Good Relationships -Your Key to Success When you're given the role of change management Project Manager there are some simple steps you can take to develop a win- win situation for your boss and eveveryone on your team. You begin by putting all the energy you can into relationship development. Make sure you get to know everyone on your team. Do this and team members will have regard for your direction and guidance. Levels of resistance experienced in your change management will be much lower. Helping Your Team to Make the Decision Assuming you've taken the above advice you're going to also find it much easier to get with your team one-on-one and help them to sort out personal issues they've got to get through before they can give you 100% support as the change manager. Getting Rid of the Fear of Change You will have realized that the fear of change involves the fear of the unknown. Begin by having informal meetings with your team where you share what change they can expect in the next six months. Get them to ask questions and answer them honestly. Under no circumstances tell lies. That causes you to lose credability in the eyes of the team members - big time. If you don't know the answer say so and tell them you'll get it before your next meeting. Maximizing the Input from Team Members As an effective change manager one of your biggest tasks is to give everyone a sense of owning the change process. The best way to do this is to provide all members with the greatest opportunity to have an input. Let them input their thoughts, words, feelings and actions. Then they will want to communicate more, stay informed and cooperate with the change. Treating Everyone on The Team as An Adult The biggest no no for a change manager is to treat the team as children. Treat them as adults with good thinking skills and you will be way in front with successfully managing your project. Treat them as adults and they'll be your friend. Treat them as children and they'll be your foe. As your friend they will want to work with you. This really is one of the easiest attitude changes to make. Reward Copperation with The Change Manager Your change management plan will go smoothly when you offer rewards for cooperation. The rewards may be as simple as acknowledging a team member's contribution at a meeting, or as complex as offering a promotion in the restructed workplace. Be careful with this one. Such rewards have proved themselves in the past to generate a flood of goodwill from the team towards the change manager. Use these tools in your role as change manager and getting your change project completed will be much easier. Remember to, Foster Good Relationships, Help Your Team to Make the Decision, Get Rid of the Fear of Change, Maximize the Input from Team Members, Treat Everyone on The Team as An Adult, and Reward Copperation with The Change Manager. These tools have worked well for other change project managers and they will work well for you. |
