The Professional Project Manager

Poor change management is often a significant contributor to project failure. Without a structured approach to manage the transitions that a project necessitates, there’s a high risk of resistance from team members and stakeholders. This resistance can manifest as low engagement, poor adoption of new processes or systems, and an overall disconnect between the project’s goals and the organization’s strategic objectives. Additionally, inadequate change management usually results in unclear communication, leading to misunderstandings and errors. The cumulative effect of these issues not only jeopardizes the immediate project deliverables but can also have long-term repercussions, such as loss of credibility and wasted resources, making it difficult for an organization to adapt successfully to future changes.

In the ever-evolving business landscape, project managers are not just responsible for meeting deadlines but also for initiating and managing change effectively. A thorough understanding of organizational change management is paramount for the lasting impact of any project. This article explores why, highlighting the ProSci ADKAR model and Kotter’s 8 Steps of Change.

The ProSci ADKAR Model

The ProSci ADKAR model focuses on five building blocks of change at the individual level:

1. Awareness: Knowledge of the need for change.
2. Desire: Wanting to participate and support the change.
3. Knowledge: Knowing how to change.
4. Ability: Capabilities to implement the change.
5. Reinforcement: Sustaining the change.

By aligning project goals with these elements, a project manager ensures smoother transitions and higher chances of long-term success.

Kotter’s 8 Steps of Change

John Kotter’s model offers a step-by-step guide to manage change at an organizational level:

1. Create Urgency
2. Form a Powerful Coalition
3. Create a Vision for Change
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Remove Obstacles
6. Create Short-term Wins
7. Build on the Change
8. Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture

These steps can serve as a roadmap for project managers in planning, executing, and sustaining change.

Why Understanding These Models Matters

1. Alignment with Organizational Goals: By understanding change management, project managers can align project objectives with the overall strategy and mission of the organization.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Both models emphasize the importance of communicating the need for change and its benefits, crucial for stakeholder buy-in.
3. Risk Mitigation: Being prepared with a structured approach to manage change reduces the risks associated with resistance and non-adoption.
4. Sustainability: Effective change management ensures that project deliverables continue to provide value long after project completion.

Project-Based Example: Implementing a New Software System

Imagine a project that aims to implement a new software system across the organization. How could a project manager apply the ProSci ADKAR model and Kotter’s 8 Steps of Change here?

Applying ADKAR

1. Awareness: Educate the team about the inefficiencies in the current system.
2. Desire: Share how the new system will make everyone’s job easier.
3. Knowledge: Provide training sessions.
4. Ability: Offer ongoing technical support.
5. Reinforcement: Regularly review how the new system benefits the team and organization.

Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps

1. Create Urgency: Cite financial or competitive reasons for the change.
2. Form a Coalition: Include influential team members to advocate for the change.
3. Create a Vision: Clearly outline the benefits.
4. Communicate: Use multiple channels to communicate the vision.
5. Remove Obstacles: Make the software easily accessible.
6. Short-term Wins: Celebrate small victories, like successful training sessions.
7. Build on Change: Integrate feedback and make improvements.
8. Anchor in Culture: Make the software part of the daily routine.

Organizational change management is not a peripheral part of project management; it’s central to it. By understanding and implementing the principles of the ProSci ADKAR model and Kotter’s 8 Steps of Change, project managers can ensure that the changes initiated by their projects are not only accepted but also embedded and sustained within the organization.

Do you want to be a better project manager? Then become a better change manager. It’s a bold statement but true.

All projects involve change, you are making or delivering something new that is different from the current situation, and given normal circumstances people naturally resist change.

So what is involved in begin a great change manager?

First, realise that generally people don’t like change and will resist it if not managed properly. Be aware that change is a scary for thing for most people. Let people work their way through the process of accepting change. You will need to use your well-developed leadership skills here to understand, appreciate and guide people through the uncertainty of change.

Create a compelling reason to change. Let people know what the reason for the project and the change is. If people don’t see the need for the project they will not support it. Communicate the need for change effectively and regularly. Change management is one of those situations where in the absence of good communication, rumour, gossip and innuendo will take hold.

Create capability for change. Get people on board who support your project and the change it brings and who also have the necessary skills to carry out the project.

Carry out the change as planned. First plan, then do. Any project or change must first be properly planned and then executed according to the plan.

Embed the change. Simply doing what you had planned to do will not guarantee that the change will be permanent. Create a strategy to make sure the change is embedded and will go on past the end of the project. Create champions and carry out post implementation reviews.

So, amongst all those other technical and soft skills a project manager must possess, learning about and becoming proficient at change management will increase your chances of project success.

Successful project management involve successful change management and successful change management requires great project management skills as well.