Change Master, Are You?

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Change Management   Governance  

Maybe the term “change management” is a misnomer and the process of implementing successful organizational change should be called “change facilitation” or “change orchestration”. Either way, far too many project management professionals tend to be more task oriented than positive organizational change oriented.

For these PMs, getting the project completed per the workplan is the driving force behind their efforts. Masters of the project management process know that the real challenge is to implement projects that deliver lasting value to the organization. This requires the ability to facilitate true support and buy-in for the changes the outcome of the project will deliver.

Change is a very dynamic thing. Wikipedia sums the dynamics surrounding change quite eloquently:

“Attitudes towards change result from a complex interplay of emotions and cognitive processes. Because of this complexity everyone reacts to change differently. On the positive side, change is seen as akin to opportunity, rejuvenation, progress, innovation, and growth. But just as legitimately, change can also be seen as akin to instability, upheaval, unpredictability, threat, and disorientation. Whether employees perceive change with fear, anxiety and demoralization, or with excitement and confidence, or somewhere in between, depends partially on the …

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