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APMG-International Exam AgilePM-Practitioner Topic 2 Question 25 Discussion
Topic #: 2
Two Sales staff members appear to have lost energy for the change process and did not attend recent change meetings. When questioned, they said they were so overwhelmed by the number of changes in systems, materials, technical knowledge, and processes that they couldn't deal with any more.
Which 2 actions by the Sales Director are the MOST appropriate when responding to this type of resistance from staff?
A. Find out which elements could remain unchanged so that future sales are unaffected. B. Add personal staff targets to ensure that the changes in the sales operations are continued. C. Assign the staff members to projects outside of this change, to prevent them undermining the changes needed. D. Consider limiting the changes to those that are related to each other during each iteration of change in sales. E. Ensure these staff members are rewarded for raising issues with the implementation.
Comprehensive and Detailed Step-by-Step Explanation:
1. Analysis of the Scenario: The staff members are experiencing change fatigue due to the overwhelming number of adjustments in systems, processes, and technical knowledge. This fatigue often arises during significant organizational transformations like the one UniCo is undergoing, where staff members feel unprepared or unsupported to handle multiple changes.
Agile Project Management (AgilePM) emphasizes adaptive change management, where incremental changes are planned and staff are supported throughout transitions. The Agile approach also recommends prioritizing manageable changes to prevent burnout.
2. Option Evaluation:
Reference from AgilePM: Agile emphasizes incremental delivery and the need to protect stability where possible during change efforts. This is key to balancing innovation with operational continuity.
Why Correct: This approach reduces unnecessary change and helps staff focus on priority areas, reducing resistance and fatigue.
Why Incorrect: AgilePM advocates for team empowerment and reducing pressure during resistance phases. Adding personal targets does not address the root cause of change fatigue.
Why Incorrect: AgilePM encourages collaboration and engagement rather than sidelining staff during organizational changes.
Reference from AgilePM: The iterative and incremental approach in Agile ensures that teams manage workload effectively while focusing on high-priority changes.
Why Correct: Limiting and organizing changes into related areas ensures clarity, reduces cognitive load, and builds confidence among the sales staff.
Why Incorrect: Although AgilePM emphasizes transparency, this approach does not mitigate the resistance caused by change overload.
3. Final Recommendation:
Correct Actions: A and D effectively address the root causes of resistance (overwhelm and fatigue) by maintaining stability where possible and grouping related changes into iterations.
These solutions align with AgilePM's focus on iterative change, manageable workloads, and staff engagement.
Incorrect Actions (B, C, E): These options either fail to address the root problem or risk disengagement further.
AgilePM Practitioner Guide, Chapter on Stakeholder Engagement and Managing Change.
AgilePM Principles: Incremental Delivery and Focus on the Business Need.
Agile Change Management Strategies for Overcoming Resistance.
Elbert
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