Alright. You read the title of this article and the first thing that pops into your mind is that one manager you had who should never have been in that position. Let’s call him Bob. Bob is a micromanager but never seems to actually get anything done. Bob is the bottleneck for every process improvement you attempt.
While Bob spearheads the overabundance of team meetings that accomplish nothing, the truth is that he should be fading into the group, supporting his team, leveraging individual strengths, and mitigating weaknesses.
Change management is difficult even without a Bob. If you want to know how to effectively lead change management for your team without being an obstacle, read on.
Don’t Just Plan
Every article about leading change management starts with making a plan. Of course you’ll need to plan. You need a plan for everything. You’re planning dinner (and hopefully cupcakes) right now. We won’t insult your intelligence. What you need to do is level up the planning stage by involving your team.
Successful Agile transformation relies on setting your people up for success through awareness. Make sure your team understands the purpose of your company’s transformation. How will change improve company outcomes? How will change better the work lives of your employees?
Preparing your team for what’s to come is not a one-sided affair. Ask for their input. Make them feel empowered and excited by the possibilities of Agile transformation. Put your people at the heart of your plan.
Set Achievable Objectives
Be pumped you’re gearing up for a change, but don’t let that lead you to set unrealistic expectations for your team. Set your people up for success by thinking carefully about what is achievable and on what timeframe.
Agile transformation is not quick and predictable. It’s not something that happens automatically once the right systems are in place. Getting change to stick requires making sure that your people have been properly trained up with new techniques and concepts.
Once training is complete, you’ll want to put in place systems by which you can actively track success. Effective change management is undergirded by value-based metrics, consistent and accurate progress reporting, and periodic review of organizational structure to ensure that objectives are being met.
Consistently Communicate
Consistent and frequent communication is vitally important for change management. But that communication must occur in ways that enhance productivity as opposed to stifling it. There is a difference between being communicative and hovering.
Some Agile frameworks, like Scrum, build frequent timeboxed meetings into their architecture. The Daily Scrum, for example, is a 15-minute event held every day of a Sprint for the developers working on the solution. These events are designed to produce actionable work plans, identify obstacles, promote decision-making, and alleviate the need for other, longer, Bob-like meetings.
Whether or not Scrum is your Agile framework of choice, consistent communication is key to change management. You’ll want to implement systems that promote transparency so everyone is aware of what is happening, everyone knows what to expect, and everyone has a plan for doing their part.
Micromanage Without Micromanaging
Want to have your hands in everything that’s happening? Fight. The. Urge.
People are in the positions they are in for a reason. Don’t get in their way. Instead, leverage their expertise.
Lead your team without being a Bob. Once your people are motivated and aware, you can build projects around them. Management at that stage is all about support and trust. Give your people what they need and watch them succeed. Some of the best outcomes arise from teams that self-manage. Internalize these principles and act on them.
With that said, it’s still important to hold your team members accountable to results. Communication is once again paramount. Hold frequent and short meetings during which you help your team strategize about how they could be more effective. Then give the team the resources they need to adjust their objectives, tactics, and behaviors and get the job done.
Stop Being Arrogant
Could you lead change management for your organization? Probably. Would the result be as amazing as it could be if you were trained by the experts? Not likely.
Can you make homemade lasagna? Sure. But what if you were first trained by Giada? Would the result be better? Don’t lie to yourself.
Responsive Advisors understands the challenges that come with a true Agile transformation and to make the process easier we take a people-first approach. It’s about increasing the desire of employees to embrace change. This happens by building awareness of what an Agile transformation is and how it will ultimately benefit everyone. Most importantly, we’ve got anti-Bobs with expertise in implementing organizational change to help your business through it.
Whether you want to get better acquainted with change management best practices, are looking to become a Professional Scrum Master (PSM) yourself, or want experienced Agile Coaches to lead your organization through the process–we’ve got you covered.
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