Welcome back.

Let's talk
about change management. Sometimes the
deliverable of a project is a new tool or new process that must be adopted
by the organization. You've just learned
that understanding organizational
structure and culture will help you plan for
and manage your project. It will also help you
roll out changes from your project to an organization. In project management,
the process of delivering your completed project and
getting people to adopt it is called change management. Understanding change
management can ensure that a project is
completed successfully and that the organization accepts and adopts the
recommendations from the project. For example, if you are launching a new time
tracking
system for employees, the project wouldn't
be successful if the employees didn't
adopt the new system. When you understand
change management and your role in the process, it can ensure a
smooth roll out of changes and easier adoption. Adoption is often
the first step to your project having
the desired impact once it goes live.
Let's get started. As a new project manager, you may not be
responsible for planning all of the required change
management for your project. But regardless, you can
help the success of the project by understanding
your role in the process and how your organization
may react to that change. It's important to recognize that it's the people
in an organization who are directly impacted by any
changes in the workplace. Implementing a new project can mean changes to processes,
budgets, schedules, and employee roles
and responsibilities. Even aesthetic changes, like building a new wing,
renovating the lobby, or switching to a
new company logo, means employees will have to adjust to something
new and different. Something as simple
as adding a new logo can lead to a major
headache for the employees, who have to swap out
all the old stationery and make sure everyone
in the office is using the new logo correctly. When you consider the
success of your project, it's important to keep
in mind the changes that people will need to
implement as a result. Thinking through these changes will set you up for
success in getting your project accepted
and adopted. There are many change management
models and strategies and a quick internet
search will provide you with more explanations
and examples than you will probably ever need. While we have additional readings on
change management coming up, feel free to read on any
articles on the topic from well respected project management organizations to keep
learning. Though there are lots
of different models, they all share the
same general concepts. Change management in
project management is centered around three core
concepts and best practices. The first core
concept is creating a sense of ownership and
urgency around the project. Ownership means getting others to feel they are
empowered to take responsibility for the successful completion
of their tasks. Urgency means getting them to understand that the project is
important and to identify what actions need to be taken
to move the project along. When team members feel a sense of ownership and urgency
around a project, it increases
interest, motivation, and engagement with
the project outcome. Another core concept
is to figure out the right combination of
skills and personalities when selecting the people
who will work on your team. Find people whose knowledge and skills complement
one another. If your team is selected for you, see if you're able to choose who
gets
assigned which tasks. If that's not possible, then it's extra important for you to
find ways to connect
with your team. This will get them excited
about the project so then they can be advocates
for change when it's needed. One effective way of
motivating your team is to communicate clearly your vision and approach for the
project. Then you can share how
you see everyone working together as a team
to make it happen. Communicating this idea clearly allows others to
share in your vision and take ownership in
bringing it to life. The final core concept is
the ever important one, effective communication. And
I can't stress this enough: communication is key. Having effective
communication with your team means being transparent
and up front with your plans and ideas and
making information available. Make sure your team, along with the rest
of the organization, is kept up-to-date
on your progress. This will allow everyone
to feel like they're included and part of the project. Once your project is
complete, you may experience some
resistance or a few roadblocks. Remember, change doesn't
happen overnight, so don't give up on it yet. If you do get some push-back, you can
move the process along
by helping folks adjust, rewarding their efforts,
and reminding them of the overall value the project
is providing long-term. Understanding the change
process can help you determine how you can support a successful response
to your project. For example, understanding the importance of communication will
help you be
mindful of clearly communicating project
plans to your team, as well as communicating the expected impact of the project
with the rest
of the organization. Remember learning about
Agile Project Management? Since it's a popular methodology that you'll probably
use at some point, I wanted to point out that many of the principles of
Agile Project Management align with successful
change management. How might an Agile team approach change
management, you ask? Being receptive to change is
a core value in Agile teams. You will often find that
they are in a state of evolution or are constantly
adapting to change. If this seems like a lot
to remember, no stress. We'll continue
learning more about these concepts
throughout the course. Just know, as the project manager, you can enact effective
change management approaches in all of your interactions. In the next video, we'll
discuss the differences between managing and participating in
the process. See you soon.