Change is the only constant. The only thing that stays the same is change. When… nevermind, you get the idea.
I read a lot about software and technology. Years ago I used to read books about specific topics such as programming language X or NewTechnology Y. These days I tend to read more abstract, hand-wavy sort of books on topics such as software engineering processes, management, and business. As my career has evolved so have my reading choices.
In the past couple of years I've read a number books related to software project management, or more precisely management of people who make software. One thing that's certain – managing software projects is difficult. Software is managed like an engineering discipline. There are milestones, deadlines, metrics, things to count, things to report, things to measure. It's a challenging endeavor to say the least.
One thing that I've noticed, but only recently become acutely aware of, is the lack of change management. No, not configuration management. I mean the abstract sort of organizational, management, procedural, things-are-changing-all-around-me kind of change. The kind of change that happens when your comfy surroundings are suddenly thrown into disarray because your boss got promoted.
My company recently went through a re-organization. We're a fairly large company with roughly 146,000 employees worldwide spread across a number of subsidiaries and divisions. This month our North American subsidiaries all realigned to be more effective and efficient. It had very little, if anything, to do with the economy, and everything to do with the company's organization. It just didn't make sense to have the subsidiaries structured the way they were. So the company did the wise thing and reorganized the engineering, sales, and support divisions to streamline their operations. Although our company is fairly large, the office that I work in is fairly small. We have about +/- 25 people who work at our office at any given time. Of course that number fluctuates slightly depending on the number of contractors we have, whether we're fully staffed, who's on vacation, etc.
Something that I've become keenly aware of in the recent weeks is change. Change is normally disruptive and can be positive or negative. If the company is growing then change can be good; if it's downsizing then change can be not so good. No matter how you look at it, or how well it's planned, change is always… well, change. Some people deal well with change, while others do not. What's important is how well prepared management is to manage the change process.
In all of the technical books, blogs, and essays I've read recently, I can't recall a single one that dealt with managing change. Perhaps the closest, and thus the best, thing I've read on the matter is "Managing Humans: Biting and Humorous Tales of a Software Engineering Manager" by Michael Lopp aka 'Rands in Repose' aka just Rands.
It's quite apparent around my office that change is happening. Processes are changing; Projects are always changing, of course; Personnel are changing; We're hiring; Promotions are happening; Job functions are changing; But, most critical: attitudes are changing. As I mentioned, some of the change is good, and some not quite as good. What's apparent to me though, is the lack of change management. Some people need to be hand-held through the change process, while others can barely tell anything is different. The key to surviving change successfully with everyone's morale, and everyone in general, is to recognize who needs the guidance to navigate the new territory effectively. Just because someone is averse to change doesn't mean they're necessarily a burden or unmanageable, it just means they're human. Managers need to be aware of this and be able to recognize it.
Managing change may be considered a "soft skill" but it is certainly hard work. So bosses, if you haven't dealt with change, or you just want to continue to grow, I can't recommend "Managing Humans" enough. If you think you're a pretty good boss anyway, try reading about the subject or taking a seminar. As long as you're managing humans, you can never be too prepared.
Cheers,
Goody