Navigating Change: Strategies for Successful Change Management in Complex Projects

Change management is a crucial approach in the context of complex projects, such as those involving the implementation of software such as CRM / ERP / etc., digital transformation projects, etc.

The goal is to convince people to accept the new situation (without necessarily adhering to it or being a promoter, at least initially).

The goal is to ensure as smooth a transition as possible from a current state to a future state.

What is change management?

Change management aims to facilitate the transition from a current state to a future state, via proven methods to minimize resistance to change.

The definition of resistance to change is as follows: “Resistance to change is a natural reaction to any form of modification or innovation introduced into a familiar environment. It can manifest itself in various ways, notably through disengagement, a lack of confidence in the solution put in place, a feeling of not having been involved in the decision-making process, a lack of motivation, etc. To overcome resistance to change, It is recommended to involve employees in preparing for change, to solicit feedback, to clearly explain the reasons and benefits of change, to provide specialized training and to create new comfort zones for everyone. ”

We must not believe that resistance to change only concerns others.

All human beings love stability and hate change.

Any change, whether small or big, will inevitably lead to fear and resistance.

This is why it is crucial to support employees, reassure them and highlight the advantages of change.

The ideal is of course to obtain the support of as many people as possible (with the positive sides of the change), but not everyone will be the driving force.

To understand the mechanism of resistance to change, we can use the change curve.

It’s a chart that illustrates the different emotional phases that individuals can go through during a change (whatever the nature, from project management to personal life).

It is inspired by the grief curve and includes stages such as

denial,
anger,
sadness,
acceptance
serenity / appropriation

Resistance is one of the biggest challenges in leading change. It is therefore crucial to identify sources of resistance and put in place strategies to overcome them.

In the context of project management, combating resistance to change requires a communication plan to support, explain, demonstrate, etc.

Here are the main methods for reducing resistance to change in a project:

Involve stakeholders (users of the deployed solution, people whose work will have to change, etc.) from the start of the project.
- Their active participation can reduce resistance because they feel involved and have a sense of ownership over the change.
- For example, you can invite them to the selection committees for the new solution, hold a workshop to identify needs, etc.
Explain why the change is necessary, how it will be implemented, and what the benefits are (while being transparent about the downsides).
- Open communication without language can dispel fears and misunderstandings.
- This can be done through participatory meetings, breakfasts, regular newsletters, etc.
Organize training to help employees acquire the skills needed to adapt to change.
- For example, you can organize physical training, online training, a permanent person at the start of the project, etc.
- what is interesting is to have a person who will be the referent for the project in each department in order to have better proximity.
Encourage employees to share their concerns and feedback in order to address them.
- It is completely legitimate to have questions, and we must allow people to express them.
- This can help identify areas of resistance and address them.
Reassure with measures to anticipate or reduce problems.
- For example, carry out procedures that make change less intimidating for employees.
Value and reward those who embrace and support change.
- This can be via a testimonial in an internal newsletter.
Get support from management and managers
- Having managers who support and embody the change will show that the project is truly essential in the company.
Make sure resources will be available during implementation.
- There is nothing worse than leaving people to fend for themselves when launching the project…

The more answers you have, and the more you formalize this, the less people involved in the project will be able to have bad faith and try to slow down the project.

Hence the importance of having written documents, of communicating, of sending elements, of having a clear schedule.

There is nothing worse than a project that is launched, then works and ends without any news, and is put into place overnight.

Surprise and constraint are the number one enemies of good management of resistance to change.

For this, it is necessary to provide regular information points.

Knowing that resistance to change can occur at all stages of project management, and from the different stakeholders of the project.

I advise you to set up project management software (see this list of 17 project management software) to structure your approach and be able to easily provide an inventory

Here are some software that I recommend:

– Monday.com : Monday is a very visual and very simple software. It allows you to simply share agendas, activities, etc. between the stakeholders of a project. It also offers automation tools (if you receive an email from such and such a person then…).

The price is as follows

Free for 2 users => Test on this link.
€8 / month / user for the Basic offer (5 GB of storage, unlimited tables, etc.) => Test on this link
10 € / month / users for the Standard offer (calendar, GANTT chart, automation, etc.)