» Guide technicians through transitions and
land on a sustainable implementation plan.
Photo courtesy of Rotary Lift
Th e answer: Fleet management.
“Resistance to change is because of lack of
understanding,” explains George Williams, an
instructor of the University of Wisconsin’s maintenance
management certifi cate program and
CEO of ReliabilityX, an asset management and
operations consultant company.
Lack of understanding from the technician
means ineff ective communication and guidance
from management. Perhaps lack of vision and poor
planning also contribute.
14 Fleet Maintenance | November/December 2018
Luckily, people are predictable when it comes to
change, and that allows fl eets to better prepare for
future changes. Th e goal is to guide the team through
the transitions and land on eff ective, evolving implementation
that is sustainable for the fl eet. Th is is
called change management.
Change management can be broken down into
two parts: management and leadership.
Management includes the process, tools and
techniques used to ensure changes are sustainable
for the fl eet. Leadership is ensuring technicians
are aligned with the change and motivated
to implement it. For a change in the maintenance
bay to be successful, fl eets need both.
And it starts with the “change curve.”
Understand the “change curve”
Resistance to change is a normal human response.
It stems from fear of the unknown. In a perfect
situation, technicians would embrace changing
procedures with open arms every time. But, it’s
important to always prepare for the worst-case
scenario: technician resistance.
To prepare, the fi rst step is understanding how
humans respond to change. A common way to do
this is to reference the Kubler-Ross model (See Fig.
1 below). Th e Kubler-Ross model is widely known
as the “Five Stages of Grief.” When this model is
translated into change management terms, it is
known as a “change curve.”
Th e change curve illustrates how people will react
(Fig. 1) The Kubler-Ross
model is widely known
as the “Five Stages of
Grief.” When this model
is translated into change
management terms, it
is known as a “change
curve.” The goal of
change management
is to help lessen or
shorten the negative
stages most people go
through when introduced
to a change. (This is
illustrated by the dotted
blue line overlaid on the
typical change curve.)
MORAL
Shock
Surprise or
shock at
the event
Denial
Disbelief;
Looking for
evidence that
it isn’t true
Frustration
Recognition
that things
are different;
sometimes angry
Depression
Low mood;
Lacking in energy
TIME
Experiment
Initial engagement
with new situation
GOAL
Decision
Learning how
to work in the
new situation;
feeling more
positive
Integration
Changes
integrated;
a renewed
individual
Change curve