The document discusses approaches for managing change when there is no formal change plan. It notes trends toward more agile practices, remote teams, and an increased need for collaboration between project and change managers. It then outlines several approaches that can work with ambiguity, including situational assessment, establishing team norms and priorities, and emphasizing relationships. Behaviors for success include engagement, acknowledging emotions, and facilitating alternatives. The key takeaway is that managing change without a plan requires behaviors like flexibility and collaboration to work through ambiguity evolutionarily rather than following a predefined plan.

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How to Manage Change When
There is No Change Plan
Approaches that work with ambiguity
Janet Ford
Rick Walters

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Agenda
 Trends
 Approaches that
Work with Ambiguity
 Behaviors for
Success
 Ah Ha! Moments

3. Two Truths and a Lie…
2017 Trends

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Trends:
– 2013 to 2014 saw an 84% jump
in new Agile adopters*
– Agile is gaining acceptance
outside of software
development
– Project Management Institute is
offering certification for Agile
Truth #1:
Agile Practices
applied to
projects will
continue to
grow.
*Source: Caterra VersionOne Study 2015

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Trends:
– 40% of the American workforce
will be freelancers, contractors
by 2020*
– Studies show 37% of Americans
have telecommuted**
– Leaders require new ways to
maintain productivity
Truth #2:
Remote teams
will become the
new normal.
*Source: Intuit 2016
**Source: Gallup

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The truth is...
– Project Managers will rely on
greater cross training and
collaboration with Change
Managers
• Increased knowledge,
overlapping tenets
– Executives desire more buy-in,
expect greater management of
change
The Lie:
Project
Managers will
rely on Change
Managers to
plan, manage
and lead the
change.
*Source: Caterra VersionOne Study 2015

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Some Indicators:
• Doing More with Less - Cost and
resource constraints
• Defining Broader Outcomes
instead of defining the Future
State
• Faster, More Nimble projects
• More Learning and Adapting over
Following a Plan
What will the
future look
like?

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Failure is not
an option and
giving up is
not the
answer…

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Think of it as a
process, not a
plan…
It’s
evolutionary

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Situation Assessment
Where are you on this scale and where do you need to be for your customers/objectives?
 Defined outcomes but
not exact solution
 Prioritized milestones/
deliverables
 Lean and evolving
team
 More emphasis on
team relationships
 Defined current and
future state
 Leadership directive,
buy-in
 Well defined project
plan
 Organized and skilled
project team
 Defined value, shared
understanding of problem
 Iterative process of
development
 Continuous involvement
between project/business
 Adaptive, evolving team,
process
Waterfall AgileDynamic/Ambiguous

11. Warning! This isn’t going to be easy…
Organizing For Dynamic Change

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PARTNER to facilitate team norms
MANAGE team and organizational
dynamics
TUNE INTO the uncertainty and the anxiety
it is causing
ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS in micro, point
to point “moments of truth”
HELP the team and stakeholders through
the change curve, be aware of needs
BUILD the teams capacity to manage
uncertainty
Relevance is
our firm
grounding in
the human and
organization
change
process.

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Be Aware! There is no clear plan…
Planning for No Plan

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Case 1: Agile
– Structured Iterative development
Expressworks Change Drivers for Agile Key Consideration
Clear Direction Engagement
Competency
Development
Reinforcement Communication
Enable Product
Owner, a key
business role
Build around agile
ceremonies and
cross-functional
business-IT team
Rapid, right-sized
learning
enablement
Holistic focus,
nurturing the
business and
project Agile
journey
Emphasize relationship
building to work through
decisions and ambiguity
together

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Case 2: Dynamic/Ambiguous
– Non Structured Iterative Development
Foundation:
Team Norms
Shared
Understanding
Trust
Establish
Key Milestones/
Baseline deliverables
Build a calendar of
events & activities
with the Business,
align to milestones
Maintain Interaction
with the Business
Tips:
• Baseline change
deliverables, iterate as
needed throughout
Tips:
• Agree operating principles
• Formal to informal touchpoints
• Build in decision making
Tips:
• Tell truths – what we know
and what we don’t know
• Frequent touchpoints

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Stakeholder
Engagement,
it’s not just for
business anymore
Engagement is for
Everybody

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Cross-functional
Partnership for
the Journey
If the nature of the effort
is plan and evolve as you
go…
…building and facilitating
the engagement plan within
and between the project
and business stakeholders
is more important than
ever.

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Behaviors or Skills,
which is more
important?
Behaviors for Success

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Skills or Behaviors, Which is More Important?
Technical
Skills
Soft Skills
(Behaviors)
Flexible/Adaptable
Empathetic
Collaborator, finds common ground
Identifies and uses strength of others
Shows self confidence
Builds Change Resilience
Project Management
Organization
Technical/Problem Solving Skills
Documentation
Negotiation
Applies Change Management Tactics
Emotional intelligence (applying soft skills) will be the most-desired skill for new project managers*
*Source: Caterra 5 Biggest PM Trends 2017

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Behaviors for Success
•Engage in two-way
conversations
•Involve stakeholders in
the solution
•Acknowledge emotions
•Celebrate the victories
•Facilitate alternatives
•Deal with the messy
•Manage frustrations
•Work through ambiguity
•Speak truthfully (about
the unknowns)
•Facilitate – action plan
•Initiate dialog to define
team norms- role model
•Organize interactive
sessions between
leaders and stakeholders
•Facilitate action planning
and alternative design
sessions
Leaders Project Managers Change Managers

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Ah Ha! Moments
Take-aways

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Thank You!
Questions?
Janet Ford
Janetford@expressworks.com
Rick Walters
Rickwalters@expressworks.com

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Reference

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Comparison of Approaches
Waterfall Dynamic/Agile
Clear Vision and
Direction
Clear Vision of Success and Frame Alignment on desired outcomes
Sponsorship Gain early buy-in Establish norms/team effectiveness
Assessment and
Planning
Change impact Assessment
Detailed project plan with buy-in
Formal change plan, integrated
Situation Assessment (Maturity)
Prioritized milestones, deliverables
Baseline a change plan
Engagement Formal, less frequent Informal, frequent
Measurement Cost/Quality/Time Milestones/Deliverables/Outcomes

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Facilitators
Rick and Janet are Senior Consultants with Expressworks International a consulting firm leading companies
around the globe to understand their unique challenges, remove complexity and deliver meaningful,
measurable, sustainable change.
Rick has 25 years of experience in successful business transformation initiatives. Skilled at
facilitating leadership and teams at all levels to define vision and execute strategy through
multi-year sustainable initiatives. Roles include organizational development, change
management, program and project management.
Rick is also co-founder of Harbour Mastery Inc. providing Software-as-a-Service Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) tailored for the unique business processes and tariff structures of
seaports and marinas.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgwalters
Janet Ford has over 15 years of experience partnering with leaders and organizations to drive
process technology and behavior change that aligns with business strategy. Recognized by
Fortune 100 clients as a coach and thought partner to help leaders plan and execute a change
strategy that makes sense for their organization. Strengths include building a fit-for-purpose
change strategy and applying project management, stakeholder management, process
development and team facilitation to drive successful outcomes.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetford1/

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We’re a consulting firm focused on leading
companies through changes, however targeted or
sweeping they may be. We enable our people, and
in turn our clients, to be drivers of change – change
that makes businesses more competitive and more
profitable. Since 1984, we’ve worked with major
companies around the globe to understand their
unique challenges, remove complexity and deliver
meaningful, measurable, sustainable change.
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www.linkedin.com/in/rgwalters
www.linkedin.com/in/janetford1
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