Change Delivery

Change delivery is a structured approach to moving an organisation from its current state to a future, more desirable state. This can involve a variety of transformations, ranging from simple adjustments, such as modifying the appearance of a website, to comprehensive overhauls like reorganising entire business processes. Change delivery ensures that these transitions are managed effectively, providing clear direction and minimising disruptions. By utilising a strategic framework, organisations can achieve their desired outcomes more efficiently and with reduced risk.

One of the most common pitfalls organisations encounter is when the demand for change far exceeds the available resources to implement it. This often occurs in rapidly growing companies where the volume of change projects overwhelms their capacity to deliver effectively. 

Additionally, significant shifts within the organisation, such as changes in leadership or operating models, can disrupt previously stable systems, making it challenging to maintain a balanced and effective change delivery process. Another issue is the misapplication of Agile methodologies, where organisations mistake Agile for an excuse to avoid proper planning and governance, leading to chaotic and ineffective change management.

Governance is often perceived as an administrative burden that hinders progress and adds unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. Many see it as mere paperwork and procedures that slow down delivery rather than enabling it. However, effective governance is crucial for successful change delivery as it provides structure, accountability, and prioritisation. Without it, organisations risk falling into disorganised, chaotic processes that can lead to failed initiatives. A well-designed governance framework should act as a catalyst for change, ensuring that projects are delivered efficiently and aligned with organisational goals, rather than being a mere compliance exercise.

Organisations often struggle with prioritising project demands due to political dynamics and the lack of a structured process. A common issue is the “hero culture,” where projects get prioritised based on which team or executive shouts the loudest, rather than strategic alignment. To address this, it's crucial to implement a front door demand management process that provides an initial assessment of project scope, cost, and timelines. This approach helps leaders understand the realistic implications of their requests and forces a collective decision-making process, ensuring that projects are prioritised based on their overall value to the organisation rather than individual preferences.

Silos in project delivery can hinder the successful execution of cross-functional initiatives. For example, different business units might be able to manage their own projects effectively but struggle when a project requires collaboration across departments. Implementing a mechanism for early engagement and alignment between silos can help mitigate these issues. By facilitating discussions early on, teams can identify potential resource conflicts and align their plans, ensuring that dependencies are managed proactively. This approach prevents bottlenecks and delays further down the line and helps maintain a smooth delivery process across the organisation.

Large organisations often face the challenge of modernising legacy systems that have accumulated technical debt over many years. Attempting to overhaul everything at once can lead to extensive delays and resource constraints. A more effective approach is to take incremental steps, addressing specific issues while maintaining ongoing business operations. By adopting an enterprise-wide view and prioritising critical changes, organisations can gradually modernise their systems in manageable phases. This prevents delivery teams from becoming overwhelmed and ensures that business-as-usual activities continue without disruption, ultimately leading to a more sustainable transformation.

The biggest challenge in change delivery is not the technical aspect, but rather the cultural and behavioural factors within an organisation. While having the right processes, tools, and data integrity is essential, these are considered basic requirements. The true hurdle lies in overcoming entrenched ways of working and breaking through the "hero culture," where individuals navigate through dysfunction to prove their value. Effective change delivery requires addressing these cultural barriers and putting human change at the forefront, ensuring that everyone is aligned and engaged with the new ways of working.

Changemaker’s approach involves working closely with organisations to understand their unique cultural and behavioural dynamics and then tailoring strategies to foster acceptance and support for change. By prioritising the human change element, we ensure that employees are not only aware of the changes but are also equipped and motivated to adapt to them. This holistic approach helps create a sustainable shift in behaviour and mindset, making change initiatives more effective and long-lasting.

Changemaker aims to leave a legacy of sustainable change in every organisation we work with. This means developing solutions that are not only effective in the short term but also adaptable and relevant as the organisation evolves. Our focus is on empowering internal teams to continue improving and managing change long after the initial engagement. By creating frameworks and processes that employees understand and can build upon, changemaker enables its clients to maintain and grow their change capabilities over time, reducing dependency on external consultants.

Resistance to governance and controls often stems from a fear of losing personal influence and control within the organisation. Employees, especially those who have been in their roles for a long time, may feel threatened by formal processes that could diminish their unique value and their ability to "get things done" in a less structured environment. This resistance can be both subconscious and overt, as people may rely on informal networks or personal authority to navigate a chaotic system. 

Implementing effective governance requires addressing these fears and demonstrating that structured controls do not stifle individual contribution but instead create a more predictable and effective environment for everyone to succeed. Changemaker’s light-touch approach is specifically designed to accomplish these feats, creating tailored governance structures that work for the organisations that implement them, rather than the other way around.