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How to ensure your change project is a success

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Any project that is focused on change in an organisation can be complex. To ensure that your project is a success, there are some common pitfalls that should be avoided. Here are a handful of hints that your project team can keep close at hand to ensure they move forward with introducing successful change in your organisation.

Hint no.1: Deliver early and tangible results

The life of a change project can be quite short if people don't start to see visible results and things happening. The maximum time has been quoted as six months for something to happen before support will start to wean from the project. Keep this in mind when designing the project to ensure that there are both short and long term deliverables in the plan. Results will be the only way to avoid increased resistance and retain momentum and support for your project.

Hint no.2: Don't make everything high priority

Change projects that do not set priorities are doomed to fail. Everything cannot be equally important, so although the project can start with a broad scope, narrowing down to smaller targets. The project team will need to make some choices, but for a successful project not everything can have equal importance.

Hint no.3: Involve new people

Much of the success of a change project will depend on the team you put forward to get the job done. This team needs to not only be talented and diverse, but needs to represent all the main stakeholders involved in the project. By definition change means letting go of old ways of thinking. The team behind the project then needs to be full of innovative thinkers that are committed to seeing beyond the status quo.

Hint no.4: Connect the dots

Change projects can often mean many individual projects taking place simultaneously throughout an organisation or department. Making a clear connection between all of these projects will ensure that people understand everything that is going on around them. A clear understanding and harmonization of the different components of a project will allow for a clear view of the bigger picture so no one focuses too much on the smaller details that may be affecting them closely.

Hint no.5: Answer the question 'What's in it for me?'

Anyone that doesn't understand the answer to this question will resist change in their organisation. Personal matters will take priority over any potential benefits for the organisation or for the future of the enterprise. Employees will only change if they have been explained the personal gain they will get. It's only human that we won't be open to change if we can't see how it will personally affect us.

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