Project Signposts

A few of my business contacts have recently experimented with OpenAI’s ChatGPT tool to see if it can produce meaningful content in their area of expertise that sounds like their writing and may provide an effective head start to their written documents.  I decided to do the same thing and so I engaged ChatGPT to help me with my latest Project Signposts blog post.  I simply entered a basic outline of my points I wanted to make in the blog post and then let the AI tool take it from there.  With just a few follow-up questions in the chat box followed by a few tweaks to the output, we were able to co-produce the blog post below.  My learnings were:

• The ChatGPT writing was concise, the meaning clear, and the English grammar was on point. I’d give it an above average rating.
• To me the writing style felt a little stiff and regimented.  It did not match my writing style, but ChatGPT effectively communicated my topic.
• I see how this can be a good tool to kick-start your writing but am also concerned that non-cited sources could be easily introduced without the real “author” even knowing, therefore making plagiarism a real risk. For instance, the idea, “today’s complex and dynamic business environment” was not in my outline.
• My advice:  Use ChatGPT with caution.

Why Effective Change Often Fails in Projects and Can We Make Step Change Improvements?

Effective change management is essential in project management, but traditional approaches often fall short in today's complex and dynamic business environment. In this post, we'll explore why this is the case and provide strategies for making step change improvements in effectiveness.

Approaches of the past fall short: Traditional change management approaches may not be effective in today's business environment due to a siloed approach, lack of change support, and parallel efforts between project managers and HR. 

Ineffective change management can lead to a number of negative outcomes, such as failure to address culture readiness, lack of engagement from frontline employees, and absence of accountability. These consequences can be detrimental to the success of any project and must be addressed with effective change management strategies.  To achieve success, we need to move away from these old ways of thinking and embrace a more holistic and integrated approach.

What will give us that step change improvement?

Visible support from senior leadership is crucial to driving successful change management. Leaders must understand resistance to change, engage those closest to the work, and establish change management resources to achieve success.

Engaging frontline employees and gaining their buy-in and support is essential to the success of any change initiative. Understanding cross-functional aspects and establishing organizational readiness for change is also crucial to achieving buy-in and engagement from employees.

It is critical to make sure employees and the organization are fully ready for the changes the project will bring.  Change readiness requires updating policies, procedures, and processes, establishing clear accountabilities, and communicating changes frequently. Changes must be aligned to drive the desired behaviors and ensure the success of any project.

A unified approach is vital.  Integrating project management and change management activities is essential to achieving success in any project. This can be achieved by making change management an integral part of the project plan and ensuring that both disciplines are fully aligned, in constant communication and working together towards a common goal.

Effective change management is crucial to achieving success in project management. By moving away from traditional approaches, embracing visible support from senior leadership, engaging frontline employees, and ensuring change readiness and integration, we can make step change improvements in effectiveness and achieve success in any project.

-ChatGPT with editing from Mike Putnam