Planning Change
The greatest challenge of implementing a major system at a complex educational institution is that of handling the cultural change. The institution will be acting as a single corporate body for this implementation, and will be required to move towards common processes and procedures, whilst maintaining the intellectual independence of departments to develop their own programmes according to the culture of their disciplines.
As with any project, a number of decisions must be made in the planning phase to enable a change project to succeed. Close and detailed planning for change is essential and someone needs to lead the change.
The Role of Project Leader/Sponsor
Many observers would see the Project Manager as the leader of the project, but leadership is different to management and it requires different abilities. A leader is:
experienced and has the scars to show for it;
a first-class communicator both verbally and in written form;
enthusiastic and enjoys what he/she is doing;
persistent and will not give up until success is achieved;
inspirational such that others follow his/her every lead;
motivational such that his/her followers do all that is required of them;
focused such that this project appears to be the only one that matters;
confident that they can do the job better than anyone else;
a radical thinker such that real solutions to problems are found;
accountable because he/she wants to be;
industrious because that is the only way that tasks are completed; and
respected because he/she leads by example and has the requisite knowledge and intelligence.
Compare these traits with those of the Project Manager. They are noticeably different and the Project Leader/Sponsor can assist by relieving the Project Manager of the responsibilities associated with dispute resolution, supplier partnerships, stakeholder relationships, communication and presentations to project personnel and others and motivating project personnel when the 'going gets rough'.
It is also essential that the project has a Sponsor, a senior member of staff who is able to report to the institution's principal officers and give weight to the project.
Marrying the roles of Project Leader and Sponsor would make good sense, particularly if there is someone within the institution who has the ability to understand the culture of the institution, the pressures placed on the system implementation process by the introduction of change and how to manage and negotiate the process of change. The Project Leader/Sponsor must also be of sufficient seniority and authority within the organisation to facilitate this process. Nevertheless, that individual may not be sufficiently experienced and skilled in system implementation tasks and project management methodologies, but should help the Project Manager by handling the political aspects and people issues of the project.
Leading Change
It is often said that people fear change and will resent and resist it, but they actually fear the unknown.
Individual responses to organisational change vary according to the situation in which people find themselves and the type and amount of personal involvement. It is a lot easier for those who are directing change to be positive to that change, because they have some ownership and control over both the change content and its process. Those not in this situation are less likely to be as excited, interested or committed about changing what they do or where they go , irrespective of any benefits they may derive out of a different way of working. Therefore, people need the facts to understand:
why the change is necessary;
that the change will actually be implemented;
how the change process will be work;
the effects of the change on them as individuals;
what will be expected from them as individuals; and
how they can play a useful part in the process.
People appreciate and respond to being treated with respect and care in relation to how they are going to deal with changes that will lead to them doing very different things in their job. If people feel part of the process with a role to play in implementing the change, they respond amazingly well. Someone with a genuine concern for people's feelings is the best person to lead and manage change. A successful leader of change will inspire an organisation and its people to embrace the change process and ensure that the policies to be implemented, the direction the organisation wants to take and the effects of the changes are communicated effectively to all.
