decisions by governing bodies or policy alterations.
Both types of change encompass personal and organisational shifts: personal change involves transformations in behaviour, attitudes, or habits, while organisational changes are broad and span modifications that can impact entire entities—ranging from restructuring and mergers to the introduction of new management systems or cultural shifts.
When managing long-term client relationships, change is inevitable and can present both opportunities and challenges. Which is why how we approach change management is key.
Effectively executed change management:
- Fosters adaptability and competitiveness in dynamic environments.
- Ensures efficient strategy implementation and execution.
- Minimises resistance through open dialogue.
- Optimises resource allocation for impactful change initiatives.
- Sustains productivity and morale during transitions.
- Identifies and mitigates potential change-related risks.
- Nurtures transparent communication among stakeholders.
- Cultivates trust in leadership through successful outcomes.
- Maintains competitive advantage.
- Cultivates a culture of continuous learning and growth.
In essence, change management is a systematic approach encompassing planning, implementation, and guidance, aimed at steering individuals and organisations through transitions, minimising resistance, and maximising benefits.
So, how does this apply to client account management?
The DARN-C Model, designed to address resistance and encourage effective communication*, can be harnessed by client account managers during change conversations.
DARN-C represents Desire, Ability, Reasons, Need, and Commitment and the framework can be used to:
- Unveil the client’s desires, needs, and concerns about the change to comprehend their motivations.
- Evaluate the client’s perceived capabilities and resources to handle the change.
- Explore and address specific reasons behind any resistance or concerns.
- Determine the necessity and urgency of the change from the client’s perspective.
- Collaboratively foster commitment and ownership of the change by aligning values and interests.
And a nuance to be aware of, humans are motivated to move away from a perceived threat, or towards an expected reward. To understand if the change is threat (avoid) driven or reward (approach) driven, listen to the language used. (Read more about threat-reward motivation here).
(Need some insights into asking the right questions? Try this article or this one.)
Client account managers, adept at steering intentional, external, unexpected, personal, and organisational changes, underpin their clients’ success. Embracing change as a catalyst for growth and progress, they build lasting relationships and significantly contribute to both their own organisation’s and the client’s business success.
If you’d like help navigating these concepts to build more effective account management teams and stronger relationships with your clients, contact Sharon for a complimentary discovery call.
*Hat tip to Clare Harris the Solo Startup Coach for an introduction to the DARN-C framework.
Photo by Jed Villejo on Unsplash