In sports and contests there are winners and losers.  It is entirely objective.  In organizations, the view of major projects and programs is mostly subjective.  Certainly, there are the on-time, in-budget measures; but, when it comes to how the organization “feels” about it…there is only some collective view of success that arises over time, long after the hard work is done.

Major efforts normally have a great deal of planning prior to beginning.  But as the project moves forward, things happen.  It is the response, the reaction that is the true determinant of ultimate success.   Sam Posey, said “planning is conscious, reaction is instinctive”.

It is important in driving change to have a cadre of people, up, down and across an organization who know what’s going on, trained in the tools of managing change, and who will have the “right” instinctive reaction.

Our instincts are both in our DNA and learned.  Change is not in our DNA, so we must teach people enough so that their reaction to resistance, to apathy and to passive aggression are new instincts.  New instincts upon which the project and leadership can rely.

Organizations typically work on a plan to support a change, an implementation or a major program.  What is often missed is the “change infrastructure”.  Providing the project and its supporters the tools, skills and guidance to react in ways that engage, inform, prepare and yeas, comfort the stakeholders who are being asked (told) to change.

Prepare your project for success.  There are legions of models:  McKinsey’s 7 S’s, Kotter’s 8, Lewin’s, Bridge’s and Prosci’s ADKAR.   All share some key points:  Leadership, Involvement and communications.

If you prepare the change teams and provide them support, you have a better chance of winning!