Articles 1 min read

What Change Management ISN’T by Luke Garner

But my title as a Business Change Manager seems to stump a lot of recruiters.

  • “I’ve got a really good Business Change Project Manager position..”
  • “We’re looking for a PRINCE2 qualified Business Change Manager to manage the project through the life-cycle”
  • “I’m recruiting for a large multinational who are looking for a Change Manager to develop the PID, business case and follow the project through..”
  • “I’m looking for a six sigma…”

As a Change Manager, I have no interest in the PID, or the business case, or managing the project through gates. I’m not even particularly concerned if the project goes over budget.

What I am concerned about is that we’ve identified the correct audiences that are impacted, that we fully understand the impact on those audiences and have activities in place to mitigate these. That we have the ability to communicate effectively, that they are up-skilled, equipped and set up for success when the project goes live – and can sustain the new ways of working. And, I absolutely should not be responsible for the project plan.

The easiest way to look at this is, if I want to become certified in Change Management its APMG Change or PROSCI. Neither of these courses talk about process, six sigma, controlling a project, owning the plan, business analysis etc. That’s because none of that is change management.

My objectives, outcomes and training related to the adoption of the project’s product, not the delivery of the product, which I do pretty well.

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