Being parachuted into a project that’s already in progress can be daunting, especially for newer change managers. Perhaps you’re taking over from another resource, or you are picking up the reins after a change manager has departed.
The expectations on you are great. You will be expected to quickly get up to speed, identify any gaps in the change approach, and make a positive impact, sometimes with limited information.
Thankfully, it’s not about knowing everything on day one. Instead, it’s about understanding where the project is, what’s been done, and how you can ensure a smooth transition.
When this happened to me recently these are the steps that I took to quickly get to know the project, understand the lay of the land and ensure that I had built relationships with the key stakeholders.
Understand the Current State of the Project
The first step in getting up to speed is understanding where the project is at right now. Start by gathering as much documentation as you can, including the project plan, stakeholder analysis, communication plans, and any change impact assessments that have been completed. Your goal here is to determine:
What’s been achieved so far: Review milestones that have been completed, particularly in relation to change management activities like communication rollouts, training, and stakeholder engagement.
Understand what’s currently in motion: Identify ongoing workstreams, key activities, and any upcoming deadlines. Make sure to get a clear picture of the project timeline.
Are there any risks or challenges? Speak to project leads and key stakeholders to understand if there are any risks, resistance, or challenges that need immediate attention. Understanding the mood and health of the project will help you gauge where you can provide the most value.
Review Completed Change Activities
When coming into a project mid-stream, it’s essential to understand what change activities have already been executed. This will give you insights into what has been successful and what has not and help avoid duplication of efforts.
To do this you should:
Review Communication History: Look at the communications that have been sent out to date. What messaging has already gone to the employees? Have the reasons for the change, timelines, and benefits been clearly communicated? Are there signs of communication fatigue, or is the messaging inconsistent?
Examine Training Delivered: Review any training that has been conducted. Have key stakeholders and employees received the necessary training for the changes being implemented? What’s the feedback from the training? Were there any skill gaps identified that still need to be addressed?
Assess Stakeholder Engagement: Identify which stakeholders have been actively engaged and which may have been overlooked. Who are the champions of the change, and who is still resistant? Understanding the stakeholder dynamics is critical for aligning future change efforts.
Identify Gaps in the Change Approach
After you’ve reviewed the current state and completed change activities, the next step is to identify gaps in the change management approach. This will help you prioritise where your efforts should be focused moving forward. Common areas to assess include:
Identify Stakeholder Gaps: Are there key stakeholders who have been under-engaged or completely left out? If so, this can create resistance later on. Make it a priority to engage these individuals or groups to bring them on board.
Find Communication Gaps: Has the messaging been consistent, clear, and regular? Are there key messages that haven’t been communicated effectively, or new developments that employees aren’t aware of yet? Plan to close those gaps with targeted communication strategies.
Review Change Impact Assessment: Ensure a thorough change impact assessment has been conducted. If it hasn’t, or if it was done early on and hasn’t been revisited, this could lead to blind spots. Revisiting this assessment is key to understanding how people’s roles, behaviours, and processes will be affected.
Assess Training Gaps: Are there any skill gaps or knowledge areas that haven’t been addressed? Additional training sessions or workshops might be needed to ensure the workforce is fully equipped to handle the changes.
Confirm Resistance Management: Has resistance to change been addressed? If not, you’ll need to plan strategies to manage and mitigate resistance moving forward.
Quickly Establish Key Relationships
In a mid-stream situation, relationships are everything. Since you’re joining a project that’s already moving, it’s crucial to build relationships quickly with the project team, key stakeholders, and influential employees.
Make an effort to:
Connect with Project Leaders: They’ll provide you with a clear understanding of the project’s goals, current challenges, and expectations. They can also help you navigate any organisational politics.
Connect with Stakeholders: Building rapport with stakeholders can give you a sense of how the change is being received and where you may face resistance.
Connect with the Change Network: If there’s a change network or change champions already in place, leverage them. They can offer insights into the sentiment on the ground and help you accelerate your efforts.
Prioritise Your Actions
Finally, it’s important to avoid trying to fix everything at once. Given that the project is already in motion, you’ll need to prioritise your actions based on impact and urgency.
Prioritise High-risk areas: Address any major gaps or issues that could derail the project, such as disengaged stakeholders or unresolved resistance.
Find Quick wins: Look for areas where you can make an immediate impact, such as clarifying communications or delivering additional training. These quick wins will build credibility and help smooth the path for larger changes down the line.
Wrapping Up
Being parachuted into a project mid-stream is no small feat, but it also offers a unique opportunity to bring fresh insights and help steer the project to success.
When you understand where the project is, reviewing what’s already been done, identifying gaps, and quickly building key relationships, you can make an immediate impact.
Your goal must be to focus on prioritising the most critical areas, so your efforts lead to meaningful impact on the activities the project is delivering.
