Change is hard.
Whether it’s a new job, new responsibilities, moving to a new city, or even a new boss—change isn’t easy. The same is true for organizations implementing new work management methodologies. The benefits of changing the way work gets done may be obvious, but that doesn’t mean the change will be easy. That being said, some of the most common implementation problems are excuses, not roadblocks.
Knowing (and then educating everyone involved with the change) upfront about what to expect can make the culture shock a little easier to deal with. I’ve found that "fear of change" is in most cases a fear of the unknown. Here are some of the most common fears organizations face as they implement project management methodologies:
- It’s different. Realizing that there are some people who thrive on change, but most people don’t, is important. You may get some push-back simply because it’s a change.
- Managers are uncomfortable with additional scrutiny. Projects that might be
important to one senior manager may not be as important to others. This could make some managers a little nervous that their projects might not stand up to peer review. - Some projects are more important than others. Implementing a sound work management methodology will mean that only those projects that provide the most business value will get pushed forward—not the "pet" projects of influential stakeholders. Because this might negatively impact some projects, those stakeholders may try to block the process.
- There are tough decisions to be made. Best practice requires that some projects will get funded and others will not. It’s important that senior managers understand that they have a responsibility to the organization—not just their individual department. There will be managers who don’t like this fact.
- Implementation takes time. Implementing a new methodology for project based work takes time. Because it doesn’t happen overnight, there will be those who will say they don’t have time for this—but it’s necessary to take the time to be successful.
Like any organizational culture change, there will be some who embrace the change and others who don’t. Be prepared for both, and your efforts will be a success. What are some of the challenges that you have successfully faced when implementing project management methodologies?
