Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course in Johannesburg, South Africa
Classroom training in Johannesburg · next cohort Nov 2, 2026 · from USD 3,400
Most change efforts fail not because the idea was wrong but because people were not brought along. New systems, restructures and merged teams all expose how an organisation really works: its habits, power lines and unwritten rules. This five-day introduction gives newcomers a clear map for understanding that human side and steering it. You start with what organisational development is, how culture forms and how to read the signs of a healthy or unhealthy workplace.
From there you learn simple diagnostic tools such as culture surveys, interviews, force-field analysis and stakeholder mapping, and then meet the best-known change models, including Lewin, Kotter and ADKAR. Practical sessions cover communicating a vision, handling resistance, building coalitions, training and reinforcing new behaviours. The programme is aimed at HR officers, team leaders, project coordinators, programme managers and first-time change agents in government, NGOs and private firms. It is available in classroom, online and in-house formats, and ends with a CPD-accredited certificate. Afterwards you can draft a small change plan, run a basic culture review and track whether people are adopting the change.
At a Glance
Training in Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg is South Africa's economic heart, home to the JSE and the head offices of Africa's largest companies.
More about training in Johannesburg →- Format
- Classroom, in Johannesburg
- Duration
- Mon - Fri (5 Days)
- Fee
- USD 3,400
- Next start dates
- Nov 2, 2026, Nov 30, 2026, Dec 28, 2026
- Certificate
- Certificate of Completion
- Airport
- O.R. Tambo International (JNB)
- Time zone
- South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2)
- Currency
- South African rand (ZAR). Fees are listed in USD.
- Business districts
- Sandton, Rosebank and Midrand
About this course
Every organisation is changing all the time, whether through new technology, a funding shift, a leadership transition or a change in the law. What separates those that adapt well from those that struggle is how deliberately they manage the people side. Staff who understand why a change is needed, see how it affects them and feel heard are far more likely to adopt new ways of working than those who are simply informed by memo.
Organisational development offers a practical body of knowledge for this work. In this course, participants first examine what makes up an organisation, including structure, systems, roles and culture, and how the layers of culture show up in behaviour. They then learn how to gather evidence through interviews, observation and short surveys, and how to turn it into a clear picture of readiness for change. The middle sessions introduce leading change frameworks and show how to build a vision, a case for change and an engagement plan. The closing sessions look at resistance, communication, capability building, quick wins and ways to embed and measure results.
The course is deliberately accessible. No prior background in change management is needed. Participants use short exercises, group discussions and simple templates, and finish with a one-page change plan they can adapt to a real situation at work.
Training Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the purpose and scope of organisational development.
- Describe the levels of organisational culture and how culture affects performance.
- Use basic diagnostic tools to assess readiness for change.
- Compare the Lewin, Kotter and ADKAR change models and choose between them.
- Develop a case for change and a stakeholder engagement plan.
- Respond constructively to resistance and fatigue during change.
- Select simple indicators to track adoption and sustain new behaviours.
What you'll learn
Key Takeaways
Participants leave with:
- A plain-language understanding of how change and culture work in organisations.
- A culture and readiness diagnostic they can use with their own teams.
- A stakeholder map and engagement plan template.
- Practical scripts for communicating change and responding to resistance.
- A one-page change plan for a real project or team.
- A shortlist of indicators for monitoring adoption.
Training Methodology
Teaching is simple, interactive and rooted in everyday workplace examples. It includes:
- Short explanations of each concept followed by immediate practice
- Small-group discussions that connect models to participants' own situations
- Case vignettes of mergers, system roll-outs and restructures
- Reflection journals to capture learning day by day
- Templates and checklists to take back to the workplace
Day 1: Understanding Organisations and Why They Change
- What organisational development is and where it came from
- Organisations as systems: strategy, structure, people and processes
- Drivers of change: technology, markets, policy and leadership
- Types of change: incremental, transformational and emergent
- The human response to change
- Exercise: mapping a recent change in your organisation
Day 2: Organisational Culture
- Defining culture: values, norms, symbols and assumptions
- Reading the layers of culture through observation
- How culture helps or blocks performance
- Subcultures and the effect of leadership on culture
- Culture in public, non-profit and private organisations
- Exercise: describing the culture of your own workplace
Day 3: Diagnosing Readiness for Change
- Collecting information: interviews, focus groups, surveys and observation
- Force-field analysis and gap analysis
- Stakeholder mapping and influence analysis
- Assessing change readiness and change capacity
- Summarising findings for leaders
- Exercise: running a mini diagnosis on a case organisation
Day 4: Models and Tools for Leading Change
- Lewin's unfreeze, change and refreeze
- Kotter's eight steps for leading change
- ADKAR for individual transitions
- Building a vision and a compelling case for change
- Sponsorship, coalitions and change champions
- Exercise: choosing a model for three change scenarios
Day 5: Resistance, Communication and Sustaining Change
- Understanding and working with resistance
- Communication planning across channels and audiences
- Training, coaching and capability building
- Quick wins, reinforcement and recognition
- Measuring adoption and learning from the change
- Building your one-page change plan
This introductory course is suited to people who take part in or lead change but have not been formally trained in it, such as:
- Human resource officers and HR business partners
- Team leaders and supervisors facing restructuring
- Project and programme coordinators
- Managers introducing new systems or processes
- Training and learning officers
- Staff in transformation or strategy units
- Public service managers implementing reforms
- NGO and development programme staff adjusting to new funding or strategies
Participants who attend the full programme and complete the exercises are awarded a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion by Vision Reach Global Consultancy, confirming their grounding in change and organisational development.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course Venues
South AfricaJohannesburgNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,400Viewing- South AfricaPretoriaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,200
- South AfricaCape TownNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
KenyaNairobiNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,500- KenyaMombasaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,600
- KenyaNaivashaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaKisumuNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaMachakosNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,600
UgandaKampalaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,900
RwandaKigaliNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,900
TanzaniaArushaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,900- TanzaniaDodomaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,800
- TanzaniaDar es SalaamNext Oct 26· 13 dates$2,000
- TanzaniaZanzibarNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,600
NigeriaLagosNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,800- NigeriaAbujaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$2,800
UAEDubaiNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
GhanaAccraNext Nov 16· 13 dates$4,500
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Frequently Asked Questions About Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course in Johannesburg
Everything you need to know about this course before you register.
Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course runs as classroom training in Johannesburg, South Africa, in Monday-to-Friday cohorts that start every four weeks. The venue, daily timings and joining details are sent in your Joining Instructions email ahead of the start date.
The next Johannesburg cohort starts on November 2, 2026, and a new intake follows every four weeks. Pick a date under "Upcoming sessions in Johannesburg" above and click Register; your seat is confirmed once payment or a signed purchase order is received.
The classroom fee for Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course in Johannesburg is USD 3,400 per delegate, covering tuition and course materials. Register 3 or more delegates together and a 5% team discount is applied automatically.
Yes. Besides Johannesburg, Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course runs as classroom training in Pretoria and Cape Town. It also runs as live online training you can join from anywhere in South Africa, and in-house at your organisation's own premises.
Yes — Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course can be delivered at your offices in Johannesburg or at a venue you choose, on dates that suit your team, with case studies tailored to your sector. Message our training advisors to request a proposal.
By the end of the Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development programme, you'll be able to explain the purpose and scope of organisational development, describe the levels of organisational culture and how culture affects performance, use basic diagnostic tools to assess readiness for change, and compare the lewin, kotter and adkar change models and choose between them. The full breakdown of topics is covered session by session in the Course Outline tab above.
This introductory course is suited to people who take part in or lead change but have not been formally trained in it, such as: Human resource officers and HR business partners, Team leaders and supervisors facing restructuring, Project and programme coordinators, Managers introducing new systems or processes, Training and learning officers, Staff in transformation or strategy units, Public service managers implementing reforms, and NGO and development programme staff adjusting to new funding or strategies.
Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course typically runs as 5 Days. It's available as in-person classroom, live virtual, and in-house corporate training — every course can also be delivered on-site for your team on dates that suit you.
Yes — delegates who meet the attendance requirement receive a Certificate of Completion for Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course from Vision Reach Global Consultancy, issued in the name you register with, so double-check the spelling at checkout.
Fundamentals of Change, Culture & Organisational Development Training Course is pitched at beginner professionals. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit for your current role or background, message our training advisors before you register and they'll help you confirm.
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What Our Clients Say
VRG brings strategic discipline to complex organizational challenges. Their approach is structured, data-driven, and outcome-focused.
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They facilitated our strategy review, we improved departmental KPI alignment by 35% and reduced operational bottlenecks significantly.
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