Organizational Change and Business Transformation are terms Project Managers encounter a lot. And it can be tricky to distinguish between what we mean by change and transformation. Let’s have a go.
This video is safe for viewing in the workplace.
This is learning, so, sit back and enjoy
What is the Difference between Organizational Change and Business Transformation?
I’m not sure there is a consensus.
In 2015, the Harvard Business Review published an article, titled: ‘We Still Don’t Know the Difference Between Change and Transformation’.
My experience is that there’s a spectrum of initiatives with change at one end, and transformation at the other. Where a particular initiative falls on that spectrum is a product of multiple characteristics.
Maybe it’s about scale:
- Change affects limited parts of the organization.
- Transformation affects the whole organization.
Perhaps it’s about depth:
- Change is shallow and affects methods, tools, and processes.
- Transformation is profound and affects values and culture.
Maybe it’s about significance:
- Change is about operations and tactical advantage.
- Transformation is about vision and strategy.
Perhaps it’s about ambition:
- Change is about doing things differently… better. What we do now is not good enough.
- Transformation is about becoming a different organization. What we do now is the wrong thing.
Maybe it’s about where the initiative originates from:
- Change can begin anywhere within the organization.
- Transformation starts from the leaders recognizing that the organization is no longer fit for its future – or that its future needs to change.
Perhaps it’s about a hierarchy:
- Change needs one or more projects to make it happen.
- Transformation needs a portfolio of change programs to come about.
Maybe it’s about completion:
- Change has finished when the process is completed. Then it’s time for the next change.
- Transformation never ends. It’s a continuous process.
Different Skill-sets for Business Change and Organizational Transformation
As a result, the people who deliver change and transformation need different skill-sets:
Change Managers
Change Managers need to be able to work with people to help them navigate and thrive in their new roles, or in doing things in different ways. They need to master a wide range of tools and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional consequences of change.
Change managers need to deal with the intersection of processes and individuals.
Transformation Leaders
Transformation Leaders need to understand the skills of change management, but they don’t need to go as deep into the toolsets and psychology. Theirs is a more strategic role, coordinating a portfolio of strategic initiatives and providing visionary leadership – often over longer time scales.
Transformation leaders need to deal with the intersection of strategy and internal politics.
Recommended to Help with Organizational Change and Business Transformation
Carefully curated video recommendations for you:
- What is Change Management? | Video
- Why You Need Change Management in Your Project Manager’s Toolset | Video
- How to Survey Changes to Your External Business Environment | Video
- What is the Change Curve? | Video
- How to Implement Change… in the Face of Resistance to Change
- What is John Kotter’s 8-Step Change Process? | Video
- What is ADKAR? The ADKAR Model of Change | Video
- 10 Valuable Insights from the APM Change Changes Conference | Video
- All Change! An Astonishing Conversation with Dr Eddie Obeng!| Video
Carefully curated article recommendations for you:
- Support Organizational Change: A Complete Guide to What You Need to Know
- What You Need to Know about How People Respond to Change
- Kurt Lewin’s Freeze Phases Model: How to use it to Guide Change
- How a Stakeholder Engagement Culture can Create Champions of Change
- Setting-up PMO 3.0 |The Project Management Office in the Age of Digital Transformation
What Kit does a Project Manager Need?
I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. I added my own.
Check out the Kit a Project Manager needs
Note that the links are affiliated.
Learn Still More
For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to the OnlinePMCourses YouTube channel.
If you want basic Management Courses – free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses.
For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.
For more of our videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.
