How can you stay focused on long-term projects in Change Management?

I am well-versed in the challenge of maintaining concentration on extended change management initiatives. The secret is to use SMART objectives. This entails setting goals that are Time-bound, Relevant, Specific, Measurable, and Achievable. For instance, instead of stating something vague like "enhance customer satisfaction," I would state something specific like "increase our Net Promoter Score by 10 points over the next 12 months through the deployment of a new customer feedback platform." This meticulous preparation not only directs our work but also offers concrete benchmarks by which we can assess our progress, adjust our approach, and effect significant, long-lasting change.

Don't underestimate the amount of time it takes for change to occur. Start very early and pace it so that the organization can grow into it vs a shock to the culture. Plan, plan, plan....

Sometimes you need something a little easier to develop then SMART goals. In those situations make a simple work plan. Simply name your tasks by priority, add names to each task as responsible for completing the task and set deadlines. You’ll be amazed by how much you get done by listing tasks, naming responsible people, and setting deadlines.

In my experience managing technology and business transformations, it has worked well to divide large, complicated projects into smaller, more manageable jobs. Visualizing the project timeline, setting deadlines, and comprehending dependencies all benefit from the use of tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and comprehensive calendars. Clearly defining roles and duties within the team guarantees that everyone is aware of their contribution to the project's advancement. Clear expectations communication creates the conditions for achievement and accountability. This methodical segmentation helps to keep momentum and focus throughout the project lifecycle in addition to simplifying the project management process.

Cognitive science can back this up! Breaking down tasks or chunking the work helps you utilize your working memory better, and you don't get stuck. Start by asking yourself questions like "what do you know?" and "what don't you know" to help you prioritize big project tasks into manageable parts.

One thing that I have found helpful is to organize the change management strategy into smaller time horizons like monthly or quarterly as a way to plan and consider how you might roll out events and communications.

Setting priorities and assigning responsibilities to others is crucial, in my experience, for long-term change management efforts to succeed. Not every task is equally important, so it's important to identify which will have the biggest influence. These jobs can be identified with the help of frameworks such as the Pareto principle, the MoSCoW technique, or the Eisenhower Matrix. Delegation holds similar significance. I maximize project resources by assigning tasks to team members who possess the necessary skills or are available. This empowers the team and frees me up to focus on strategic oversight and innovation, a balance that has proven crucial in achieving successful outcomes in my consulting practice.

A dedicated project team is essential to ensure success. Prioritising and allocating tasks is critical for long-term change management projects to succeed. However, many organisations make the mistake of not budgeting the resources to second a dedicated project team. When this happens, allocated tasks aren't completed because team members will prioritise their BAU activities ahead of their assigned change management project tasks.

For long-term projects, developing a change management strategy is key for prioritizing tasks. Even if brought in at a later stage, the development of a change management strategy does the following: - Creates a shared understanding of project goals and desired outcomes. - Identifies sources of change management risk to project success. - Results in a roadmap of critical functions and tasks. Without taking this crucial step, change management efforts will be reactive, less effective, and, at worse, create confusion.

It is essential to conduct regular evaluations and celebrations while leading significant change within organizations in order to maintain momentum and morale. I have experience driving business change, so I know how important it is to evaluate the effectiveness of a project as well as the opportunities and dangers that surround it. Using instruments like SWOT analysis, questionnaires, and feedback sessions yields priceless information and insights that direct strategic course. Furthermore, it is essential to recognize and commemorate every accomplishment, no matter how big or small. In addition to providing motivation, these instances of acknowledgement also help to reaffirm the team's dedication and efforts.

Agree, especially the focus on team spirit is crucial. It does not need to be a fancy party, but getting together as a whole team in an informal setting goes a long way.

I gather the team for brief celebrations at milestone completions, recognize individual contributions, organize informal team-building activities, and encourage open communication and feedback.

Long-term initiatives provide tremendous learning opportunities, in my opinion. Both achievements and setbacks are important teachers since they provide us with new perspectives on how to improve our methods, abilities, and final results. I've regularly incorporated the use of instruments such as "lessons learned" sessions, after-action reviews, and retrospectives into my work. These aid in not only documenting important lessons learned but also making them easier for the team to share. By using these insights in subsequent projects, we may enhance not only the project's immediate execution but also foster an organizational culture of continual improvement, which is a fundamental component of my leadership style and professional philosophy.

I like to use the PDCA method. Plan, Do, Check, Act. It's easy to implement and you can create great impact. Learning shall always be shared in a team setting as well.

A lessons learnt session that is dedicate to review the project is a must, and if it's a long term multi-phase project then doing it each end phase is required to ensure lessons are embedded and mistakes are not repeated in other projects or phases. Key is to instil a culture of psychological safety where people feel free to discuss issues and areas for improvement without fear of reprisal, without being defensive.,

Oh look a squirrel! What a stupid question. The change manager doesn’t work on their own with multiple distractions popping up. They have a timeline and work in conjunction with other areas of the business, they don’t get distracted. SMART goals!!??! Your change project is not like remembering to keep your dishcloth drawer organised. If a change will take ages to deliver you don’t start the comms until close to go live and you set expectations with engaged stakeholders.

Prepare sua organização para atravessar a curva da mudança. Projetos longos são desafiadores quando consideramos que os colaboradores da empresa precisam se manter engajados durante todo o período em que o projeto está sendo implementado. Sempre que algo impacta nossa rotina, isso nos causa desconforto. E o resultado disso é a resistência, demonstrada de diversas formas. E quando não tratamos isso, colocamos em risco todo o projeto. Por isso, falar e conscientizar todos sobre a curva da mudança é essencial. A curva possui os estágios: negação, raiva, barganha, depressão e aceitação. Cada uma delas possui sintomas específicos e o remédio certo. Capacitar a liderança para a gestão disso garantirá o sucesso do projeto a longo prazo.

Everyone must know why the change needs to be done and how the change is favorable to the organization, the client, and everyone's work. The objective should always be clear for everyone. Communications should always be aligned with the proper phase and the right time; different types of communications should be deployed in various stages of the long-term project, and each piece should have a different purpose. Quick-Wins are also allies to help people be focused, feel they are reaching the ultimate goal, and see the results of their effort and hard work. Recognition of the teams and the people involved is also an excellent strategy to keep people focused and compromise.