Change Management Simulation

Change Management Simulation: Power and Influence Overview

The Change Management simulation developed by Harvard Business Publishing includes four scenarios for exploring different combinations of the relative power of the change agent and the relative urgency of the change initiative. In each simulation scenario, participants attempt to persuade key members of the organization to adopt a change initiative. This simulation can be played individually or in teams.

Time Requirement

• Introduction - 20 minutes
• Game Play - 45 minutes to 1 hour
• Debrief - 45 minutes to 1 hour

The Story

In the Harvard Business Change Management Simulation, the participants play one of two “change agents” - either a CEO or Director of Product Innovation - at a sunglasses manufacturing firm. They face the challenges associated with implementing an organization-wide environmental sustainability initiative. In each round of play, learners choose any one of 18 change levers while attempting to move the organization’s management team along a four-step pathway of change awareness, interest, trial, and adoption. Participants are assessed on their ability to establish and maintain credibility and achieve the greatest percentage of adopters within the organization. The players have 96 simulated weeks to meet their goals.

Learning Focus

• Understand the four stages of change management (change awareness, interest, trial, adoption)
• Experiment with different strategies for effective change management
• Explore power, influence, and resistance to change within an organizational setting

Topics Covered

• Organizational Change
• Working under Urgency and Authority
• Maintaining Technical, Political, and Cultural Credibility
• Managing resistance to Change
• Leadership

See it in Action

This simulation is WCAG Compliant for the participants.

Each simulation comes with a Teaching Guidebook for the facilitator along with 1:1 facilitator training and free trials.

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This simulation is by William Q. Judge, Linda A. Hill, Harvard Business School Publishing, and Forio