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Articles

• April

  19
  2021
  

  What to do when change sponsors lack time and resources.

  Sponsors can make or break your change. As a Change Manager, you know all that too well. As a Project Manager, you may wonder why a given initiative is going - or has gone - haywire. Research shows that sponsorship is the number one indicator of a project long-term success. It is thus absolutely vital to understand sponsorship challenges, starting the most commonly cited: the lack of time and dedicated resources. Drawing on insights from our partner PROSCI, this post tells you all you need to know to mitigate the impact and keep your project on track.   4 things that happen when sponsors lack time and/or resources Expect the project to stagger or be brought to a standstill. Overall, the project “slows and stalls”. After all, people mirror the behaviour of their leaders. Good sponsors lead by example, are active and visible throughout the project and communicate ...

  Written by
  Vincent Piedboeuf

• April

  12
  2021
  

  How to make a good leader extraordinary? Cross-training is the key.

  Strengths-based leadership development is an innovative approach to effective leadership development. Unlike traditional leader development programs which places focus on the improvement of weaknesses, we advocate an approach that strengthens existing competencies within a leader. In our blog 19 Competencies that Differentiate the Best Leaders from the Worst, we presented the evidence behind the strengths-based approach to leadership development as well as the 19 differentiating competencies, that separate the 10% best leaders from the 10% worst. So how do you move from good to extraordinary? The strengths-based method demands an alternative approach compared to the traditional focus on weaknesses. Going from 8 to 10 on a ten-point scale takes a different mindset, approach and form of training than what is needed to go from 2 to 4. We call that cross-training. Running as a real-life example of the need for cross-training To grasp the concept of cross-training, ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• April

  09
  2021
  

  19 Competencies that Differentiate the Best Leaders from the Worst.

  Effective leaders make a huge difference. Their efforts are reflected directly in employee engagement, customer satisfaction, profits, and the list continues. Hence, organisations that want to rank the best need to have the best and most effective leaders at all levels. We term such leaders as extraordinary. But how do you go from good to extraordinary? In this article, we will introduce the Strengths-based approach to Leadership Development as well as the evidence behind it. But most importantly, we will help you identify which competencies are worth developing. Here's why you should focus your energy on developing your strengths If we look at the evidence for the effectiveness of leader development, we can clearly see that the development of a strength is the most effective approach towards leader development (see Figure 1). In a study conducted by Zenger & Folkman (2020), leaders were divided into two groups: ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• April

  06
  2021
  

  Why and how to develop a leader from good to extraordinary?

  Managing change is the highest expression of leadership, according to Zenger and Folkman. I other words, there will be no successful change without great leaders, whatever the change is. When we consider the impact of top executives and managers, at every level on an organisation, in driving change successfully, we can easily adhere to the idea that leadership development is a strategic imperative for any organisation. Because research of 1, 600, 000 feedback assessments correlating to approximately 135, 000 managers’ performance metrics demonstrate how crucial the influence of leaders on employee engagement is, independently from the type of business of their company. Ultimately better leadership generates better business outcomes, higher revenue and profitability. But what is a good leader, and how can any leader develop his leadership capacity?   The first good news is that great leaders are not just born with this capacity. It ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• March

  03
  2021
  

  The ultimate Checklist to Agile for Change Managers.

  Change Managers, change in Agile starts with you! In Agile, Change Management looks and feels completely different to the traditional practices of CM. You cannot afford to do things the way you normally would. Get ready to develop new skills and a brand-new mindset. Prepare to adjust to the frantic pace of Agile. But don’t worry, we know that this is right up your alley. And to help you fast track your efforts, here is the ultimate checklist of recommendations, based on PROSCI’s insights.    Before you start, hear what other Change Managers have to say There nothing like listening to old “veterans” to get things right from the start. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. So, let’s first take stock of the main challenges of adapting CM to Agile - four classics that encapsulate Change Managers’ experiences worldwide: Know that CM has to become ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• February

  15
  2021
  

  The one thing you cannot neglect when moving to Agile.

  “Agile organisations have outperformed others in adapting to Covid-19” – can anyone be surprised? Agile as an operating model was under the spotlight well before Covid-19. However, now that the response capacity to change is so critical, we can expect these approaches to gain even more traction. But how do you move your organisation to Agile? There are many answers to that question, but one thing is for sure; you can’t neglect Change Management. The problem is not whether organisations should embrace Agile, or which framework to choose. It is about understanding that Agile requires a shift in culture and mindset. And it is about being ready to treat it as a change on its own – a challenging one, for that matter. In short, it is about putting people over processes. Project owners and sponsors, here is how Change Management can help you deliver on the promises of ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• February

  01
  2021
  

  6 simple tips to elevate your virtual change communication.

  Remember the water-cooler conversations, impromptu meetings and kick-off events?  That was not long ago. But with the sudden shift to video conferencing and virtual collaborative tools, we must reinvent how we communicate. And to succeed as Change Managers we have to master the new communication channels. Fear not. Best practices are emerging. Here are 6 simple tips to help you take communication to the next level. The channels have changed, so should your communication The basics of communication, with a big twist. You know that communication for change is a campaign in and of itself. One that involves delivering the right message to the right audience, at the right time, through the right channel. Getting everyone on the same page and on board requires an intentional and structured communication strategy. But Covid-19 has disrupted one basic parameter – the channels. Online communication? Non-verbal on the line. ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• January

  19
  2021
  

  7 communication tips in times of uncertainty.

  It’s not over yet. Vaccines are rolling out, but many countries continue to battle with Covid-19. These are uncertain times. Uncertainty makes people feel vulnerable, confused, and looking for directions. And without clear guidance, resistance spreads like wildfire, which can lead to organisational paralysis. The cure? Effective communication. Your role as a manager and leader is to create a supportive and reassuring environment. How? Know that communication for uncertainty requires to do things differently from the way you normally would. Understand what uncertainty does to the people. And use these seven tips to align your communication efforts. From difficult emotions to resistance: what uncertainty does to us What do leaders tend to focus on in times of uncertainty? Processes, tasks, immediate action. They fall into the tunnel vision trap. They forge ahead, driven by a sense of urgency. And their staff can be left behind, immerse in a ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen

• December

  09
  2020
  

  Manage your culture to successfully emerge from Covid-19.

  Culture. As a leader, it should be top of your mind now more than ever. Culture will largely determine your ability to “re-emerge or restart” business after Covid-19. How agile, innovative and productive your organisation will be in the new work environment post-Covid-19 is almost exclusively determined by your organisational culture. But to manage it, you need to measure it. The bad news? Culture is a strange beast, elusive and difficult to label. The good news? proCulture® is there to help. If you wish to understand and pivot your culture, look no further. Organisational culture matters more than ever Culture, a classic component of change success. First, let’s look at the evidence. Research conducted by McKinsey shows that 70% of project failures “are due to culture-related issues”. Not for nothing is cultural awareness considered as “either important or very important to a change initiative” by 90% of the participants ...

  Written by
  Morten Kamp Andersen