There is a strong interconnection between effective change management and project management. In a large project, there is usually a change management component – and there are a number of situations where the project is an organizational change management initiative. You use the same project management processes when you implement an organizational change management life cycle. It’s the same basic approach whether you’re managing change or managing a project that creates change.

Choosing the right project manager is essential; this is the person who is going to lead your team, coordinate your resources, anticipate and solve problems, hit your deliverables, and get results. Hopefully! Take hope out of the equation, and know you’ve got the best person for the job. A little due diligence during the interview process can help you select the right candidate.

Remember the “Billion Dollar Government Boondoggle”? In the late 1990s, the Canadian government contracted out the immense task to create a national electronic firearms registry. The project was going to cost $119 million, $117 million of which was to be offset by registration fees and licenses. $1 billion later… The project ran into virtually every problem that it possibly could, from politics, to 1000 change orders in the first two years, to figuring out how to get it to integrate with computer systems in 50 different agencies. Poorly defined from the start, this project only got worse, more expensive, and more absurd. When faced with their own ‘Titanics’, when do organizations and agencies say, “Enough is enough?” and simply abandon ship?

It starts with a project manager, huddled in a corner, weeping. Just kidding. Project managers are hardy sorts and will not break down at the office.

Projects, particularly complex, large-scale projects, face a number of challenges, and it is the rare one that does not stumble at some point under the weight of them. There are many, though, where stumbling turns into a free fall. It is critical that leaders read the warning signs of impending trouble so they can reverse course.

“A man should never be appointed to a managerial position if his vision focuses on people’s weaknesses rather than on their strengths. The man who always knows what people cannot do, but never sees what they can do, will undermine the spirit of the organization. Of course, a manager should have a clear grasp of the limitations of his people, but he should see these as limitations on what they can do, and as a challenge to them to do better.” – Peter Drucker

The purpose of a Centre of Excellence (COE) approach is a repository of knowledge, templates, and best practices that allow projects, and people to succeed. It is about lessons learned. The goal is to highlight what works and the best way to approach challenges. Employees do not feel chastised, but proud; they contribute rather than detract. This can be a tremendously motivating factor for employees and teams, and a powerful advantage for organizations.