Projectifying Business
The inevitability of change
Change. Some people shudder at the word, but change is one of life’s certainties. And change in a business environment isn’t something we choose to do. It’s something we can try to ignore, react to negatively or it can be an opportunity.
The challenge for today’s business leaders is to control the direction of that change – to create opportunity out of the shifting landscape and adapt to adverse conditions before they manifest themselves and have a negative impact on the balance sheet.
Change is not something that businesses do, it is something they respond to
‘Organisational re-engineering’ and ‘change management’ emerged, in order to enable this transformational change approach. Unfortunately these approaches fail more often than they succeed.
- The business is asked to perform in a way that it is not used to and for which it has minimal skills and experience
- Busy teams are asked to take on additional, unfamiliar responsibilities while maintaining day-to-day operations
- Functional and technical managers are suddenly expected to become change and/or project leaders
These sorts of initiatives are usually looking to repair damage that has already been done, so the damage continues until the improvement process unfolds…or fails! Faced with this reality, many businesses simply do nothing at all.
Making projects part of the way the business thrives
I began to see that, in most cases, resistance wasn’t a change management problem but a sales problem. People resist change when they’re not sold on the benefits, but will embrace it when they see the value it will bring to their lives and what they are trying to accomplish.
Using projects that better engage their people, I help organisations make their teams the driving force behind progressive, adaptive change. Creating a more effective project mindset within the business allows leaders to respond more strategically to the changing business environment – as opposed to managing resistance.
This approach has worked in the capital projects business and it can work for your business
By projectifying the way business was being done, I have been able to turn around some poorly performing project organisations… the same people in the same contracting environment who became engaged and motivated and re-thought their approach to the work.
“I was particularly impressed by Jeff’s expertise in rigorous planning, control and execution coupled with outstanding communication skills which helped the Contractor…deliver within the original approved budget and 19 days ahead of program. Jeff’s knowledge of complex project planning, integration and delivery is world-class.”
Milind Kumar, GAICD
Project Director, SA Water
Adelaide Desalination Project
Where entrenched approaches have been established over several decades, I have been able to shift people’s view of what’s possible and embrace new ways of doing business.
“During the development and implementation of our Lean based operating model for Arrow, Jeff played a significant role in…connecting the concepts and methods to what it meant for the team members as individuals and for meeting the objectives of the organisation as a whole. Gaining that team alignment and willingness to explore was a key turning point in our effort…”
Jacques Viret
Business Improvement Manager, Royal Dutch Shell
Arrow Energy Well Development Program
How we help businesses use projects to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment
Do you have a specific business problem or are you an organisation that needs to be more responsive to disruption? My programs will allow you to:
- Leverage the full depth and breadth of the organisation’s capability
- Get a better return on your time, money and energy investment
- Build your project “muscle” – your business processes, skills and expertise
- Manage your project portfolio to ensure you’re working on your strategic priorities.
- Stay ahead of the disruptive impacts in your business environment
- Become the disruptive influence that your competitors are responding to
For an in-depth look at our programs click here.
Interested in finding out more?
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