2. Things to consider 1-3
Stop calling everything “Transformation”. This has become a
meaningless term in the same way that “excellence” 10 years
ago. Honestly, it cant be long before the local pizza shop will be
using the word when they do a 2 for 1 deal!
If you think it is worth using – then at least make reference to
what is the transformation (preferably in terms real outcomes)
Don’t be content that you understand a lot about change – get
to understand the business of your company or client. “C”
level leaders are concerned customer experience, revenue,
costs, shareholder value, share of market, digital volatility etc.
– unless and until the change work can demonstrate value in
this context, change management will remain as “chocolates
on the pillow”
3. Things to consider 4-5
Don’t let yourself get submerged under the so-called
leadership of PM. For sure they will think that they are the
world experts on change (after doing a 4 hour add-on to their
Prince 2 training). Generally they don’t know what they don’t
know – but they will drown your change efforts…..and then
blame you and throw you under the bus
Take the advice of Jack Welch and really understand why
change projects can fail – and be honest. So many change
people whine about change projects failing – but they seem to
never really reflect. They are however very good at blaming the
rest of the organization! It’s a bit like surgeons blaming their
patients for being unwell
4. Things to consider 6-7
Aim to be a strategic change manager. Treat the work like a
private equity deal where speed to act is key – where you look
for the 80:20 rule and go for the big wins and the low hanging
fruit. How often do clients talk about lean projects, scrum
development, co-creation of customer experiences…..and yet
there is the change material looking no different than it did 20
years ago
Be careful not to boast about working of big 2 year projects –
because those projects were probably 6 months projects but
everyone messed up. You only have to watch the growth of
Salesforce and their cloud solutions to know that the big, slow,
behind schedule projects are gone!!
5. Things to consider 8-11
Stop obsessing over pretty PowerPoints. It seems that where
people labour over their slide deck, the content is usually next
to worthless. Ask yourself is the employer/client looking for
presentations or executed results.
If you are serious about effective presentations - then go and
read Barbara Minto. Don’t know who she is? …..you should be
ashamed of yourself
Become obsessed to understand all the leading edge work that
is being done to drive customer experience and to compensate
from the reality that 90% of all enterprise CRM systems
delivered no more than 10% of the promised benefits
Read “The Machine That Changed The World” – it will amaze
you about Lean everything
6. Things to consider 12-13
Build a compelling cost-benefit case for the change work that
you do
Have a compelling change “elevator pitch” when you are in
the lift with the CEO
7. Things to consider 12-13
Build a compelling cost-benefit case for the change work that
you do
Have a compelling change “elevator pitch” when you are in
the lift with the CEO
