You’re struggling to communicate during a change management project. How can collaboration help?

To tackle communication hurdles in a change management project, the key is in-depth understanding and strategic stakeholder engagement. Starting with a deep dive into the client's annual reports and strategic goals provides a solid foundation. Next, engaging with a broad spectrum of stakeholders—from team members to executives—helps gather diverse insights. This information allows for effective stakeholder mapping and understanding of their objectives and concerns. It's also vital to recognize how the project interlinks with other initiatives, ensuring alignment and identifying synergies. This comprehensive approach not only sharpens communication but also positions you as a trusted advisor, paving the way for successful transformation.

All of the above are useful tools but in my experience the first and most useful tool is understand where the business and/organisation is in its plans - Primarily the Strategic Plan, then the Service/Business units plans, identifying gaps and celebrating and building on wins. Then the identification of champions of the new ways of working whilst winning the hearts, minds and hands of the people who are working and delivering the day to day operational tasks without whom, the overall could not be achieved. It starts with recognising the people at the bottom and building from the ground up.... not the other way around.

Identifying the right stakeholders is key in any project/ program/ initiatives. I follow the simple 5 - I's of the stakeholder management. 1) Is the Person/Group "Impacted" by the outcome of the initiative? 2) Is the Person/Group "Influence / Influential" to make the positive outcome in the initiative? 3) Is the Person / Group "Involvement" is key to the progress of the initiative? 4) Is the Person / Group "Interest" is positive and well supported the initiative in the right direction? 5) Is the Person / Group providing "Information" related to the initiative? The above 5'I's - Impact - Influence - Involve-Interest- Information make the right decision on "IDENTIFY"ing your stakeholder. You can also categorize them as High - Medium - Low.

There is a need to establish a stakeholder management matrix. All the stakeholders need to be engaged depending upon the commitment and importance. An effective communication plan with all the stakeholders is essential for the progress and success of the project

There is a need to establish a stakeholder management matrix. All the stakeholders need to be engaged depending upon the commitment and importance. An effective communication plan with all the stakeholders is essential for the progress and success of the project.

Express your point of view and communicate it appropriately. Follow these three steps: honestly state the reality and why change is necessary, demonstrate confidence in the future and the leaders, finally show the way forward. Make people feel like it's their business/project too. Transform partners and employees into allies and ambassadors of your vision. Talk to each person individually. The journey you are embarking on will only have a happy ending if each person experiences the change, while also wanting to know how it affects them personally.

Change, not so easy and depending on variables, human related, especially. As is well known. Step by step is recommended but not possible sometimes. Anyhow, identify stakeholders, which should be promoters. Use their influence. The most important are the "change agents", persons directly involved in the process and who really believe in that. The "believers" are those that will move forward. The others that are against to any change of the "status quo" should be ignored. Real evaluation of the current situation and clear vision about how should be is mandatory. Gap analysis, objectives and actions plan need to be agreed by all involved. PDCA. Planning and communication. Everybody involved should read on the same page.

Communicate is key for any collaboration. Collaboration is key for any project success. The collaboration comes from understanding "GRPI" process - A communication tool in a project management or part of the program initiatives. G - Goals - Does everyone in the team have clear and consistent understanding of the Goal using 3A's - Aligned, Agreed & Accepted. P - Process - Process for communicating information's, actions, tasks, plans etc - Weekly Meeting, Bi-weekly reporting, monthly reviews etc R - Resources involved in each of the stages in the communication process. I - Informed - Who should we kept informed on the outcomes, status Quo, Action plans related to project/ program . GRPI to align both top - down to Bottom up approach.

In my experience with change management, I’ve found that the most impactful approach for effective communication is co-creation and co-development through collaborative brainstorming workshops. While having a predefined deliverable in mind is valuable, harnessing the collective intelligence of participants is truly transformative. When individuals actively contribute to shaping the outcome, they not only embrace the deliverable more readily but also become its enthusiastic advocates and champions. Their sense of ownership and pride in co-creating something meaningful fosters rapid adoption and sustained commitment.

How about one day you give it a shot and become more empathetic? Why not try and really understand the struggles, challenges, expectations of the people around you so you can better offer support? One day, taking a leap and starting to really care you might just meet your goals more easily and quickly. Don’t get stuck in your ways. How about we start focusing less on form and more on depth, real insight and helping people. Want to keep your people engaged? Ask them what really motivates them and understand what really matters for them, and just give them that. That will work!

How to Involve and empower collaborators? The simple and foremost step would be ARMI in the beginning of your project. A - Approver - The members are who are Empowered to take decisions irrespective of "Job /Authority in the organization". This Roles fulfils empowerment at Strategic level. R - Resources - The Project team members who are part of the initiative / project / program who are empowered to carry out tasks at OPERATIONAL level. This roles fulfils empowerment at Operational Level M - Members - The Non Project team members however who are key contributors and collaborators empowers to carry our TACTICAL level. This role fulfils empowerment at TACTICAL Level. I - Informed - The wider organization who needs to be kept communicated.

Make 2 by 2 Grid. Tab it as Low & High for both axis. 1) If the team / individual Performance is High & Expectation is high - Keep up the Good Work . Quadrant 1 2) If the team / individual Performance is High & the expectation is Low - Your over Killing Yourself - This is the area for possible conflict - Quadrant 2 3) If the team / individual performance is Low and the expectation is High - Your Learning or Reset the Expectation - This is area for Conflict & Possible Blind spot - Quadrant 3 4) if the team / individual performance is Low and the Expectation is Low - This must be a Low Priority Task - Quadrant 4. Focus on Quadrant - 3, soon or later you might end up in the opposite side of your team or organization. Quadrant 2 revisit it.

A good change story can change the story about change!!! Let that sink in! What people want, expect and what they need are different things. Go ask them about needs and expectations, build the right story and that will reduce if not eliminate conflicts.

The success of the organization is dependent on the success of the people in each of their specific fields, and their success is related to the context, their abilities, but especially to the way the organizational culture offers them the right mechanisms to achieve synergy. Seneca said – No man became wise by accident. Paraphrasing we can say that no organization achieved success by accident. It's hard work, it takes time and in the beginning it hurts! So celebrate achievements, drink that champagne, go out on Thursday afternoon...

Change means moving from current stage to a desired stage, it cannot be achieved with similar views or philosophies, it needs diverse perspectives to be an effective change. Collaboration brings together individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. This diversity can provide fresh perspectives and insights into the change process, leading to more comprehensive communication strategies. Collaboration helps foster trust and camaraderie among team members, which is essential for effective communication. It also helps in mitigating resistance to change and promote buy-in and support for the change. Remember having an ally at the various ends in form of stakeholders is essential and collaboration is the key to have ally's

Change is not a sprint! Change is a marathon you run in many sprints! And yo have to set the pace you are comfortable with in order to reach your finish line!