Engaging Leaders in Change Management

This week we're celebrating Change Management Training month and one of the ways we're celebrating is to offer a free workshop on Wednesday September 7th about engaging leaders. 

I’m fascinated with leadership engagement because in the past I've sometimes found myself intimidated and therefore not always going above and beyond to engage leaders and sponsors. 

A colleague of mine told me she didn't like to “spoon feed” leaders what they needed to be effective sponsors of change, but I disagree with her, “figure it out” approach. As the change lead or practitioner, I know what will be helpful, partly because I'm in the trenches every day looking at engagement, listening to stakeholders, and focused on adoption. It's important to gather and share this knowledge with my sponsor or leader. 

Although sponsors are busy and capable, I believe it's my responsibility and role to be able to guide them. I don't think guiding someone is the same as spoon feeding.  I recently spoke to the PMI Sioux Empire Chapter in South Dakota about this topic and felt like I had touched a nerve when I talked about the somewhat intimidating responsibility of leading our sponsors and leaders to really be effective in their change management roles. 

If you’re able, join us in our workshop or look for our READY, Set, Change! Change Mastery 101 training and learn how to assist sponsors and keep moving stakeholders through the change to adoption.