During the month of November, ProjectManagement.com will focus on the topic of: Change Management.
I strongly believe that Change Management begins at the start of every project and must be lived and accepted by all project team members. One of the best ways for me to lead a successful project is to make change a daily part of the project. It's not something to be scared of.
My question for you is: how do you manage change in your projects when you have less than favourable conditions? E.g. stakeholder conflict, politics, issues within the organisation.
My top tip is: I am transparent around all elements of Change Management. What it means for the project, team and organisation. I also communicate effectively to ensure that everyone is aware of what the change is and it's impact (cost/time/effort etc).
Let's share knowledge with each other and the community! Saving Changes...
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Tara ChildsSenior Consultant, Project Manager/Change Manager| Onix NetworkingAtlanta, Ga, United States
Yes, I agree. Communication is essential. In my experience, the key to effective change management on an organizational level is to understand "the why." Why is the change necessary and how does it affect each stakeholder. Folks want to know and need to understand what's in it for them. Saving Changes...
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace CorpsYaounde, Centre, Cameroon
Much clear information and communication will facilitate change management Saving Changes...
Robert RiceSr. Project Manager| Baptist Memorial Health Care CorporationOlive Branch, Ms, United States
I had a company president that had an "unwritten policy" that the first action after charter approval within the first week of the project was to issue a $0 change order for something. While there was no budget impact based on the change order, and there was probably no real time impact, his feeling was that it set in motion the "culture" of change management within the project. These were all very big projects, so changes should be expected. We covered the change management process in the project kickoff and in the charter, and set expectations that a change was forthcoming. If taken the right way, that sets the expectations well. But you cannot be frivolous with that first change - it has to mean something. Bottom line - talk about change management up front to set expectations, demonstrate your commitment to project quality, walk the talk, and communicate regularly. And by the way, there will always be push back - that's where the "sales skills" come into play! Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Robert, great example!
If I do project health checks I always ask for the change log. If there is no change, mostly the process is not working.
On a rollout project in Russia, I had a weekly change board with 5-8 people sitting each Friday over changes. It helped to clarify the product principles (coming from silos to end2end processes) and the perceived gaps between the template that worked for other countries and the Russian way of working. Saving Changes...
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