Professional Development for Change Managers & Change Communicators

One of the most common questions I get asked by people working in change management and communication roles is "Where can I go to learn more - is there a degree or course you would recommend?".It's a great question, and a tricky one to answer. In this post I hope to provide some options to those looking for additional knowledge in the field. See the footnote below for my disclaimer, disclosure and affiliations.By way of explaining why it is tricky to answer, a few thoughts. The field of change management is an imprecise one with many people working in it coming from diverse and fragmented backgrounds (e.g. Project Management, Human Resources, Psychology, Communications, IT). There is no definitive accredited body, though there are a few who are positioning for this space.Accreditation provides reassurance, and a calibration of skill level. You know if you secure a CPA this person will have a minimum level of skills, much like the ABC from IABC. However, accreditation does not replace experience and wisdom, and those who are best placed to develop accreditation programs are probably too busy to do so.  Accreditation also looks great on a resume. It's a shortcut in the hiring process.So the question that started this post is usually born of two motivations - I want to be seen to be as knowledgeable, and credible, and enhance my hiring prospects. Or, the second option is "Help, I am working in this space and I don't think I know enough".  Either way, let's look at the options.

Formal study

In Australia, all of the Universities are increasingly moving to commercial motivations for curriculum development. This means to have a formal degree (either Undergrad or Post Grad). In change management there needs to be sufficient demand to warrant putting the degree on the books.  I believe that AGSM (now part of the University of Sydney) [27.01.10 oops now back with UNSW and part of the ASB, apologies, and thanks Professor Bill Harley for the correction] is still running the Graduate Certificate of Change Management. I know past graduates who swear by the degree, and these are very savvy people who I admire in terms of what they know. If you get in quick, there is a webinar on the 28th of Jan about it.The alternative considerations then become 1)  do you wish to enrol in a single subject (may not be allowed by many Universities) or 2 ) do you wish to undertake a Masters degree and select change subjects being offered. If you are an academic reading this, who teaches in the space please leave a comment with your offerings and I'll update the list.A couple of things to think about or ask here:

• What are the criteria for enrolment - will my cohort have work experience from which to draw upon in class discussion
• What format is the subject / degree run in (e.g. intensive, online, distance, or do I need to commit to a weekly presence during semester)
• Has the lecturer worked in change management before, or is the knowledge base theoretical?
• And then what are your needs - a fundamental theoretical base, or cutting edge, what's on the horizon?
• Are there guest lecturers, or current cases being used in the teaching?
• How does the teaching staff ensure relevance?

By way of explanation of this last point - the cycle of academic publishing means that by the time you are reading an article in a quality journal the research will have been conducted many, many years earlier. In some cases 10 -1 5 years. It may be more useful to have a reading list that includes white papers, industry reports, blogs, and conference papers to keep a mix of contemporary knowledge of change management as well as the classics.Can you speak to alumni or past cohorts? How have they used what they learnt?

Professional development conference & courses

Another option is to invest in your own professional development via conferences, masterclasses, and courses. Some of you may be able to get your employers to pay for these, others may be able to get these run in-house, and some of you may chose to invest in your own career. It will be tax deductible. These courses will cost anywhere between $400 - $6000, and run from half a day to 5 days. Providers I am aware of are Australian Institute of Management, IPAA, Melcrum, Ark, PROSCI, Change First (PCI),  and Change Management Institute. and then boutique consultancies.  Again caveat emptor - look very carefully at the credentials of the provider, and ask for contacts of previous cohort / participants. Most of these will be interactive - if you wish to sit passively in a course and download information, then you may be disappointed.

Self study - books

There is such a rich resource out there in libraries and bookshelves. If you are series about developing your knowledge, read widely and regularly. Start with the classics e.g. Kotter, Kanter, Carnegie, Covey, Conner, and Senge. If you have a favourite on change management then leave it the comments or email me. I'm happy to compile a separate shorter post! My favourite for the last couple of years has been "Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach" by Palmer, Dunford and Akin.

Mentors

Don't underestimate the power of finding a great mentor within your organisation. Ask yourself who do I know (or I have heard of) who has led, managed, worked through change in an impressive way? Then be bold and contact them. Explain what your goals are and what you would like. Don't be timid. The potential mentor may be quite chuffed to be asked, or in a position to recommend some-one else if they don't have time.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Make sure that your HR department is aware that you would like to develop in this capacity - they may be able to arrange it within your organisation or within a sibling company.

Coaching

If you don't have a mentoring option within your organisation, either formal or informal, you may wish to make a case for external coaching. This is where you engage some-one who is external to your organisation on a regular basis to assist you in developing your change capability and knowledge. Again, like the first two options, the would be coach should be able to provide contact details of previous coaching clients who can tell you what they get out of it. You will need to be clear on whether you are looking for a formal executive development program internally, or more of a reflective listening and wise counsel service.

Networks

Another way to develop your knowledge is to seek out professional bodies that are supporting those who work in change management roles.  As blogged about earlier, I've been involved in starting a community of practice for those working in change management roles, The Change Management Professionals.  While currently Melbourne based there is also 104 on the LinkedIn group which is expands the global reach of the group. We meet quarterly at SHK for wine and nibblies and hold facilitated discussions on topics central to the group. The fundamental ethos of this group is we develop the knowledge and practice of those working in change management by sharing, and supporting each other, regardless of background or professional orientation.There are also organised networks such as the CMI, OD Network, and Appreciative Inquiry Network to consider. Existing Professional Associations (e.g. AIM, AICD, PMI) maybe considering special interest groups too. Ask them.Don't disregard social media either; there is an emerging community on Twitter in the field, and multiple groups on Linked In.  You may find some of the contributions quite limited, but you will also find contributors that really build your knowledge.So there you have it, possibly my longest post ever! I hope this is useful to you and if you have any additions / amendments to this please either email me or leave in the comments and I shall update /amend with attribution. My final thought on this, is, it doesn't matter where you get the learning, it matters that you get it!Disclosures and Affiliations:

• This is a topic I have a vested financial interest in.
• I offer coaching services, and internal programs of professional development through my business
• I have in the past been employed by Queensland University of Technology, Monash University and University of Melbourne as a lecturer, and hope to continue working in sessional roles for Universities.
• I have been paid by professional conference groups (e.g. Ark Group) to run Masterclasses in Change Management and Communication.
• I am a co-founder of the Change Management Professionals - there is no commercial relationship associated with this organisation.
• I have contributed chapters and case studies to textbooks and industry reports but have not received payment for these.
• I am a member of the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, but do not have a commercial relationship with them with regards to their products.