If you’ve been involved in a business transformation program you know that sustaining change on a large-scale over time can be very difficult. This is especially true for programs that require a lengthy implementation period such as ERP implementations and multi-year enterprise cost-cutting programs. The progress generated by short-term wins often propels the change effort […]
In this article we will share with you the Threat-Opportunity Analysis, which is a change management tool that helps a project team develop its case for change. We had written previously about how to develop a powerful case for change and why it’s important to have one for your business transformation initiative (e.g., enterprise system deployment, […]
Never underestimate the importance of buy-in to the success of your strategic initiative or business transformation. Buy-in is so critical for creating a sense of urgency and gaining stakeholder alignment that John Kotter wrote a book about it: Buy-In: Saving Your Good Ideas From Getting Shot Down(2010, Harvard Business Press). All business initiatives begin as […]
Interviewing stakeholders, along with focus groups and surveys, is one of the primary methods of gathering qualitative data. Insights gleaned from stakeholder interviews provide the basis for stakeholder analysis and prioritization and serve as a critical step in formulating an effective organizational change strategy. Stakeholder interviews done well yield many benefits: Correct structures, processes, and […]
The first time someone walks me through their stakeholder list on a major initiative, the document usually has one of two problems. Either everyone in the org has been listed (which is functionally the same as no one being prioritized), or the list reflects who the project sponsor happens to know personally (which is functionally […]
Stakeholder resistance, if it gains a foothold on a large scale, can threaten to derail even the most positive change effort. There are four primary reasons1 that people resist change. Once you know what types to look for, you will be better equipped to spot change resistance in your organization. After you have identified the […]
Successful change initiatives require strong committed leadership through the entire project by both the business sponsor and the implementation team members. When strong leadership is lacking, the risks are manifold, such as stakeholders believe the “wrong” people are leading the effort; leaders kick-off the initiative and are not seen or heard from again; leaders are […]
I first published a version of this post back in 2010. The headline was the same. The argument was the same. The statistics, unfortunately, are not all that different. Fifteen years and several waves of transformation later, most organizations are still spending real money on change and still getting modest results for it. That should […]
Jesse Jacoby
