Projects of Change
Challenges of managing organizational changes
Peter Pfeiffer
August 2009

Presentation Content

Organizations change …
All the time, each and every day!
Some because they want to,
Others because they need to,
Some evolve and develop,

Some organizations
simply disappear

What does
organizational change
has to do with
projects ?

The vast majority of projects
is related to organizational
change
Some projects are proactively
turned towards organizational
change.
Others are reactively related to
change.

… but ¾ of all organizational
change projects fail

Why do so many change
projects fail?

People’s resistance
inadequate PM approach
Confusion of change and
product

Resistance,
Doubts,
Fear

Forms of Resistance
Active / passive
Open / covered
Individual / group
Aggressive / timid

Perspectives of Resistance
biological
sociological
psychological

Resistance and Adaptation
Changes necessity changes
in the of adaptation in living
environment to environment beings
The change comes from outside:
the reference is the environment.

Resistance and Adaptation
Changes
in the congruency
environment Internal adjustments with the
until self-conservation changes
is reestablished in the
Self- environment
conservation
The change comes from inside:
the reference is the living being.

Collective Resistance
Organizational change affects
interest groups, influence,
control, power.

Groups are fundamental
elements of organizations
They are links between the
individual and the organization.
Generate more identity than the
organization as a whole.
Allow to share perceptions and
visions.

Groups are also a critical
element of change
Facilitate to “organize” resistance,
without exposing the individual.
Suggest the impression that the
collective is stronger than the sum
of the individuals.
Change tends to stimulate the
competition between groups.

Individual Resistance
Organizational change affects people
not only as employees but also as
individuals.

Objective Information Tasks
Technology Procedures
Rules/Norms
Hierarchy
Sentimentos Medo
Desejos Insegurança
Esperança Ansiedade
Desconfiança
Simpatia/Antipatia
Rejeição
Status
Ambição
Valores Tabus

To know the risks, one needs to dive deeper!

Objective Information Tasks
Technology Procedures
Rules/Norms
Hierarchy
Feelings Fear
Insecurity
Desire
Anxiety
Hope
Mistrust
Sympathy/Antipathy
Rejection
Status
Ambition
Values Taboos

Resist or not resist?
People don't resist change,
they resist being changed.
Peter Bregman

PM Approach

“Classical” Project Management
might not be the best approach
to deal with organizational
change.

Change should be strategic – that is
rather a program's issue.
PM’s main purpose is to deliver products
– change is different.
Its structure is temporary – change has to
be permanent.
It does not include some important tools
and techniques - organizational
development does.

Types of Projects
Deployment Development

Organizational
Development
x
Engineering
Purpose/Objectives
Planning/Monitoring
≠
Direction/Leadership
Needed Competencies

Project Organization

People x Products

Development Projects
Provoke behavioral changes,
intangible, but relevant.
Are strongly influenced by
organizational, social, cultural
and economic aspects.

Development Projects
Have to deal with a high degree
of uncertainty for planning and
implementation.
Beneficiaries are not
commercial clients of the project.

Example Project Management Office
PMO is to At the same
introduce time, the
change and establishment
promote of a PMO is a
development development
within the project.
organization.

More explicit Challenges
Obtain sponsorship and resources.
Demonstrate the value of the PMO.
Have qualified staff.
Have the responsibilities well
defined.
“Culture” (whatever that means).

Less explicit Challenges
The management
of perceptions,
beliefs, politics
and power.

What are the keys
to success?

Recognize the diversity of people.
Build up trust.
Orient the pace of change towards
people, not technology.
Reveal the value for the people, not
only for the organization.
Involve people actively.
Create, use and share the
organizational knowledge.

Not all organizations need
to be identical ...

... but all should comply efficiently
with their mission and be a pleasant
place to work!

Some resources used:
• Bauer, Ruben (2009): Conhecimento e cognição. Apresentação no SBGC no Rio
de Janeiro.
• Bregman, Peter (2009): How to Counter Resistance to Change.
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/
• Burke, Wyatt Warner (2007): Organization change. Theory and Practice. Los
Angeles: Sage Publications.
• Friess, Peter M. (2000): Systemische Konzepte für das Management von
Organisationsprojekten. www.gpm-ipma.de/docs/
• Neumann, Donald/Baureis, David/Stock, Torsten (2009): Capacidade de
Transformação: Gestão Ágil de Projetos em Estruturas Organizacionais
Transformáveis. In: Revista MundoPM, nº 26.
• Nicolette, Dave/ Kosekla, Lasse (2008): Overcoming Resistance to Change.
http://submissions.agile2008.org/node/1655
• Pfeiffer, Peter (2005): Gerenciamento de Projetos de Desenvolvimento.
Conceitos, Instrumentos e Aplicações. Rio de Janeiro: Brasport.
• Pfeiffer, Peter (2006) Facilitação de Projetos. Conceitos e técnicas para alavancar
equipes. Rio de Janeiro : Brasport.
• Schlichter, John (2009): Transformando a Cultura através do PMO e OPM3. In:
Revista MundoPM, nº 27.
• www.flickr.com