Business Projects and initiatives are often titled something like “Upgrade The Financial Reporting Process” or “Implement A New ERP system” or “Improve Inventory Control.” These titles describe what a project or initiative is intended to achieve. However, what is often missing in significant projects is the recognition that the biggest risk and time-consuming activity is dealing with the people (and other companies) that will be affected by the project. Most people enjoy change. But they enjoy it when they initiate it themselves.  Or when they believe the change will clearly benefit them. Then they can get onboard with a change very quickly. The opposite happens when someone else initiates an upgrade or new process.  Or when someone doesn’t clearly see how he or she will benefit from a new system, a new process, or a new operating structure. When that happens, human nature kicks in and we resist such projects. Quite simply, it is much more difficult for people to get onboard with changes initiated by others. Change Management problems arise in small companies just as often as they arise in big companies. The difference is that in big companies and governments, major changes typically take longer to implement than … Continue reading Change Management