Organisations in the public and not for profit sector are having to adapt and change on a scale that many have never experienced before.
While one might think that any change or improvement is going to make a difference, this may or may not be the case.
When considering embarking on any change or improvement, there are at least 10 questions that you need to be able to answer.
Question 1: Why Is Change Needed?
This is one that you need to be able to answer with complete confidence, otherwise it is going to be an uphill struggle.
Question 2: Who Are Our Key Stakeholders?
Any change is going to have an impact on everyone. It is vital that you identify who the key stakeholders are.
Question 3: How Can We Engage Our Key Stakeholders?
Just identifying the key stakeholders is not enough. You also have to be able to engage them otherwise progress will be tough.
Question 4: Who Are Our Key Influencers?
As well as knowing who are the key stakeholders you also need to know who are the key influencers? These might not necessarily be the most senior people and more often than not have influence not because of their status but because they are respected.
Question 5: How Do We Engage Our Key Influencers?
Like stakeholders, you also need to have a clear strategy for engaging with those key influencers.
Question 6: What Are The Major Benefits?
Benefits realisation is a whole lot tougher than it appears. Being able to identify and articulate the major benefits is vital.
Question 7: How Will We Make Sure The Change Delivers What Was Expected?
With as many as 70% of changes not delivering fully the benefits that were hoped for, this requires more than simply good change management and governance.
Question 8: What Are Likely To Be The Major Objections?
In theory it should be straightforward enough to deliver change. In practice it is quite different. There will be many objections raised. The challenge is to identify the likely objections so that they can be handled well.
Question 9: What Will Be Different?
Can you paint a clear picture, tell a great story or bring to life what will be different once the change has been implemented? This is a crucial to securing buy-in and support.
Question 10: How Will We Know We Have Achieved What We Set Out To Do?
Post project review is vital both to make sure we follow through to a conclusion and also to learn for the future.
Goals and Achievements work in partnership with public and not for profit organisations to facilitate and support them in the areas of change, improvement and best use of resources.