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Grasping Change: Stakeholders and their Environment

Stakeholders are strongly linked with their larger Environment. Getting a grip on the ecosystem can
be done from different angles. Most added value will come when building the bigger picture through
the evaluation of three fundamental drivers: the Climate for Change, the Mindset of the
Stakeholders, and the Impact of the Project.
Project success & the Stakeholder reality
In 2013, Gartner estimated that more than 50% of the Projects fail because they are not completed
in time or on budget, or because they fail to deliver the benefits that are agreed upon at the start of
the Project. One of the ingredients of successful Projects appears to be the anticipation and
preparation of the Organization for the upcoming Change with the different Stakeholder groups.
We will look at it through three complementary angles: the Climate for Change, the Mindset of the
Stakeholders, and the Impact of the Project.
Grasping the Change context
The evaluation of the Change Management Climate gives an indication of the recent exposure to
Change in function of the past track record. The track record is influenced by elements like the
quality of the internal communication, the way resistance to Change is usually managed, priority
setting habits, the presence of Change agents, the span of the eventual politicized environment, and
the like.
This understanding is traditionally built through interviews with key Stakeholders. The results give a
strong indication of the organizational zones requiring additional attention. This can range from a
clear need for consistent trainings for each Project, to strong
efforts needed on the management level in priority setting, or
It may be hard for an egg to
consistency in the decision-taking process.
turn into a bird: it would be a
jolly sight harder for it to
The Stakeholder assessment evaluates the willingness to Change
learn to fly while remaining
versus the capability to do so for a series of individual
Stakeholders. Usually, different persons are interviewed in each
an egg. C. S. Lewis
group of Stakeholders. This helps in identifying eventual Change
agents capable to mentor their colleagues or bring significant
support to the initiative. Adversely, the assessment might shed light on the departments that are
most resistant to change. They will require specific Change management attention. Note that the
outcome can be aggregated per organizational unit to understand differences per site or
department.
The Project Impact assessment evaluates who will feel the biggest impact of the Project on what
level. Traditionally, angles to explore will be: Organization, Governance, Culture, Technology and
Business Processes.
From the Theory to Practice
In the example below, the Change diagnostics have been done for an Organization desiring the put in
place a transversal Project for different departments.
The Change climate has been evaluated by the Executive Director of the Organization through an
assessment of 50 statements, to be evaluated on a scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly
disagree). The answers on the questions result automatically in an update of the graph.

JRGEN JANSSENS

The Stakeholder assessment has been obtained through a (different) self-assessment, completed by
the senior managers of each division, resulting each in a divisional image. The aggregated picture
shows the final graph. The Project Impact assessment is based on the feedback of the Executive
Director.
The combination Change diagnostic illustrates a Project in an environment with a limited exposure to
Change and a limited Change track-record; a moderately positive Stakeholder support; and the
highest impact of the Project being expected on business processes and organizational fluidity.
To take this Change management climate
into account, one will have to capture the
outcome from previous Projects and make
a selective use of good practices or
recognized experts, focus on quick-wins to
reassure and involve users, and put extra
focus in communication, business
involvement and transparent reporting.
The Stakeholder assessment illustrates
that the Project will take place in an
environment that is favorable to Change
management, but with a strong need to
guide the Change management awareness
that is latently present. Based on the
aggregated assessment of the
Stakeholders, a part of the department
Change Management climate, Stakeholder
appears to be composed by people able to
assessment, Project Impact assessment.
support the initiative from a Change
management angle, if they receive some
additional support. In their position of Change agent, they appear to be appropriate to promote the
Project to key users or, at least, have a positive influence on the local promotion of change.
As the Project is likely to impact more business processes and organizational fluidity, one will have to
dedicate reinforced attention to these aspects or to the expectations Stakeholders have on this
level. On the other hand, it is an indication that the Stakeholders have their feet well on the ground
concerning the possibilities of the Project outcome. This will make it easier to embed the human,
process or technology driven changes in a fitting environment.

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JRGEN JANSSENS