Change is constant and it’s all around us from; evolving technologies, the way that we now interact with people, to the way that we do business. Unless you’re living in a bubble, change is inevitable and for the most part, a business requirement in order to stay current and competitive. This paper is not in any way meant to dive into the specifics of every phase or facet of an end-to-end change management plan. It is only meant to provide some thought provoking high level points when thinking about how your company is looking at implementing an organization change management program.

I can’t tell you how many clients tell us that “they don’t need change management” and that “they are going to roll out a new project or process, and just tell people to get on board and deal with it”! Well…unfortunately that approach does not typically work, and the result is most likely not going to be the desired one. More often than not, the rework effort required to fix the problem caused by a failed change management process is costly and time consuming.

Why Change Management – A BUSINESS DISCIPLINE

Today’s organizational change management initiatives must be a business discipline, driving bottom-line results through changes in systems and behaviors. Managing this change has therefore become a critical skill, both for leadership — and for workers in an organization. A number of major change efforts in organizations fail because organizations often do not take the holistic approach required to see the change through, and to also validate the success of the change management plan.

Understanding Organizational Change

Organizational change is constant and will always occur. Through the clear understanding all the components on an individual level, we can evaluate how the change will relate at an organizational level. We also need to understand that the impact on the individual is of substantial importance, as it may easily filter through and influence all levels of the organization. Organizational change can influence fear and uncertainty, and there is a need to understand some of the influences, and to properly be prepared to mitigate them when they happen.

Influences on Change

Typically causes of change can be split into two primary factors: Internal and External.

• External factors are always influencing and interacting with organizations. Individuals and organizations may have very little ability to influence such external factors such as politics, culture, economy, societal changes, or technology.
• Internal factors are very numerous, as almost any item or event can influence change within an organization, but some of the more influential ones are employees, policies, organization structure, managerial, and financial. With internal causes of change we have the most ability to control and prepare the outcomes of such events.

Change Commitment Curve

Successfully managing organizational change initiatives will help gain commitment for the change and increase the ability to implement and build upon that change. One goal of Organizational Change Management (OCM) is to move the right stakeholders up the change curve at the right time by using interventions or levers, to mitigate any negative responses and build ongoing support of the change.

Defining Your Change Management Strategy

A simple way to gather data for the change strategy is to set up interviews and ask questions regarding the different aspects of the organizational change. The strategy then evolves into a “blueprint” for the change initiative.

• Description of the proposed change vision, and its goals
• The reasons(s) why the change is necessary
• Executive alignment
• Project stakeholders and stakeholder groups and their involvement
• Key communication messages broken down by audience
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Focus Areas
• Target time frame to achieve goals
• Critical success measures and key performance indicators

Reactions to Change  

Let’s face it, in a perfect world every project would be “on time, under budget, and without problems.”  In this same environment, my favorite football team would always be in the Super Bowl; but that’s just not going to happen.

In reality, most projects are deemed “too important” to fail; and yet, problems can – and do – surface.  For example: it is not uncommon for projects, regardless of their size, to have speed bumps, obstacles, or risks that can create problems. These challenges can impact any project manager’s ability to oversee the success of the project or even set the project on a path of a potential failure. 

There may not be a single overriding factor that may cause the failure of your project.  Rather, a number of factors could be involved, some of which may be interacting with each other, which include:

• Project timelines sliding.
• Resources getting reassigned.
• Communications starting to fail.
• Sponsorships wane.
• And of course the vast array of technical problems that pop-up.

Even projects that “were” delivered on time and under budget can result in failure over the long-term; and these failures can cost companies additional time and money on rework efforts!  However, if you have a logical approach on how you are going to track and mitigate your risks and problems you should be able to successfully deliver your project as planned.

Remember: despite these difficulties, successful project management is not rocket science, requiring a doctorate or knowledge of advanced mathematics.  In fact, the successful management of a project should not be overly complicated, as if it is based on the principles of space travel.  Instead, project management should be built around the strategic management of resources, technology, tools, and finances, and should be delivered based on a logical progression of activities and events.

A PHASED APPROACH

When our company builds Project Management Offices (PMO’s) for clients, the solution is developed and built from our baseline four (4) phased approach. Each phase has multiple actives and deliverables associated with it; and each single phase is as important to accomplish as another.

Phase One: Evaluation – Conduct the proper due diligence to gather, identify, and analyze the requirements for project business case development and project goals. Define the scope of the project. Determine if the project is valid and attainable, in order to meet the needs of the company.

Phase Two: Planning – Identify risks, issues, quality, scope, and finances; define project standards; identify knowledge transfer and training requirements (if required). Develop the communications strategy and requirements for change management. Evaluate and define the entry/exit criteria for each project. Determine the project work effort, schedule, dependencies and resources and identify critical paths.

Phase Three: Deployment – Manage work effort, schedules, resources, quality, scope, and finances; maintain project standards; control project work; measure progress; track and manage risks, action items, dependencies, issues, and assumptions; monitor and report status against the critical path. Implement a communications strategy and any requirements for change management. 

Phase Four: Realization – Using a series of checkpoints, established performance criteria, and service rehearsals (if required), you must verify that the project work has been successfully completed and will function as planned.

This approach lays out the simplified strategic plan of attack, which identifies a logical approach and the associated activities and deliverables needed to successfully manage projects. 

REACHING OUT FOR ASSISTANCE

Nonetheless, the most well designed plans don’t always turn out as well as you would like. Occasionally, you may need the help of someone outside of your project to offer his or her perspective on the situation, which involves the “heavy lifting” necessary to save the project. 

 Albert Einstein once said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”  I agree with this statement, not because Dr. Einstein was smarter than me (though he was), but because he was right!

Sometimes we get so far down in the weeds that we just cannot see the daylight.  That’s when it’s okay to get help to fix what’s broken. The fix may be very simple, or it could be a massive effort.  However, if you go back to your logical approach and break down the key steps and activities you should be able to get your project back on track.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Cevolani is the Chief Executive Officer for Novus Origo, and brings over 30 years of successful experience in the areas of Management, Strategy, Outsourcing, and Training Consulting Services for Fortune 500 & Middle Market clients, and Government Agencies.

ABOUT NOVUS ORIGO

Novus Origo is the leader in the next generation of hybrid service firms, dedicated to the success of clients by designing innovative strategies, implementing new processes & technologies, identifying cost reductions, and training organizations which result in improved operational performance and ongoing business excellence.   Novus Origo specializes in Program & Project Management, Strategic Consulting, Sourcing/Acquisition Consulting, and Training Services with a focus in the areas of Information Technology (IT, HRIT, ITO, & Cloud), Systems Integration, Business Process Management & Re-engineering, and Business Process Outsourcing (ERP, HRO, FAO, & RPO).

Novus Origo services are delivered by a team of highly experienced executives and consultants from leading advisory firms and government agencies with hands-on experience planning, managing, and delivering success on some of the most complex and challenging projects for Fortune 500 & Middle Market clients, and Government Agencies.

Novus Origo is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

For further information about Novus Origo please call (760) 438-4354, visit www.NovusOrigo.com or email: info@NovusOrigo.com.

Management consulting has many definitions, but there is one true barometer about this field: results. Thus, the true definition of management consulting should focus on the success clients can achieve, thanks to innovative and effective advisers who have the experience necessary to thrive. To enjoy these benefits, management consulting should highlight a variety of services, which enables clients to reach their respective goals and thrive.

Some of these services must include:

• Staff Augmentation
• Program & Project Management
• Transition / Implementation Management
• Project Management Office (PMO) Setup
• Project Assessment & Rescue
• Portfolio Management
• Technology Selection & Integration
• Systems & Application Optimization
• Human Resource Capacity Planning
• Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery

By delivering these services on-time and on-budget, business advisers have an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership, while furthering the activities of the clients they serve. By that definition, management consulting is – without a doubt – a blueprint for success.

In the field of strategy consulting, Novus Origo distinguishes itself by bridging the gap between vision and execution: delivering the critical processes required by a variety of organizations. These services include:

• Analysis & Strategy Development
• Process Analysis and Re-Engineering
• Risk Management & Mitigation
• Governance Implementation & Readiness
• Organizational Design & Effectiveness
• Issue & Dispute Resolution
• Transformation Planning  & Leadership
• Change Management & Alignment Planning
• Business Case Development & Alignment
• Merger & Acquisition Management
• Communications Planning & Support
• Mentoring Services

Remember, successful strategy project is not a leather-bound report, or a PowerPoint deck; instead you must take action and help clients realize their goals. Now, that’s a recipe for success!

We know that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way to solve the complex business challenges facing today’s companies. Novus Origo works with our clients, hand-in-hand, to understand the values, culture, and needs of each organization to drive to a strategic outcome.

While some firms simply sit across the table and provide analytics; Novus Origo’s experienced advisors work beside you as a partner working with you for your success.

Our Key Differentiators:

• Big Firm Experience, Small Firm Agility – Our leadership team brings deep management experience and has developed the methodologies used by the leading consulting firms.  We know that strategic plans are never static, and that success comes from the combination of experience and the ability to rapidly deploy customized solutions.  Our proven experience, combined with our ability to quickly respond to changing needs, provides a winning combination for our clients.

• Unparalleled Track Record – Our teams have an unparalleled successful track record of planning, managing, and delivering the highest quality outcomes on some of the most complex and challenging Information Technology & Business Process Outsourcing projects for Fortune 500, Middle Market, and Government clients throughout the world.

• Driving Innovation – We are the leader in the next generation of hybrid service firms dedicated to the success of our clients by designing innovative strategies, and implementing new processes & technologies which optimize business outcomes and drive profitable growth. We think creatively and partner with our clients to solve their toughest challenges with outside-the-box innovative solutions.

• Integrated Scalable Approach – No other firm can match the full range of client services that Novus Origo offers. Our Integrated Service Delivery Model (ISDM) utilizes our best practices approach and is designed to support the end-to-end lifecycle of each client engagement from evaluation through deployment. We deliver scalable best practices solutions that achieve improved operational performance and business excellence.

• Value Driven Strategies – We know that organizations must identify ways to maintain operations with lower costs, and we believe that our clients should not have to pay high fees for high quality services. We provide end-to-end cost effective solutions to help companies operate more efficiently, ultimately leading to greater success, and more importantly all at a fraction of the “big firm” price.

Strategic Partnership – We believe that our clients deserve to have trusted partners who are unbiased and focused on the client’s long term success. We infuse ourselves into our client’s organizations to help design and deploy strategic plans. We begin with the end goals in mind, working with our clients in addressing key questions – – where are they today and what must be accomplished to achieve those goals.

DEFINITION OF THE CLOUD

The word ‘Cloud’ has become everyday vernacular in the business community and even some may say a bit of an overused buzzword. Many don’t have a clue as to what the Cloud is and those that think they do all have a bit of a different definition.

The definition of Cloud in business begins with the definition of a cloud in nature. While outside, look up at almost any time or anywhere and there are ‘little c’ clouds that are tiny droplets of condensed water banding together until they have enough weight to become significant, or heavy enough to fall to the earth as rain. This naturally occurring cloud is similar to what the basic concept of the ‘big C’ Cloud is in business. Often organizations have a need for a service such as data storage, analytics, process support, etc. but the need is not significant enough to justify procuring and/or upgrading and maintaining infrastructure and software, thus they outsource it to a vendor. Vendors recognize the opportunity and provide this service or expertise to these organizations typically through an on demand, internet based model. By banding these organizations together with a common service the vendor can, through economies of scale, justify the cost to invest in infrastructure and software, provide the service, and still make a profit.

For business the Cloud means access to scalable services previously unjustifiable and thus new tools to enhance profitability. Decrease in or avoidance of expense plus the potential of increased profit equals a potential business victory. But the Cloud may also mean loss of control, and potential security, compliance and privacy concerns. As with everything it always seems that the negative inevitably follows the positive.

THE DRAWBACKS OF THE CLOUD

Every day there is a new story about some nefarious individual or group of individuals commonly referred to as hackers, gaining access to an organization’s data. These breaches access everything from the inane to trade secrets, government secrets, personally identifiable information and to individual transactional data such as credit card numbers. Some of these hackers are ‘white hat’ and are trying to prove a point by showing that the data is not secure. But unfortunately more often than not these hackers are ‘black hat’ and are using the illegally obtained data for illegitimate purposes, such as identity theft.

It would be surprising if there is anyone left in mainstream society that has not received a letter from an organization apologizing for having been breached, describing how they are going to handle the current situation and promising how this won’t happen in the future. Yet it does happen and often. As such, organizations are justifiably concerned about the security of sensitive data that is stored with a vendor. The safekeeping of that data is no longer under their control and logically the larger the amount of data stored the more enticing the target is for hackers.

RISK MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY

Working off of a premise that no data is truly secure and the risk of a data breach cannot be completely eliminated or avoided, the next reasonable course of action is to mitigate or transfer the risk. Mitigation of this risk is cost and effort intensive through security protocols, training, software, personnel, compliance, etc. The ramifications of a breach can be disastrous with not only the obvious increase in expense but also a decrease in long term revenue as customers leave for a competitor, where they perceive their data is more secure.

Mitigation is expensive, failure can be catastrophic and there is no guarantee of success no matter how vigilant an organization. In fact it could be argued that mitigation is simply delaying the inevitable. My father used to tell me that ‘locks keep honest people honest’, implying that if someone truly wants in to something, they will find a way to enter.

An alternative approach would be to use this situation as an opportunity for risk management by transferring the risk or shifting and sharing the risk with another entity such as an outsourcing vendor. By engaging a vendor to manage a process and the sensitive data that vendor inherits much of the risk mitigation, expense, and potential liability, assuming proper verbiage was included in the contract. This is not to say that the organization outsourcing the process completely circumvents all liability but the costs to mitigate the risk and for damage control once the inevitable breach occurs has now shifted considerably to the vendor. Not only does the organization save on the actual expense but they now can hold up their metaphorical hands and play the part of the victim along with the individuals who have been impacted. The organization apologizes, blames the vendor and promises to obtain a new vendor with better security protocols.

No security is impenetrable just ask Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Citigroup, the IMF or even the Trojans. A breach in security is inevitable, the only question is when and how to prepare. Hoping it won’t happen or assuming safety is ill-advised. Outsourcing a process to a vendor providing service via a Cloud based model will not only give an organization access to new and/or improved processes but may also have a secondary advantage of a data security risk management strategy.

ABOUT NOVUS ORIGO

Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novus Origo is the premier solutions provider redefining and changing the way that service excellence is delivered to Middle Market Companies and Government Agencies. Novus Origo is a Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with over 30 years of hands-on experience delivering dynamic world class Strategy Consulting, Outsourcing Consulting, and Program and Project Management services.

Our proven Service Delivery Model is delivered by a team of highly experienced executives and consultants from leading companies and government agencies such as; Accenture, IBM, Hewitt Associates, PeopleSoft, and the U.S. Navy, and is strategically designed to assist our clients in achieving service excellence at any phase of an organization’s growth. We bring over 30 years of hands-on experience planning, managing, and delivering success on some of the most complex and challenging national and international projects for Fortune 500, Middle Market, and Government Agencies.

Novus Origo delivers success…. and our experience proves it!