Thomas AndrewsProject & Risk Management Consultant| PM/RM WorksLong Beach WA, United States
One of the biggest challenges in achieving process improvement is in dealing with embedded culture, particularly if the culture is resistant to change. What methods are there to address this issue? Saving Changes...
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I have used a "non traditional" method for years that helps me a lot. The method is "Solution Selling" selling method. Take a look Saving Changes...
Culture will always seem resistant. We need to nurture a culture of change and acceptance. With this change in culture, continuous improvement will be at the root of your revised culture. If you keep treating culture as static and unchangeable, improvement will look like an uphill task rather an impossible venture. Saving Changes...
saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
The best way for change it to percolate it from top.
So if higher management makes it mandatory with the known benefits of the change then it becomes easier for the change maker to get it done.
For e.g : mandate from PMO Saving Changes...
Eric LamySenior Project Manager| Keurig Green MountainNewbury, Ma, United States
When initiating change, make those it will impact central to the process. Involve those for whom the process improvement is intended in the project team or as stakeholders, and ensure that their concerns are heard and documented early. Help guide the discussion in a way that makes those with the greatest objections to change feel as though they have themselves come up with solutions to their concerns.
Be explicit about the intended benefits of your process improvement initiative. Be clear about the project objectives and how the desired benefits map to each objective.
Saving Changes...
Michael AdamsSolutions Architect| LANLLos Alamos, Nm, United States
Eric hit a lot of important points here. One of the problems I've seen change projects encounter over and over again has been a complete failure by management to include and get extensive feedback from line employees.
Treat your line employees as the subject matter experts that they are, find out what their challenges and complaints are. Then find a way to have the proposed changes impact those work challenges positively. Include them in crafting the solution, including why it is important on an enterprise level.
If they are involved and solving the problem from the context of their work and from the context of what is best for the organization, they'll not only hit the implementation phase with buy-in, they'll be champions of the project. They'll have a sense of ownership. Saving Changes...
I agree with Eric and Michael, we need to remove resistance to change and if we can partner with those who are likely to resist, we can even change the culture of status quo, thus making the continuous improvement a smooth evolution. Saving Changes...
In an organization that has a culture of trust, transparent communication, involved, engaged employees and positive interpersonal relationships, resistance to change is easy to see – and also much less likely to occur. Employees feel free to tell their boss what they think and to have open exchanges with managers.
When a change is introduced in this environment, with a lot of discussion and employee involvement, resistance to change is minimized. Resistance is also minimized if there is a wide-spread belief that a change is needed.
Being prepared for the resistance and making sure your solutions fit the existing culture are the keys to making change work.
It’s important that the new way makes sense at all levels. A solution is not viewed as valuable if it just compensates for a flaw in the system. Saving Changes...
