The real question is, do they care?
When speaking to client relationships about their need for a Project / Programme Manager to help deliver a solution, I often find myself asking: Do you not need a Change Manager for the Change Management and adoption of said programme?
To which the usual response is: ‘Can’t one do the other?’ or ‘No, we only have budget for one.’
While it is widely agreed that there are areas that overlap, the two roles usually have different goals and priorities. That is not to say that some programme professionals achieve one entirely without the other, but this is not possible in its entirety. I have been lucky enough to work with many exceptional Programme Managers during my career, who naturally take it upon themselves to deliver not only the programme (in time and to budget) but also to help towards minimising the negative impact while increasing adoption of its stakeholders to ensure maximum ROI.
Change management has been widely documented throughout history in various texts although granted, not always as ‘change management’.
‘…there is nothing more difficult and dangerous, or more doubtful of success, than an attempt to introduce a new order of things…’ – from Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince
Although Machiavelli wrote The Prince as an analysis of how to acquire and maintain political power, its relevance to modern organisations and change management can not be denied.
A Programme Manager will work with a project team to deliver a plan with set start and end dates, milestones, benefits and final deliverables in a well-documented manner for the Programme sponsors.
A Change Manager will work with the same project team to identify, communicate and – where possible – minimise the impact relating to how any changes resulting from organisation and PM activities with effect all stakeholders. A Survey conducted by Deloitte states that:
‘Change implementation is a continuous process in context of project work, beginning with the project inception and ending when the desired result is achieved.’
From the above two points are clear:
- A successful programme is determined by whether it had a good ROI and the ROI is greatly affected by the level of adoption and the impact on stakeholders.
- It is imperative that a Change Manager aids with stakeholder adoption, as a Programme Manager has their own deliverables and stakeholders to manage.
‘Hence it is that, whenever the opponents of the new order of things have the opportunity to attack it, they will do it with the zeal of partisans, whilst the others defend it but feebly, so that it is dangerous to rely upon the latter.’ – from Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince
Do you think organisations will grow up to the importance of Change Management and show it the relevant investment needed, or will Programme Managers as we know it cease to exist and be expected to incorporate a large part of Change Management too?
