One way to look at change management is as a series of mini-projects for each stakeholder that is going through the change.
You need to understand where the stakeholder is currently at, what their current state is.
You need to understand what the stakeholder’s perceived future state is. Their perceived future state is what they think and feel their position or role will be after the change has been implemented. Whether their future state is factual or not, it is their perceived future state.
You need to understand what the actual future state will be for the stakeholder. What will their role or position be once the change has been implemented?
Understanding the current state, perceived future state, and actual future state will allow you to address the gaps between these states.
The gap between the current state and the stakeholder’s perceived future state is how the stakeholder thinks the transition will go. This gap needs to be disproved both factually and emotionally. Usually, emotional attachment is the more difficult part to overcome.
The gap between the current state and the actual future state is the real change that the stakeholder will need to go through. The important part here is to create an emotional attachment for the stakeholder to the actual future state. What will the future state look like for them specifically? How will it make their job better, easier, more interesting, or more fulfilling?
The last gap is between the perceived future state and the actual future state. Addressing this gap entails understanding the assumptions, emotions, fears associated with the future state. Acknowledging those assumptions, fears, and emotions and then realigning them to the actual future state is the best path.
Always remember, the gaps that need to address are personal gaps and need to be addressed at an individual level rather than a generic level.