"Dear Angela, what are some strategies I can use to ensure a smooth change management process?"
Change is hard. Even those who like "changing things up" will admit that it can be tough. Change management is defined as "the management of change and development within a business or similar organization." In layman's terms, it's improving a business by altering how work is done.
Use change agents or champions:
1. There should be a person or group who is championing the change. Be sure to use those folks to spread positive messages about the change. They can also provide feedback to you as they hear from people with concerns.
2. As you hear back from people, tweak your change to better suit everyone and then get your champions to spread the word again. Learning that their input helped shape the issue will grow an even bigger group of champions.
Another strategy is using dramatic ceremonies and symbols:1. Within our hardwired need for social connection lies an innate desire for ritual and ceremony. There are times when we as people just need closure. The bigger the change, the more time needed to implement it and the more closure we need.
2. You're trying to send a message that the old way is no longer relevant or rewarded. And that the new way will bring reward.
3. Something as simple as a project kick off meeting is a symbol of a team coming together to understand their common purpose.
Regardless of the strategies, be sure that sufficient resources are committed to seeing through the change. These resources might be financial, training or even new processes. The key is to make sure there is widespread communication about the change. Making sure that people are informed and have a chance to communicate their concerns will go a very long way in creating successful change management.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Angela PM is the executive leader of Project Insight’s latest project management platform, PI#team. She is a natural born leader and of course, Project Management is her passion. Angela is a Project Management Consultant with over 15 years of experience managing complex website projects. She has worked her tail off to become the best professional in her industry. Many in her field respect, admire and even fear the amount of dedication and detail she puts into her work. Her expertise, coupled with her positive and straight-forward attitude make her the perfect person to get industry insight from.