What happens when change overload confronts transformational change? Too much going on, with resources diffused across too many projects-- if this sounds like your organization, you are not alone! The result is that in the rush to "get it done," the project team becomes focused primarily on meeting milestones and technical objectives, with pressure to not add resources that could affect given budget constraints.
Just this week, two clients have shared a common and very challenging change management situation. They are about to re-launch ERP systems even though they have attempted to implement the system multiple times in the past without success. These organizations are beginning to see that there is a need for doing something different, although they may not be totally sure what that really means! When implementations fail, there are long-term and short-term costs, and direct and in-direct implications. All of this points to a business case for a change management methodology that will reduce risk.
One of the most common questions we get from clients around Defining the Change in the AIM methodology is to explain what we mean by "human objectives." Let's try and take the mystery out of human objectives once and for all!
In our change management consulting, we work across many industries and organizations that are in the throes of transformation. The healthcare industry may well be the leader in transformational change. In addition to the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act (also known as Obamacare), healthcare is experiencing a myriad of other changes, including:
Are your healthcare reform-related transformational changes on time and on budget? Are you seeing warning signs that some of the changes may stall, or take too long, or not drive sustained behavioral changes in important stakeholder groups, especially physicians?
One of the common strategic changes we see in our change management consulting is the attempt to implement EPMOs (Enterprise Program Management Offices.) Why the interest in EPMOs? What problem is the EPMO trying to solve? For many organizations, the establishment of an EPMO is an attempt to drive greater collaboration across the enterprise and overcome the traditional silos. This is an admirable objective, but what does it take from a change management consulting perspective?
What's the end-goal for your enterprise-wide change? That may seem like an obvious question, but it's really not! In our thirty-plus years of change management consulting we've observed a common pattern of "premature project completion" across all types of organizational changes, including enterprise-wide change.
Question: What's one of the first things many organizations do when they embark on transformational change?
Answer: A new vision and values statement.
But is this really a meaningful way to start the transformational change journey?
What's the level of impact your change management methodology is having on the organization? How can you assess how deeply embedded the methodology is across the enterprise?
