Thu 12 June đ 11:00-11:45 | Practice Stream
APM Enabling Change Interest Network presents:
Change for a better world - how to get people to want to do the right thing
In reaching for a sustainable world there are many common obstacles faced by project and programme leaders. Examples include resistance to change, lack of resources, insufficient stakeholder engagement and deeply ingrained organizational habits and cultural norms. Even with the best intentions and strong governance, these obstacles can seriously undermine progress towards the sustainable outcomes weâre striving for.
This session aims to explore how we can overcome these challenges by drawing on change management principles. Change management provides frameworks and best practice to help us engage and mobilise people behind the shared vision. By leveraging these principles, we can more effectively and sustainably navigate these challenges and unlock lasting, positive and impactful change.
We asked Mark and Andrew a few questions about their session:
Why do you think this topic is particularly relevant for project professionals?
Mark - Because project professionals are at the heart of delivering change â and success often hinges on how well people engage with that change. Whether itâs resistance, ambivalence, distraction, or simply competing priorities, human behaviour is usually the biggest variable. By understanding what truly drives engagement, project professionals can create the conditions for change to gain traction - not through force, but through shared energy and a sense of purpose.
Whatâs one key takeaway attendees will gain from your session?
Mark - A practical framework to turn ambivalence and resistance into engagement â helping project professionals build momentum, navigate tough dynamics, and embed lasting change with greater confidence.
What excites you most about attending/speaking at the APM Conference?
Mark - The energy of like-minded professionals who are passionate about making change happen. I love sharing ideas, challenging assumptions, and seeing those lightbulb moments when people realise whatâs really possible in their role.
What challenges would you like to help project professionals overcome from your session?
Andrew - Helping project professionals understand why people resist doing what they know is rightâand how to close that gap through better influence, engagement, and behavioural insight.
Why would your session benefit someone at the start of their project professional career? / Something they could learn and take away from your session.
Andrew - Change is at the heart of every project. This session will give those early on in their careers the tools to influence behaviourâan essential skill for driving change.
