Janet's success stories
Here are some examples of Janet’s projects:
- Stakeholder management – a strategic approach – Public Sector, new classification structures
- Action planning as the way forward – Coal mining – transition to a new supplier and performance contract
- Computer literacy and change readiness – Public Sector trades, changing technology and reorganisation
- Integrating change management and project management – Public Sector – ensuring readiness for a new IT system
- Accurate analysis and diagnosis – Community organisation – using change tools to identify the root cause of conflict
- New Intensive Care Information Systems
Stakeholder management – a strategic approach – Public Sector,
new classification structures
Traditional stakeholder management models do not work well in large complex government agencies with multiple stakeholders, where building commitment to change is largely an active process of networking and influencing. As project manager in a large government agency, Janet created strategic alliances across key stakeholder groups with common needs and interests, supported
by targeted and timely communication. She consciously built a critical mass of support before engaging with stakeholders who were resistant to change, relying on early supporters to influence the attitudes of others. Using tools to analyse stakeholder positioning also assisted with the planning and sequencing of stakeholder engagement activity. Janet also made good use of internal networks to build commitment and create ownership from within.
Action planning as the way forward – Coal mining – transition to a new supplier and performance contract
Janet worked with a client and key stakeholders of a major mining company to develop a change management plan for the transition to a performance based contract with a new supplier. Key stakeholder interviews on site and initial analysis revealed different levels of ‘buy in’, mixed expectations and several major risks that would need to be proactively managed. Working with tight timeframes, Janet developed a change management plan that integrated stakeholder communication, expectation management and risk mitigation activity together with the action required to review and align business systems, thus ensuring all would be in readiness for the new contract. The plan also served as a practical resource for the client and project team, because if enabled them to move forward and start working on what needed to be done.
Computer literacy and change readiness – Public Sector trades, changing technology and reorganisation
Many change initiatives nowadays rely on new or improved ICT systems and a computer literate workforce. As an HR Manager responsible for a change process, Janet understood early, from change readiness assessment, that poor computer literacy would be a significant factor and a potential source of change resistance. Further analysis and sensitive inquiry revealed that fear of future competence in using technology was influencing the attitudes of older employees. Janet arranged on site computer training that would develop basic skills and knowledge for new users. She also sourced external providers for those who wanted to learn more. Janet relied on site based opinion leaders
to promote the training, and negotiated with managers to ensure people were released for training. The take up rate for computer training was also encouraged by success stories and people ‘spreading the word’.
Integrating change management and project management – Public Sector – ensuring readiness for a new IT system
Managing change in Information Technology projects is different and challenging. Nowadays new software application or systems upgrades are a feature of many change initiatives. Janet applies communication and engagement approaches that help end users get to know the new system, such as product demonstrations and visual images of how typical work processes will change. She adapts change readiness assessment tools to include assessment of workforce computer literacy and receptiveness to training. Janet carries out change impact analysis very thoroughly from a systems thinking perspective - understanding that a new IT system can have difficult-to-predict impacts across complex organisations. She will also ensure that there is precision around change planning; this includes dates and deliverables, and alignment of dates for critical change events such as training, transition planning activities and go-live management, with system testing and deployment dates. As a change analyst working in an IT project environment, Janet pooled the collective contributions of those involved in strategic IT projects into integrated change management and project management practice guides. She also led the post Release learning reviews, using the insights garnered through that process to improve change management practice for future releases.
Accurate analysis and diagnosis – Community organisation – using change tools to identify the root cause of conflict
Janet was engaged by a community organisation to advise on resolving internal conflict. After one day on site, it was obvious that understanding the issues, over which people were in conflict, would be critical to offering an accurate diagnosis of the problem. It was also necessary for change interventions prescribed to work within a flat structure and a culture of self-management. Janet ran workshops which taught people how to use analytical and problem solving tools for themselves. This revealed the root cause of the conflict, and created a shared understanding of “why and how”. It also enabled people to talk more rationally about the problems in their workplace, without falling back into old patterns of behaviour. Consequently, they became part of the solution, rather than the problem. With a new awareness within the organisation, of what needed to change, Janet continued to work with this organisation to carry out more specific team building work, coaching, workload and job analysis, performance management and consolidate numerous HR policies, to better align policy and practice with organisational values. Janet also assisted with a fundamental rethink of the organisation’s approach to strategic planning. This resulted in a clearly defined and values- based strategic intent, and operational planning aimed at building core capabilities.
New Intensive Care Information Systems
The vision for change and benefits from a new clinical information systems (CIS) was clinical best practice propagation. Janet developed the change strategy and communications plan which aligned all change processes with the vision. The overall focus was to showcase clinicians in leadership roles and provide a clear pathway to implementation and benefits realisation. The practical toolkit Janet developed for site teams also helped clinical leaders take charge during implementation and build their capability to support and sustain the CIS when the project finished.
Phone
0409 573 123
Outside Australia
+61 409 573 123
Janet is based in Brisbane, Australia.
Janet travels to where the work takes her!