Why It's Crucial to Integrate Change Management and Project Management

Historically Change Management and Project Management have been seen as two separate functions; the former with a focus on people, and the latter on processes. It can be dangerous to look at this too simply, however. While nuance is needed to effectively implement change where people are involved, Change Management is not just about the people side of change.

It's critical Change Management is informed and guided by the Project Management rules, the scope, the timeline and the project deliverables. Here at Emergent, we take a holistic approach with our clients.

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Anecdotally I can tell you the best Project Managers I've worked with have also been Change Managers, and vice versa. A fundamental understanding of both disciplines equips practitioners with the ability to better recognise the requirements of the project, alongside the needs of stakeholders.

In my experience, this truly integrated approach delivers the best results.

As always, I look to the data available for more information, and what I've witnessed is supported by Prosci benchmarking research. Of the participants who chose to integrate change and project management, a staggering 47% reported positive outcomes.

They didn't just meet their project objectives, but also reported exceeding them at a level '17% greater than those who did not integrate'. These are figures worth paying attention to! The organisational, cultural, and financial benefits on offer are potentially too transformational to be ignored.

If the Hats Fit…‍

At Emergent, our Senior Consultants proudly wear all the hats.

They can design, develop and deliver technical solutions for your business, while also working on the adoption and training plans you'll need to ensure your people are fully engaged in the process. We're keenly aware ongoing success depends on your team being willing and able to adapt.

Don't underestimate the challenge you face here. Business as usual when it's not business as before is a complex operation, so we work closely with your team at all levels to ensure they're a vital part of the process. This brings three key benefits:

• Lower Resistance
  We can spot resistance to change and mitigate it as we work through the process. It's no secret humans fear change, and open and honest conversations with your staff mean we can identify issues and reassure them, enabling us to have strategies in place early. Whether the obstacles are real or perceived, we learn why there's resistance, and support all stakeholders in overcoming them.
• Identify Limitations
  No-one is better placed to understand the potential limitations of new technology and software than those on the frontline. We empower your staff by asking them to contribute their working knowledge to technology upgrades. This ensures you have software fit for purpose at launch (or rollover), and the most important people in the process know their voices are being heard. This then flows back into our ability to lower resistance to changes being implemented.
• The Benefits are Ongoing
  These benefits are strengthened by an aligned approach which enables our Senior Consultants to assess where your team is in ADKAR, and put steps in place to progress them to the next stage. The project lifecycle and change management lifecycle can be synergised and embedded into one plan, giving you a cohesive strategy for communications, ongoing training and evaluating RAID (risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies) as progress is made.

By building close relationships with all stakeholders, our position as external consultants means we bring an honest - and respectful - approach to working with you. If we identify issues which indicate discussions are required at the Executive and Sponsorship level, we can facilitate these happening in a constructive manner to keep both the timeline and deliverables on track.

Implementing Change Management that respects Project Management's goals and parameters and where the execution of both is closely aligned, will generate stronger results. I've seen it in my career, and Prosci has demonstrated it through their research.

At Emergent, our integrated approach to Change Management and Project Management is designed to deliver outcomes that work for your organisation - and your people - for ongoing success.

It's never too late to integrate, and we'd love the opportunity to discuss this further with you. Contact us here, or if you're ready you can book a meeting here. I look forward to hearing from you.