If change is to stick, the business must take ownership of the change products – make them their own. This means that the business must be engaged from the start in determining what those change products (deliverables) should be. When someone in the business (the ‘change owner’) commits resources by commissioning a change, they must also take accountability for successful implementation. That means embedding the change products into a modified business-as-usual to ensure the realisation of the benefits sought.
With significant change, where benefits will be realised across many functions, the change owner must be in the upper layers of the business, and have significant political influence. Where ownership responsibilities are delegated, these will probably mirror line management structures, and there will be a need for coordinated activities by the senior managers involved. Without careful attention, effective business ownership may not happen. Consequently, the ownership of each change must be clearly visible and communicated to all.
Things to consider
- Is business ownership of each change product clear and accepted?
- Is accountability for the benefits clear and accepted?
- Is the change ownership role assigned to the appropriate individual?
- Are the risks of any shared change ownership being appropriately addressed?
- Is the ownership of the change apparent to the adopters of the change?