IMA's Implementing Organizational Changes at Speed Blog

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Whether your organization uses Agile or a more traditional Waterfall approach to project management there is no doubt the end goal is the same. Getting to value realization for every business initiative is, of course, the name of the game.  But, while project management protocols focus on delivering projects on time, on budget and to scope, as change management professionals, we know that is not going to be enough.  In order to get to full value realization there is more that needs to be done!   

One of the common challenges Change Agents confront is getting Sponsors to see how their commitment of resources to Change Management can actually make a difference in business results. We hear this all the time from clients who know that projects could be implemented faster and more successfully if they managed the “people-side” of projects with more discipline. We experience it, too, in our own change management consulting. 

From ERP and Technology Implementations to Shared Services to Lean Six Sigma and other process improvement initiatives, change is everywhere. But in our experience, only 25-30% of all business changes achieve full benefit realization. 

Don Harrison, developer of the Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM), has dedicated his entire, distinguished career to helping organizations worldwide implement complex changes at speed. Several years ago, he began to notice an alarming trend. Organizations were so focused on getting to launch or “go live” of their initiatives, once they got there, they declared the project over. They checked the box that the project was complete and then moved on to the next.  

It sounds so obvious when we say, “The end goal of every transformational change should be full benefit realization.”  Duh!  Of course.  But in our change management consulting work we see so many organizations who get to the “go-live” or the cut-over date of a project, declare it complete, and thus… successful. But the fact is that go live has nothing to do with getting to full implementation!  Your transformation is not “done.” 

A few weeks ago, the CEO of Ford Motor Company was fired.  The reason: the company was not moving fast enough to compete in the upcoming automated car market.  It’s a real world example why speed isn’t just a nice to have… it’s a business necessity. The need to do a better job of delivering faster, better change has never been greater.  Quite simply, organizations who are able to implement faster are one step ahead of their competition, ultimately meaning they are more successful.  

Recognize this:  if you are implementing an ERP, Lean/Six Sigma, Shared Services, a new Patient Care Model—you are under-taking transformational change that has a cultural change component.  When you begin the transformational change journey, there are inevitable truths your leaders must come to grips with!  This is not just a change for the project team, or the organization at large.  It is a change for the leaders themselves, and their role can’t be overlooked or under-estimated.  

Walk into almost any large corporation and we bet you will find at least one (if not more) of these changes in their change portfolio:  shared services, mergers or acquisitions, ERP/technology updates, customer-centric strategies, and other one company solutions.  These enterprise-wide changes can all be significant strategic solutions to critical business problems or market opportunities. In fact, “one company” business models can markedly improve customer satisfaction, materially reduce operating margins, utilize resources more effectively, improve internal collaboration, and position the organization to respond quicker to changing market conditions. The ROI is staggering.  But…so is the investment required! 

Mercy Healthcare is the 5^th largest Catholic Healthcare System in the United States.  They have facilities in 4 states and employ over 40,000 people.  Between the Affordable Healthcare Act, plus sweeping clinical and operational changes, Mercy is typical of the crazy, busy world of healthcare today.  In fact, they are a complex, innovative and forward-thinking organization that considers “change” a constant part of their lives. 

One of the foundations of IMA’s proprietary Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) is, “In order to achieve value realization, you must first identify the “human objectives” for your change." {Tweet This}  But what exactly are the “human objectives” and why is it so important to pay attention to them?