If you are looking for the best of solutions for some element of change in your organization you will inevitably be faced with integrating into these five structural areas.
- The Performance Management System
- Transactional HR
- The PMO
- Organizational Timing
- Resource Fulfillment
Performance Management
What people are measured on is often at odds with change. The way they are measured and the timing of the recording always conflicts with change initiatives. A strong case can be made for separating the measures for team members during longer initiatives (anything that covers one or more performance cycles). Even a separate pot that works as an addition to regular compensation (or as a percentage of normal for those tied to initiatives) can make things easier for the change team.
Transactional HR
Much the same as the performance management cycle is the timing of transactional HR elements. Hiring’s and firings seem to come in groups and can slow down processes throughout the organization- CM is not immune. The paperwork involved in the use of external resources often has to be planned (if you are using third parties for your hunting expect two weeks to bring anyone new into an initiative- that is an eternity of valuable time for crunched change programs). If you are using a procurement firm (the 5% fee cover the paperwork kind of third party) you can scrunch that time a little. Admittedly, some of these transactions may fall under the realm of operations and procurement.
The PMO
Should be part of the change program process, yes. If they are operating as a policing and controlling unit, or see that as their role, anything that takes time (and connecting the people to the end state does) will ruffle their feathers. Especially in measurement and tactical oriented organizations this influence can be a motivational drain, extra hands in the kitchen (although they would say that about the change team) and an obstacle to forward movement. In fairness they can be helpful in moving the other structural elements out of the way if they are influential enough.
Organizational Timing
Every organization has its cycles and seasons. Every function within also has their own. Change has to work its way around those tradition time periods. Wise change takes a look at them in passing to see if perhaps there is some enhancement due…
Resource Fulfillment
It is surprising how time consuming and arduous this process can be. In a perfect world, or a perfectly designed organization, anyone who wants to participate in the guiding of change can. It is also surprising how many people would choose to do just that in a perfect world. In the practical world of reality though those potential champions are being measured on something completely different. They have little incentive to break away from the measure that feeds them.This is definitely a battle for change practitioners and change leaders. The tweak is percentage assignments. From my experience anything less than a 50% commitment makes it difficult for an individual to contribute at the level they would like.
