Are you experiencing anxiety or uncertainty stemming from a merger, acquisition, outsourcing, plant or base closure, staffing change or some other organization change? Too often, change initiatives fail because of poor planning, resistance to change, and lack of vision and communication. With constant change occurring in most organizations, a better understanding of how organizational changes come about, how they are planned, and the challenges inherent in the change process will facilitate smoother transitions and organizational effectiveness.

This extremely interactive course provides an overarching approach for making change happen in organizations and helps participants embrace a mindset that welcomes organizational change. This course addresses how to assess whether change is necessary, as well as what needs to be changed and how to build a business case for a change. Based on that, you will explore how to develop and articulate a compelling vision and strategy for change. The course will teach you how to engage support for change from stakeholders, as well as how to develop a successful communication plan that is key to any successful change initiative. Particular emphasis is placed on the emotional reactions to change and how to help people support change.

During class, you will work through real-life change scenarios and have the opportunity to plan for change and understand the impact of change from multiple perspectives. You will gain a better understanding of how you personally handle change and use strategies and tips to help others cope with change. You will come away from the course able to apply the framework, tools and approaches for leveraging the inevitable change that occurs every day in today’s business environment.

This course also applies toward the Advanced Master's Certificate in Project Management.