As was the case with a project team I recently worked with, when evaluating governance models and team structure, there was a clear lack of communication between workgroups. This often lead to difficulties and ineffectiveness when managing and anticipating resistance to change. 

Interestingly, within our Best Practices in Change Management report, study participants reported that one of the most commonly identified structures within organisations was actually ‘unstructured’. Change Management applied with an unstructured approach is described as the ‘responsibility of everyone and no one’. 

Prosci’s studies focus on governance models as a framework to understand where best to position Change Management efforts within a given project. A common structure that found high rates of effectiveness was to have Change Management resources within the project team. This would typically be carried out by a key person in the business such as someone in a management role. These individuals would be responsible for enacting change plans and activities. 

In contrast, a structure whereby the project team and change management resources are one and the same was found to be less effective and would require adaptations. In this scenario, Change Management often reported to an individual department (eg. HR, Finance teams). This may be a somewhat of an ineffective structure due to a lack of access/understanding of impacted groups enough to anticipate role changes and subsequently, change resistance. 

In both cases, Change Managers need to understand the structure of the organisation, oftentimes this cannot be changed due to it being an organisational standard. We can begin by enhancing communication efforts across teams to identify subject matter experts within the impacted groups (eg. business, systems analysts). We then need to ask these senior representatives: ‘Who will resist?’ 
Those who did not proactively plan to address resistance were significantly more likely to meet objectives than those who did not. When planning ahead there should be exceptional communications providing clarity and active engagement with sponsors. 

As well as Change Managers collaborating with senior representatives to deliver bespoke change to individual impacted groups, people managers need to be leveraged as preferred senders of messages. According to Prosci, our People Managers should be fulfilling the CLARC roles: 
 
1. Communicator 
2. Liaison 
3. Advocate 
4. Resistance Manager 
5. Coach 

To ensure greater understanding companywide, these roles need to be clearly outlined to people managers. This involves directly liaising with the project team, in essence increasing communications. Not only communication with change managers but also employees; outlining benefits and acting as advocates and supporters of the change. To further aid the issue of complex structures, it may be beneficial to utilise these People Managers to formulate a Change Agent Network. This would allow change to become part of their daily duties, with a consistent focus on change resistance management.  

While our Change Managers may be few and far between, organisational change requires the effort of adoption from collective individuals. Leveraging other resources within an organisation to increase communications via senior subject matter experts and people managers is an excellent way to anticipate and plan for resistance. Resulting in not only achieving desired change outcomes, but also improving company structure and understanding. 

What can we offer? 

• Leading Your Team Through Change Workshop Gain all the tools, knowledge and confidence you need to lead your employees through organisational change.  
   
• Change Management Certification Programme Provides participants with a methodology and toolkit for managing change in their organisations including focus on Governance Models and Resistance tactics.
   
• Communication for People Managers Skill Builder for Change Communication styles, people manager CLARC roles, collaboration/liaison with project team.

At Prosci Europe we have been helping our clients with building change capability over many years, so if you would like to know more about how to go about it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.