What is the level of understanding of Change Sponsorship in your organisation? Chances are, if your organisation is not really familiar with Change, then Change Sponsors may not be really understanding their role and why it exists.

Usually Change Sponsorship aligns with the leadership hierarchy in an organisation. This is because there isn't normally an incentive as as an employee to listen to anyone other than their direct line manager. The only time this doesn't ring true is if the culture of an organisation is so collaborative that all leaders are seen as equal in voice.  In organisations of such high emotional intelligence, the leadership team will work together to create an aligned co-hort of enthusiasm or energy regarding the change. However, these are generally exceptions, not the rule.

Change Sponsorship - not an easy gig.

The role of a Change Sponsor for a project and Change leaders is to create enthusiasm regarding the change. Generating the awareness and the...

One of the common reasons I hear from new Change Managers or Change Analysts is that they wanted to become a Change specialist because they care about people. "I am a people person so I thought I would become a Change Manager". And I say bravo to those who are self-aware and caring, and in the same breath I say you are about to venture into a very rewarding but at times challenging career path.

But I wasn't always a Change Manager. In fact 'Change Management' didn't exist when I graduated from University in my early 20's in Marketing. And I was lucky in my first role in an Insurance company, as I learned the ropes from a great Marketing/Communications Manager - shout out to Dawn! While I started in Marketing, I began to understand that campaign work was similar to project management (which was just developing as a discipline) and you needed to be structured as well as be able to be creative.

Some years on and working in Marketing but on projects such as events, launches and in...

We were weeks away from 'Go Live'. The project plan was being walked through, and when it came to engaging the business on testing -'So how are we going with engaging the business?', the program manager asks. Heads turn from side to side, seeking the positive response that will put everyone at ease - an awkward silence ensues. 

You may question how it is that there would be role confusion in a project, when a team of experienced staff come together to deliver a project - and yet it still happens! The end result is a decrease in quality, time delays, conflict within the team and that ultimate pointing of fingers when the Sponsor asks - 'why wasn't that completed by now?'.

Tasks being incomplete, or handovers not taking place, it all comes down to the following common causes:

- The project manager (PM) assumes everyone knows their role. Even though you have a team of experienced professionals they bring with them their own way of working. To avoid any conflict, it is worth...

Learn why Change Management is critical for any business undergoing change. While many people will use the term 'Change Management', the discipline still remains a mystery to most people. Watch this 20 minute video and you will be stepped through Change Management, why it exists today and the change process itself. 

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You need your team to work in a new way because you are automating processes with new technology, or you have changed the roles and functions in your team but haven't thought through how that will change your day to day work. Not only that but you haven't thought yet about how your team works with other areas or departments. Now you face spending the next 3 months working out all of the details and getting back on your feet. How could this have been avoided? Through the discipline called Change Management.

In business the main question you ask when looking at introducing something new, is 'how soon can we get this in?'. A better question would be 'how long will it take to get to the end state we are pitching for?'. Another great question is 'what will the return on my investment be'?, even on projects that are mandated from the powers that be. Whether it be changing the way you do things, introducing new products, or modifying existing products with tightening profit margins and...

Organisations are built on processes. Whether you are in service provision or consumer product provision, everything is a process. By following a process you achieve efficiency when the process is simple, streamlined and consistently applied.  Having a Change Framework or a standard change process in your organisation to support the change function in your organisation is important. Especially if you have Change contractors in your organisation. By achieving consistency in approach, stakeholders will know what to expect and what to ask for.

Change management and Project Management are both processes and frameworks that compliment each other. The Change process can be aligned to that of Project management. Following is an overview of the four stages of Change Management:

Stage 1: Planning

Just like in Projects, a Change strategy and approach needs to be worked through with key stakeholders in a planning phase alongside the project team. In this planning stage of...

If you have worked on projects as a Change or Project Manager, you know this happens. Tensions run high when a Project Manager doesn't understand the role of a Change Manager and vice versa. In fact while recruiting Project Managers I ask whether they have worked with Change Managers before to assess the ability of the Project Manager in understanding what their role is. If tension does arise and if the Sponsor isn't sure who should do what, it doesn't help much either. Recently I wrote an article about the need for the PMO to also advocate for the Change discipline, as often the PMO may be asked for clarity by the Sponsor. So if the PMO doesn't know then everyone is flying blind.

Many stakeholders don't understand how Change management and Project management compliment and actually rely on each other. When both are employed well, the results you achieve are significant. The quality of project or program delivery is exceptional. However when tensions are high from a lack of...

Do you ever have those days? When there are a number of issues, too many chefs in the kitchen or the complexities of the project come to the fore and everyone has an opinion but no solutions are put on the table? That is when it is good to go back to structure, discipline and get back to basics.

Leadership is key

Overwhelm is something that is bound to crop up in large, complex projects. Panic can set in, whether it be from your stakeholders, sponsors or impacted groups. It takes a strong leader at those times to settle everything down. It is important to ask for help so you can then focus on getting back to basics.

What do I mean by back to basics?

1) Go back to 'process' to resolve issues:- Everything is a process. Decision making triages, change management, project management, issue resolution - all processes. Use these processes to triage, escalate and resolve issues. If you are the project or change manager, it isn't your role to decide it is your role to facilitate the process...

So you went on an offsite, or put your Managers through a leadership program. However, did you support the change by reviewing KPI's, discussing culture and how the program relates to the organisation culture? Have you rewarded (positive reinforcement) those Managers who implemented the techniques they learned in training?

If you are investing in your leaders but haven't wrapped the training program up in a change program, then you are investing in individuals not the organisation. Success can't be measured simply through attendance and satisfaction with the training itself.

Every individual learns differently

There will always be some individuals who can connect training with their real world practices but many (and through no fault of their own) slip back into old habits as they are simply easier when it comes to different leadership techniques. After all, that comfort zone is SO MUCH EASIER.  An ideal scenario would be if 7 out of 10 leaders who attend training implement new...

So you have been given a mandate - you have been asked to go ahead and implement a new strategic policy or process and have been provided with an outline. The expectation is for you to go out into the world and deliver the goods. Well it isn't that easy but it is where most projects start. A background paper and some funding.

A lot of projects or programs I start on are floundering for direction. This is just evidence that they aren't adequately scoped. There is no shared understanding of what is to be delivered and if there is a team, they are often confused as they have questions that are unanswered.

That is where I step in and put my 30/60/90 day plans into play. The first 30 days is about the right program set up. Here are my top 3 tips for creating clarity around a project or program:

1) Listen and ask the logical questions: I am the biggest fan of '7 Habits of highly effective people' by Steven Covey, especially the habit of  'Seek first to understand then to be...