5 reasons to introduce a Change Management Center of Excellence

A Change Management Center of Excellence can develop and sustain your organization’s change management capability

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Organizations that embed change management within their decision making and operating structure can better adapt and integrate change into the business.

We consider these organizations to have “change management capability” – they have the skills, knowledge and resources to consider and apply change management in projects and decisions throughout the business.

The progression to develop change management capability can be a change project in itself. It is a strategic business goal that requires executive commitment, a clear vision and the acceptance and adoption by leaders throughout the organization. A Change Management Center of Excellence is a structure to develop, sustain and optimize the implementation of change management.

Defining a Change Management Center
of Excellence

A Change Management Center of Excellence is a team within an organization that delivers and sustains change management. It’s not the only framework that can achieve this purpose – other models that can contribute include a change management office, practitioner network or community of practice.

In some sectors, a Center of Excellence is committed to providing the highest level of service, care or performance, while establishing the tools, culture and metrics for continuous improvement. A Center of Excellence isn’t an indicator of excellence, but rather a framework to achieve – or at least strive to achieve – excellence.

A Change Management Center of Excellence is responsible for the stewardship of change management processes, tools and methodology. Its functions can include training, coaching, mentoring, support, research, assessments and centralizing information regarding the state and success of organizational changes.

5 reasons to establish a Center
of Excellence

Instead of leading change initiatives or being responsible for change management, a Change Management Center of Excellence develops and supports the integration of change management into projects.

The goal of a Center of Excellence is to foster and steward successful change management through these core functions:

Establish a structure

• • • Introduce and strengthen change management standards,
      methodologies, tools and best practices.

Disperse knowledge

• • • Provide support, coaching and mentoring to leaders, change practitioners
      and people affected by change.

Deliver learning

• • • Define roles and responsibilities, and then provide skill assessments,
      training, certification and team building to enhance the competency of
      leaders and change practitioners.

Identify and monitor metrics

• • • Demonstrate the value of change management through the ongoing
      collection and evaluation of key metrics, while archiving and sharing the experiences of past change initiatives.  

Allocate resources

• • • Contribute to the governance of change management by allocating
      budgets, people and resources across all their possible uses.

First steps to a Center of Excellence

A Change Management Center of Excellence is accountable for owning the discipline of change management. It is often comprised of a small team of individuals skilled to the highest level of competency in the change management discipline. They are responsible for developing, promoting and monitoring the application of change management within the organization.

The responsibility to integrate change management within decisions and projects remains the leaders and business units within the organization. A Center of Excellence can provide expertise through the lifecycle of any change initiative through coaching or consulting, along with the ongoing optimization or standardization of any methodology, processes and tools.

To take the next step, review your organization’s current change management capability or contact our change management experts to discuss a model that will develop and sustain your organization’s change management capability. ■