CBC Change Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In change management, what is the primary purpose of a stakeholder analysis?
- To identify who is affected by the change and their level of influence and support (Correct answer)
- To calculate the total cost of the change project
- To assign blame if the change initiative fails
- To determine which employees should be laid off
Correct answer: To identify who is affected by the change and their level of influence and support
Stakeholder analysis maps who is impacted, their influence, and their attitude so engagement can be tailored accordingly.
Question 2: A coach is helping a client build a 'guiding coalition' for a company-wide transformation. Which composition is MOST effective?
- A cross-functional group with position power, expertise, credibility, and leadership skill (Correct answer)
- Only the C-suite executives to ensure top-down authority
- Only enthusiastic junior employees to inject energy
- An external consulting team with no internal members
Correct answer: A cross-functional group with position power, expertise, credibility, and leadership skill
Kotter recommends a coalition combining positional power, expertise, credibility, and leadership drawn from across the organization.
Question 3: According to the Kübler-Ross change curve applied to organizations, which emotional stage typically comes immediately after denial?
- Anger or resistance (Correct answer)
- Acceptance
- Experimentation
- Commitment
Correct answer: Anger or resistance
After denial, individuals typically move into anger or active resistance before eventually exploring and accepting the change.
Question 4: A client complains that employees 'heard about the merger through the rumor mill' before any official announcement. What change communication principle was violated?
- Communicate early, honestly, and through official channels before informal ones fill the gap (Correct answer)
- Limit information to senior leadership until the change is complete
- Use only written memos for major announcements
- Announce changes only after all details are finalized
Correct answer: Communicate early, honestly, and through official channels before informal ones fill the gap
When official communication lags, rumors fill the vacuum, so leaders should communicate early and transparently.
Question 5: In the ADKAR model, an employee understands why the change is needed and wants to participate, but keeps making errors with the new software. Which element is missing?
- Ability (Correct answer)
- Awareness
- Desire
- Reinforcement
Correct answer: Ability
Knowledge and motivation without successful execution indicates a gap in Ability, the capacity to perform the change.
Question 6: What is the main risk of skipping Lewin's 'refreezing' stage after implementing a change?
- Employees revert to old behaviors and the change fails to stick (Correct answer)
- The change happens too quickly for leadership to monitor
- The budget for the change is exceeded
- New employees cannot be onboarded
Correct answer: Employees revert to old behaviors and the change fails to stick
Without refreezing to anchor new behaviors into culture and systems, people tend to slide back to old habits.
Question 7: A business coach asks a change-resistant client, 'What would you lose if this change succeeds?' What is the coach primarily trying to uncover?
- The hidden personal costs and competing commitments driving resistance (Correct answer)
- The client's technical skill gaps
- The project's return on investment
- The client's preferred learning style
Correct answer: The hidden personal costs and competing commitments driving resistance
Resistance often stems from perceived personal losses or competing commitments, which this question surfaces for exploration.
CBC Change Management 3
In change management, what is the primary purpose of a stakeholder analysis?