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Change and capacity management

I recently read an article about how to do more with less, in the context of inflation, and realized how this applies perfectly to the organizational context, if we also consider the scarcity of manpower and the obligatory move to cloud computing. One of the main challenges for decision-makers and managers is to manage the capacities of people who are already heavily solicited on various fronts, while maintaining their commitment.

Here is a short list of practices where change management and capacity management come together in these tumultuous times:

  • Review and align priorities regularly: This are mostly about governance, leadership and political courage. An example? One director, among many others, raises a red flag that it is literally impossible to allocate resources to two projects simultaneously. He’s got his point. His proposal: Put identity and access management on top of the pile where there is real chaos. In short, kill two birds with one stone. After evaluation: accepted!
  • Define and leverage the roles and responsibilities of key people (managers, change agents, champions, and centers of expertise) to get the communications flowing, and break down the silos in the work organization. An example? Early appropriation by two (2) rising stars of expertise in cloud computing and sharing of knowledge on a new tool used in system operations.

 

For the airplane to weather the current turbulence, pilots, crew members and passengers must contribute. This means being informed, responding to concerns, getting out in front, being transparent, escalating issues while encouraging innovation and creativity. This journey involves good interpersonal skills coupled with a core of well-established technical expertise, all through targeted attraction and retention approaches.

Easy to say, not so easy to put into practice, this famous resilience or adaptability to ensure buy-in and maintain morale of the troop. Isn’t it?

Jean-Manuel Thibeault Change Management Consultant