From Workshop to Implementation: Driving Project Success with OCM Best Practices

You can buy the most luxurious vehicle – equipped with state-of-the-art technology, smart-assist systems, and advanced safety features – but if the driver is unfamiliar with the rules of the road or what to expect when encountering challenging driving conditions or navigating cities, the car will most likely not make it to its destination. Not without some significant damage, at least.

Similarly, merely having a meticulously crafted project plan cannot guarantee that your project will finish on time, in budget, and within scope. Every successful change initiative needs to have a team of people driving the project in an exceptional way. This is why facilitating an organizational change management (OCM) workshop at the onset of the project is a necessary ingredient for success.

In this article, we will see how an OCM workshop can set expectations for ongoing change management activities, solicit feedback vital for building an OCM plan, and equip the project team to take ownership of their roles in championing the change.

Building a Foundation: How OCM Workshops Empower Teams

Organizational Change Management (OCM) is an essential component of DX success. People are at the heart of digital transformation, and it only takes one person to either spearhead the change or sandbag the efforts of the entire team.

Your OCM work begins long before conducting this workshop. Throughout the course of your DX initiative preparation, you have conducted an organizational maturity assessment to evaluate risks within your organization and then you have developed a change strategy to directly address these risks. You’ve evaluated people, processes, systems, and your organization’s history of change. You’ve identified and evaluated stakeholders and then built a stakeholder engagement plan to leverage their support for your project’s success.

All of this has gone on “behind the scenes” if you will, but now, coupled with the Project Kickoff, it is time to bring your project team on board with your OCM plan to present the “rules of the road,” enabling them to drive the initiative to its intended destination. It’s critical that the team understands the importance of the OCM activities that will be incorporated throughout the project execution.

This workshop will educate the project team, change agents, and stakeholders on the impact of OCM both on project success and on them directly. This will set clear expectations for OCM activities throughout the project’s execution, fostering support and buy-in at all levels of the project team. The feedback gathered during this workshop will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive, tactical OCM plan to be developed later in the Execute phase.

About the Workshop: Leverage Expertise to Encourage Participation

While some companies may have an OCM lead as part of their internal project team, most companies will leverage a trained professional by hiring an external OCM consultant. The OCM workshop can last anywhere from two and a half to four hours, depending on the nature of the project, the size of its team, and the organization’s history with past change initiatives.

It’s important to maintain a collaborative atmosphere and encourage participation, discussion, and healthy debate, as the more information that can be gleaned from this workshop, the better informed and effective your OCM plan will be.

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Establishing Credibility with Best Practices, Data, and Collaboration

First, you will need to establish OCM as an integral part of the transformation by educating the team on the impact it has on digital transformations. Show statistics proving that transformational initiatives are more successful with OCM. Present studies from reputable sources like Prosci that show data-driven correlations between change management programs and business and project success.

It’s best to leverage various angles, as people respond differently to arguments. In addition to presenting the data, use practical examples or activities to demonstrate that change is personal, and show that people care about WIIFM, or, “What’s In It For Me?” You can also incorporate real-life experiences from previous implementations, if applicable.

With the importance of OCM clearly communicated, discuss the discipline and common frameworks for change management that will be used throughout the project, such as the ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement). This will help the team recognize that change management is not merely “fluff” or a waste of time. It is a disciplined approach that utilizes data and information gathering to make informed decisions, prioritize effectively, and identify and address problems.

One of the most effective ways to get people on board is to provide interactive activities. These activities prompt individuals to reflect on and discuss moments when change was either effortless or challenging, and to consider the outcomes of those experiences. Reflecting on past experiences can be a powerful tool in helping the team see how OCM can impact the current project.

Leveraging Feedback for a Well-Rounded OCM Plan

After the team has an understanding of OCM as a whole, it’s time to review the Change Strategy and solicit feedback on the recommendations. Ensure they feel valued for their input, and utilize their diverse perspectives to create a more robust and thoughtful change management plan.

Review Business Objectives

Begin by reviewing the Business Objectives and asking the team’s insights to identify any gaps or misalignments they may notice. Alignment around business objectives is a powerful aid in reaching agreement when conflict arises during the project.

Review & Discuss Change Strategy

Review and discuss the recommendations outlined in the Change Strategy, which encompasses various components such as Stakeholder Engagement, Training, Communication, and Resistance Management. It is also helpful to reflect on how the organization has handled changes in the past, particularly other significant transformations.

This collaborative review will serve as a foundation for developing detailed elements of the Organizational Change Management Plan, ensuring that diverse perspectives contribute to a well-rounded approach.

Begin Formulating OCM Plan Details

Key Teams: Discuss the key teams that will be involved, their constraints, unique advantages, and any other key considerations. For instance, the team may have had a bad experience with the last DX implementation, so they have lost trust and credibility with these types of large initiatives. As a result, there will need to be a focus on building back trust and having open and honest communication.

Training Planning: Let your team know what to expect and when to expect it. Ask for feedback on how training was handled in the past, how it went, and how it can be improved. Finally, build an overview outlining the process for how the training plan and training content will be built out.

Initial Communication Plan: Review the initial communication plan and ask questions to discern how the team feels about the interval of communication, who is providing the communication, and what can be improved.

Equipping Managers: Managers play a uniquely influential role, as for many people, whether they like their job or not is strictly based on if they like or do not like their manager. As a result, it is important to equip managers with the tools necessary to guide their team members throughout this DX. Discuss some key focus areas for building out a plan to equip managers.

Shifting the Mindset of Project Success

Close out the workshop by setting expectations for future OCM efforts and how the team will be involved in training, communications, stakeholder engagement, equipping managers, resistance management, surveys, and more.

Ensure that the project team understands that this is just the beginning of their journey with change management throughout the DX implementation. They need to shift their mindset around DX success by focusing on OCM, user adoption, and equipping everyone to sustain the changes long after go-live. Only after adopting this new mindset will the project team be prepared to implement the change.

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Strengthening Your Organization with Effective OCM Best Practices

The successful integration of Organizational Change Management (OCM) into digital transformation initiatives is as vital for success as a skilled driver is in ensuring a car reaches its destination unscathed. By establishing credibility through best practices, soliciting valuable feedback, and actively engaging team members in the development of the OCM plan, organizations can build a robust framework for change. When the entire team is aligned on the OCM activities and understands their impact on both the project and them individually, it fosters a sustainable and effective transformation within the organization.

The collaborative efforts of diverse perspectives enhance the depth of the strategy while cultivating a sense of ownership and commitment among stakeholders. As the project progresses, it is crucial to maintain a focus on user adoption and continuous improvement, ensuring that the principles of OCM are woven into the fabric of the organizational culture. Ultimately, embracing and prioritizing these change management practices will facilitate smoother transitions and yield long-lasting benefits, setting the stage for future success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

The OCM workshop marks the end of the Prepare phase in Victoria Fide’s Process for Transformational Change. Join us next week as we continue the journey into the Execute phase through the eyes of a manufacturing company struggling to keep up with recent explosive growth. Make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for compelling scenarios, relatable challenges, and inspiring messages that will equip you to succeed in your self-directed digital transformation.

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