1. PMs - change agents
of the Organization
Khaarthigha Subramanian
Thoughtworks Technologies Pvt. Ltd
2. •Drivers of Change
•Why PM’s need to be change agents?
•Characteristics of Change agents?
•Where can PM’s act as change agents?
•How PM’s could act as change agents?
Outline
3. Drivers of Change - need for
“Managers as change agents”
Changing expectations of Manager’s responsibilities
4. Why Change is Inevitable?
Regardless of the market an enterprise is operating in, or how successful it
has been in the past, change is an inevitable factor in the life-cycle of any
enterprise:
• Change is driven by factors within the enterprise itself, such as the wish
to reposition the enterprise within a market, or to implement a new
business model, to merge with another enterprise, or to expand into a new
market,
• Change is driven by factors external to the company, such as market
rivalry, disruptive technologies, demographic changes and new
government regulations.
6. Firm of the Future
• Scale , Speed and customer intimacy
• For firms of the future, scale will still offer potential benefits, but the
dynamics of scale, speed and customer intimacy are changing. Firms will
need to adopt new measures and tools for delivering customer intimacy
and speed.
Assets vs. ecosystems
• Today, firms are defined by the assets they own and control. In the future,
firms will be defined by the ecosystems—the assets and the
partnerships—that they control.
Capital gets a reset
• The Firm of the Future will see the emergence of new ownership models
to enable longer-term perspective. As we transition away from the
Shareholder Primacy Era, we will see longer holding periods for private
companies and more concentrated ownership for public companies.
7. Challenging roles of Managers
Professional managers vs. mission-critical roles
• To succeed in the future, companies will need to adopt a clear mission and identify the roles that
are most central to delivering it. We call these the mission-critical roles.
• Companies will need to adopt a clear mission and identify the roles that are most central to
delivering it. All too often today, the professional managers, rather than mission-critical roles, are
at the center of the firm.
8. What are the changes that
we see or want to happen
around us ?
Write top 3 changes that comes to your mind… (that are progressive)
10. Example
•We need to change the way we work with
clients:
Challenge the status quo & move to a better
spot
Channel the investment of strategic needs &
priorities
12. Different aspects of Organizational changes
• Operational
Delivery
Sales
Marketing
Administration
• People & Policies
Recognition
Rewards & Retentions
• Business Services
Consulting
Outsourcing
• Community
• Industry
Project
Mgmt.
People &
Policies
Delivery &
Customer
Relationship
Culture
Knowledge
& Capability
Community
Business
Operations
& process
13. Why do we think these
changes are essential ?
Write why those top 3 changes that came to your mind as important…
14. How does the change
connected to the role?
Write the overlap of PM’s/Delivery Principal /Lead’s responsibilities
touching these spheres…
15. Integrating change Mgmt. and Project Mgmt.
Shared objective
• When management and change management are integrated, the efforts of both can be focused toward a
singular objective—improving the performance of the organization by successfully implementing a change that
delivers the intended results and outcomes.
Proactive steps
• When change management is integrated into the project management steps, the efforts to lead the people side
of change can identify and mitigate risks in a more proactive manner, address anticipated obstacles and
resistance and build commitment and buy-in for the change.
Sequencing and alignment
When technical/organizational activities and people activities are integrated, the right steps can be taken at the
right time in the project lifecycle to help employees embrace the change and produce the right outcomes for the
project.
Exchange of information
• Integrating change management and project management activities improves the flow of information.
the integrated approach helps ensure that impacted employees are receiving the appropriate messages.
it helps ensure that the project team receives effective feedback on adoption, usage and reaction to the
change.
16. Change agents -“The Law of Few”
As Malcolm Gladwell - in his book, “The Tipping Point“, he states:
“The success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on
the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social
gifts.”
18. Power of Context
The Law of Few
Human Beings are very sensitive to the
environment or the context we operate in.
Through the right settings and with
sharing the context, you can influence the
behavior of your target audience
20. • Clear Vision It is essential to note that a clear vision does not mean that there is one way to
do things; in fact, it is essential to tap into the strengths of the people you work with and
help them see that there are many ways to work toward a common purpose.
• Patient yet persistent – Change does not happen overnight and most people know that. To
have sustainable change that is meaningful to people, it is something that they will have to
embrace and see importance. Most people need to experience something before they really
understand that, and that is especially true in schools.
• Asks tough questions – It would be easy for someone to come in and tell you how things
should be, but again that is someone else’s solution. When that solution is someone else’s,
there is no accountability to see it through. It is when people feel an emotional connection to
something is when they will truly move ahead.
• Knowledgeable and leads by example –leaders have “character and credibility”; they are not
just seen as good people but that they are also knowledgeable in what they are speaking
about.
• Strong relationships built on trust – All of the above, means nothing if you do not have solid
relationships with the people that you serve. People will not want to grow if they do not
trust the person that is pushing the change8. The change agents I have seen are extremely
approachable and reliable.
21. Few techniques could be…
• Multigenerational Influence
• Cultural Intelligence
• Entrepreneurial Attitude
• Technology
• Being Strategic About Change
• Process Changes
• Driving Bottom-up initiatives
22. How you PMs could be
change agents on these
aspects
How do you think you can help catalyze the change in a different way ?
-> Eg: Hiring of certain roles as new.. Eg: Product Managers , Retail specialists recruitment
-> Eg: Process of hiring changed
-> Eg: Different way of organizing /staffing etc..etc…
Need for certain team’s help for delivery -> techops help in delivery.., recent initiative
Or some delivery support model establishment etc…
These internal and external drivers force enterprises to implement frequent and wide-spread changes to their business models, their organizations and the technology supporting their business. Depending on how companies react to these drivers, these changes may help them progress, or they may tear them apart
These internal and external drivers force enterprises to implement frequent and wide-spread changes to their business models, their organizations and the technology supporting their business. Depending on how companies react to these drivers, these changes may help them progress, or they may tear them apart
Platform companies will continue to proliferate and disrupt sectors. But not every company can or should be a platform. Two other types of companies can succeed as well—scale outsourcers and product or service providers. The trick for any type of company—platform, outsourcer or product or service provider—will be to form win-win partnerships that maximize value across the full ecosystem.
What does this mean for companies?
The new era is going to require very different skills and leadership approaches than what have prevailed for the past 40 years.
Professional managers, who have successfully guided us through the past 90 years, will either be the greatest partners or greatest obstacles to this change. Leaders seeking to adapt will need new metrics and tools for speed, learning and helping talent reach full potential.
Leading and working in a firm of the future will also feel very different. It will sometimes feel like a venture capital firm, with its ecosystem outlook and its focus on mission-critical roles. At other times, it will feel like a professional services firm, with its ability to rapidly mobilize and demobilize resources.
-> Eg: Hiring of certain roles as new.. Eg: Product Managers , Retail specialists recruitment
-> Eg: Process of hiring changed
-> Eg: Different way of organizing /staffing etc..etc…
Need for certain team’s help for delivery -> techops help in delivery.., recent initiative
Or some delivery support model establishment etc…
Examples:
Hiring process
Recruitment of specialised skills
External event organizing
Marketing Specialist for the hosted events
Dev ops Consulting as a separate business services
Portfolio diversification to include more Recent tech Projects
Market Centric Operation Model
People oriented Policies
Different BCP Strategy
Changes in Org. Priorities
Client relationship Strategies
Delivery operations & support teams for each office
-> Eg: Hiring of certain roles as new.. Eg: Product Managers , Retail specialists recruitment
-> Eg: Process of hiring changed
-> Eg: Different way of organizing /staffing etc..etc…
Need for certain team’s help for delivery -> techops help in delivery.., recent initiative
Or some delivery support model establishment etc…
Eg: Need of Data scientists in consulting gigs in the past -> Calling out the need of “data practice” -> as separate practice or capability development internally -> this developing also a core potential for the business model / services of the organization
Shared objective
When management and change management are integrated, the efforts of both can be focused toward a singular objective—improving the performance of the organization by successfully implementing a change that delivers the intended results and outcomes.
Proactive steps
When change management is integrated into the project management steps, the efforts to lead the people side of change can identify and mitigate risks in a more proactive manner, address anticipated obstacles and resistance and build commitment and buy-in for the change.
Sequencing and alignment
When technical/organizational activities and people activities are integrated, the right steps can be taken at the right time in the project lifecycle to help employees embrace the change and produce the right outcomes for the project.
Exchange of information
Integrating change management and project management activities improves the flow of information.
the integrated approach helps ensure that impacted employees are receiving the appropriate messages.
it helps ensure that the project team receives effective feedback on adoption, usage and reaction to the change.
Eg: Need of Data scientists in consulting gigs in the past -> Calling out the need of “data practice” -> as separate practice or capability development internally -> this developing also a core potential for the business model / services of the organization
Throughout The Tipping Point, Gladwell crafts an extended metaphor between social and pathogenic epidemics. All epidemics, social or otherwise, need a mode of transmission to spread. Whereas Contagions depend on animals, food, and water to disseminate an illness, the vehicles in the spread of ideas are far more complex. Gladwell's "Law of the Few" explains that a very select group of people is responsible for the "tipping" of almost all social epidemics. These three unique groups of people are special for their incredible abilities to communicate, teach, and persuade.
Connectors are the rare people who have incredibly widespread "social networks." They are often successful businessmen or politicians, and play an integral role in the spread of ideas. With their wide reaching group of friends and acquaintances, connectors can spread a message rapidly to a receptive audience. Nowhere was the role of connectors more clear than in the midnight ride of Paul Revere.
Throughout The Tipping Point, Gladwell crafts an extended metaphor between social and pathogenic epidemics. All epidemics, social or otherwise, need a mode of transmission to spread. Whereas Contagions depend on animals, food, and water to disseminate an illness, the vehicles in the spread of ideas are far more complex. Gladwell's "Law of the Few" explains that a very select group of people is responsible for the "tipping" of almost all social epidemics. These three unique groups of people are special for their incredible abilities to communicate, teach, and persuade.
Connectors are the rare people who have incredibly widespread "social networks." They are often successful businessmen or politicians, and play an integral role in the spread of ideas. With their wide reaching group of friends and acquaintances, connectors can spread a message rapidly to a receptive audience. Nowhere was the role of connectors more clear than in the midnight ride of Paul Revere.
Clear Vision It is essential to note that a clear vision does not mean that there is one way to do things; in fact, it is essential to tap into the strengths of the people you work with and help them see that there are many ways to work toward a common purpose.
Patient yet persistent – Change does not happen overnight and most people know that. To have sustainable change that is meaningful to people, it is something that they will have to embrace and see importance. Most people need to experience something before they really understand that, and that is especially true in schools.
Asks tough questions – It would be easy for someone to come in and tell you how things should be, but again that is someone else’s solution. When that solution is someone else’s, there is no accountability to see it through. It is when people feel an emotional connection to something is when they will truly move ahead.
Knowledgeable and leads by example –leaders have “character and credibility”; they are not just seen as good people but that they are also knowledgeable in what they are speaking about.
Strong relationships built on trust – All of the above, means nothing if you do not have solid relationships with the people that you serve. People will not want to grow if they do not trust the person that is pushing the change8. The change agents I have seen are extremely approachable and reliable.
Eg: Need of Data scientists in consulting gigs in the past -> Calling out the need of “data practice” -> as separate practice or capability development internally -> this developing also a core potential for the business model / services of the organization
Eg: Need of Data scientists in consulting gigs in the past -> Calling out the need of “data practice” -> as separate practice or capability development internally -> this developing also a core potential for the business model / services of the organization