The Change Game

Intro

Let’s assume that you have been hired as a change management consultant for the Scranton, PA branch of a paper company called Dunder Mifflin. They need your expertise to lead a change campaign. The goal is to introduce a Project Management Platform.

The reason you were engaged as a change consultant is that the five projects attempted this year at this branch have failed. The company continues to underperform and has lost an estimated $40,000 in project costs alone. This number does not include opportunity costs or related projected losses of revenue.

The projects ranged in application:

Two CRM related projects
One network optimization project
One AP related project
One Inventory management project

The hope is that the introduction and implementation of a PM platform will stop the bleeding.

DUNDER
MIFFLINPAPER COMPANY

Context

Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Inc. is a paper and office supply sales company. The company was founded in 1949 by Robert Dunder and Robert Mifflin, originally to sell brackets for use in construction. Dunder Mifflin faces an increasingly competitive marketplace. Like many smaller players, it just can’t compete with the low prices charged by big box rivals like Staples, OfficeMax, and Office Depot. It seems to be constantly bleeding corporate customers that are focused on cost containment.

Based in New York City, the company has branches in smaller northeastern cities, e.g., Albany, Buffalo, Camden, Nashua, Scranton, Utica, etc. Some locations were closed due to unionization within the warehouse.

The company culture is marked by a dysfunctional top-down management style. Despite espoused values stating commitment toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Dunder Mifflin struggles with realizing these values. Multiple allegations of sexism, racism, and wrongful termination have persisted but suits did not result.

Stakeholder Analysis

Get to know the stakeholders! Select a name to review that employee.

Stakeholder Analysis

Select your project’s champion by clicking a name below:

Champion: Click a Name!

Stakeholder Analysis

Select 4 employees for your team by clicking on their name. Be careful — once you drop the employee in a member slot they are locked in place. Hit reset to start over.

DUNDER
MIFFLINPAPER COMPANY

Team Leader: Not selected

Purpose Statement

How “SMART” is your purpose statement?

SPECIFIC

What will you accomplish?

MEASURABLE

Did you establish concrete criteria?

ACTIONABLE

Is resolution actually attainable?

RELEVANT

Aligned with Vision & Mission?

TIME-BOUND

Is a start and end date given?

Purpose Statement

The interaction—not the user—awards each checkmark. Revise the statement above and evaluate again as often as needed.

SPECIFIC

What will you accomplish?

Have you focused on one single problem within your statement?

Have you removed ambiguity and unclear meanings within your statement?

Does your statement specify why the issue must be addressed?

Purpose Statement

The interaction—not the user—awards each checkmark. Revise the statement above and evaluate again as often as needed.

MEASURABLE

Did you establish concrete criteria?

Is there a baseline (a starting metric) in place?

Is there at least one metric or method available to measure progress?

Is there one metric to measure successful resolution?

Purpose Statement

The interaction—not the user—awards each checkmark. Revise the statement above and evaluate again as often as needed.

ACTIONABLE

Is resolution actually attainable?

Is the scope of the statement attainable?

Have hurdles, prerequisites, or likely speed bumps been addressed?

Purpose Statement

The interaction—not the user—awards each checkmark. Revise the statement above and evaluate again as often as needed.

RELEVANT

Aligned with the branch problem and organizational need?

Does the purpose directly address the failed-project problem described in the case?

Would success matter to the branch, its employees, and the organization?

Purpose Statement

The interaction—not the user—awards each checkmark. Revise the statement above and evaluate again as often as needed.

TIME-BOUND

Is a start and end date given?

Does the statement identify when the change effort begins?

Does the statement include a target completion or evaluation date?

Change Game Summary

Champion

Team

Purpose Statement

Change Readiness Score

Scenarios

The Warehouse group is claiming that this change project doesn’t care about the warehouse perspective. In their own witty way, they have characterized the latest project as “mind over matter” – you do not mind and they do not matter!

CHOOSE ONE:

Did you place Darryl on your team or chose him as your champion?

Darryl is not on your team but you promise to include warehouse members in beta testing.

Darryl is not on your team and you inform the warehouse crew that this project is coming from the top down!

Scenarios

You are the most recent of many change consultants. How will you announce and communicate your approach? How will you win hearts and minds?

CHOOSE ONE:

Ask to host a town hall event, hold a Q&A, and distribute literature – focus on the WIIFM!

Host a meeting with department heads – discuss the WIIFM for their individual groups!

Send a warm and welcoming email; announce your open-door policy!

Scenarios

What will be your first step after launching the initiative?

CHOOSE ONE:

The Sales Group has identified a quick win – start there!

Create some training – it’s all about knowledge transfer!

Monitor compliance. Without knowing who is in and who is out, you will not be successful!

Scenarios

A department head has lost faith in the initiative and has recently challenged the initiative within a department head meeting. They have claimed that this initiative is just another instance of trying to use software to replace common sense. Back in the day, we would talk to one another – and that was good enough. How do you react?

CHOOSE ONE:

Use the quick win from the prior round to demonstrate tangible value. Start there.

Re-introduce the tangible and intangible value of the project in the next department meeting.

Remove the department and department head from the project.

Change Management
Dashboard

FINAL TALLY

PRESCORE ▶

HEARTS:

MIND:

0

John Kotter’s widely cited claim that around 70% of organizational change initiatives fail has become a cornerstone in discussions about change management. Though the exact figure lacks rigorous empirical backing, it functions more as a cautionary benchmark. We can use the metric as a reflection of the high risk of failure when change is not managed effectively.

Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59–67.