6 advocates for a successful organizational change within a large company
Who should you include in your project team to ensure a successful digital transformation? Here are some tips for assembling the right interdisciplinary team to lead your transition.
Change is an emotional thing. This can be proven by most New Year's resolutions which are quickly given up on. If changing habits on an individual level is a tough feat, imagine changing those of an entire company with an organizational change. Getting hundreds of employees to accept new ways of doing things requires proper planning, especially when it comes to technology.
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
-Mary Shelley
Once a common vision of the project has been defined, the team that will manage and implement the project can be formed. In a medium-sized company, 4 to 5 people will generally be enough. But the hierarchical structure of a large company requires a project management team that can build the links between all of them. And you will need people who speak and understand the business language as well as technology experts. So who do you need in your team? Based on advice from Microsoft change management experts, the following guidelines can be used to bring together the right team that will successfully complete your organizational change.
1 - Executive Sponsor
☻ 1 person The project manager is the one who embodies the change. They are the ones who will explain the reasons for the change from a business point of view. Why is this technological change essential for the company? Is a question that must be answered by the executive sponsor! To achieve this, the executive sponsor must be able to create a coalition of promoters.
2 - Sponsor Coalition
☻ 4 to 5 senior management personnel Promoters are also in charge of explaining the reason for the change from a business point of view. But each of them is responsible for doing so with a specific group or department affected by the change. They will also have to manage resistance to change within the group. To achieve this, each promoter appoints ambassadors within their department.
3 - Ambassadors
☻ 5 to 10 directors Ambassadors are often directors. They are the ones who manage the change in a specific department. They are the motivators who communicate change and encourage employees to adapt to it. To achieve this, they will also be able to count on champions.
4 - Change champions
☻ 20 to 40 employees at all levels The role of champions is crucial to the success of your change management. Their positive influence is a driving force for change. The champion is usually a supervisor or employee who has received more extensive training. Champions will be the key resources who will answer technical questions from their colleagues during the transition.
5 - Managers and Supervisors
☻ all employee managers All your managers and supervisors have a great impact on your employees. They are the ones who will celebrate each success to reinforce new habits. And they are the ones who will introduce change to their team. They are the ones who have the most personal contact with employees. Make sure you provide them with support throughout the process.
6 - Employees
☻ all employees And in the end, this interdisciplinary project management team will help you win over as many employees as possible. By targeting the key resources of the change project across the entire company structure, your company will be better prepared for the transition. This will reduce the emotional impact and greatly increase your chances of a successful digital transformation.
Any questions?
To learn more about the best change management practices for your company, contact one of our experts, who can provide you with personalized advice.
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