Webinar - Defining CM - Nov 13 2007

This is an important foundation for any change management specialist in an organization. In order to show the value that change management delivers, people must undertand what we mean when we say "change management". On the webinar we use three buckets to provide context for change management - 1) "the change" - what will actually be different once we implement this initiative, 2) project management - the process and tools for managing the technical component of the initiative, and 3) change management - the process and tools for managing the people side of the initiative.

I think our first step is to get people thinking in terms of current state, transition state and future state. Once we begin seeing change in terms of these states, it begins to make sense that there are tools for making the shift happen. I like starting with examples of current and future states that fall outside of the workplace - an old rotary phone compared to a cell phone, a horse and buggy compared to a new car, a bank teller compared to an ATM. Then, once we get them thinking in terms of current and future states, we make the subtle shift to the current states and future states happening around them in the workplace.

Finally, the confusion about change management is the last place to investigate and understand. What do the people in your organization think of when you say the words "change management"? From a catch-all umbrella that encompasses any type of improvement approach to "that is just communication" - there is confusion that you will have to address. The power of context - whether it is the current, transition, future states approach or using the Prosci PCT Tool - is that change management begins to fit into a framework, and its role becomes clearer when I see how change management relates to the other realities I experience.

What do you think? What confusion have you faced? How have you created context for change management? Let the community know!

Thanks.

TimC