Adapt, survive and thrive: Leading successful transformation (part two)

Building on Part One , this paper focuses on what business leaders must strengthen to ensure transformation takes root. It underlines the role of project capability, the value of professional expertise, the need for a common language and the importance of avoiding change exhaustion by keeping purpose clear and teams aligned.

Why is this paper relevant?

Nearly nine-in-ten UK business leaders (87%) feel their organisation must increase investment in its project-powered transformational capabilities to cope over the next five years. However, APM has also found that found that business leaders’ understanding of project management and the way their organisations are equipped to deliver projects would benefit from further development in certain areas.

This paper highlights the value of qualified project experts who bring structure, clarity and informed decision making.

Who should read this report?

Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Directors of Strategy and Chief Transformation Officers who set strategy and corporate development – to address the project paradox and strengthen strategic oversight of project activity.
Chief Project Officers / Operations and Delivery Leads – to ensure purpose-led delivery, prevent change fatigue and improve cross department alignment.
HR Directors / Chief People Officers influencing people, culture and capability – to build culture-led transformation and anchor professionalisation to ensure transformation is delivered by professionally trained individuals whilst aligning people practices to organisational values.
Digital Transformation Leads who lead digital delivery and technology teams – to enable structured approaches to new processes, systems or digital change initiatives.
Business Change Directors, and Programme and Portfolio Directors – to articulate the reasons for change and ensuring leaders maintain clarity, momentum and alignment across teams.
Risk and Governance Leads – to ensure governance supports pace without forcing decisions.,

Insights, ideas and recommendations

Strengthen project leadership capability by appointing qualified professionals who can guide decision making through uncertainty.
Establish a shared project vocabulary across teams to reduce confusion and create alignment.
Anchor transformation in a clear, stable purpose to limit change fatigue and maintain focus.
Ensure C Suite understanding of project portfolios so strategic intent and delivery stay connected.

Contributors

Andrew Archibald, former Commercial Director, The MDU
Keith Bohanna, Operation Resilience Global Sales Motion lead, Aris
Prof Adam Boddison OBE, Association for Project Management
Jôvan Howell, Business Psychologist and Google Developer
Lisa Martello, Director at ResoLex
Ciara Pryce, Chief Operating Officer, VGC Group
Dr Andrew Schuster, Managing Partner, The Promoveo Group