Change management consulting is one of the simplest disciplines to describe in words - change individuals, teams, workgroups and organisations from a current state to a desired future state. However successful change management is hard to actually enact, as it depends on talented, empathetic change agents who have the requisite experience managing and delivering change at all levels of an organisation.

Secrets of successful change management

Successful and fast behavioural change is central to all change management.  But we must allow “fast” to vary from organisation to organisation.  This speed concept in change management is new and the change speed-control needs to be appropriately set.

There is always something that we as individuals need to change. And then we refine and finesse that change within the teams we work in and the work groups we belong to.  Ultimately this bottom-up approach results in the desired organisational change. Alternately, there is a top-down approach for change.  The organisation itself sets out to make a cultural change, an adjustment, caused by the effects of internal and/or external business drivers.  In today’s world, the drivers themselves can change within hours. So the behavioural change required flows down through the work groups and the teams to the individuals at the very heart of the organisation.

Secret #2 concerns the change agents themselves … the change project and program managers, who positively combine their skills, knowledge and experience in change program management, with their skills, knowledge and experience in project management. These are special empathetic change consultants who can really deliver change programs and projects that meet the objectives of the desired future state.

Unequivocally communicating the rationale and the need for change is Secret #3. That includes getting the message right and using appropriate media to reach those affected by the change.

Common change management projects

These are the most common areas for change management consulting and their high-level scope:

• Operational - change projects within the operational functions of an organisation

• Organisational - change projects that affect individuals, workgroups, teams and the organisation itself

• Strategic - change projects related to fundamental changes in an organisation’s strategic objectives and goals

• Technology - change projects associated with technology assimilation within an organisation.

What to look for in a change management consultant

The best change management consultants have great interpersonal and communication skills. And those who manage projects and programs must be very able project managers too.

If you are ready to speak to a Change Management consultant for your needs, select the "Change Management" category in our quick online wizard.