Do Agile Teams Really Need Change Managers?

Do Agile Teams Really Need Change Managers?

by | Agile

The role of change managers has been left out of the various agile methodologies.  This is even though most fully acknowledge the importance of change management in the success of initiatives. Does this mean that the agile teams should and can take on the role of change managers?  While most of you reading this article may have change practitioners in the organisations, there are plenty of organisations that run agile teams without change managers in the team.

Is it that in agile environments, change management responsibilities are distributed across team members rather than centralised in a single role?  After all the agile team is self-organising and has shared accountability?

For organisations that do not have change managers in agile teams, they are still able to deliver valuable and continuous changes.  The difference is in how effective the agile team is in delivering a solution where:

  • A range of stakeholders are continuously engaged effectively and therefore have high levels of readiness
  • Stakeholders’ readiness for the pace and design of agile is taken into account and various education/engagement sessions are designed as required
  • They’re able to identify the various behavioural changes required in fully adopting the change
  • Stakeholders continuously track and reinforce adoption
  • The team is aware of the change landscape of impacted stakeholders and can work with them respectively to design and deliver in a way that maximises adoption in a targeted way

It is quite difficult for a small agile team to have all these skillsets.  You can equally place the same argument for Business Analysts.  Even if the team does not have this role, they could equally undertake a lot of the tasks that a Business Analyst would typically undertake in an agile project, however, maybe not at the same level of professionalism and rigor.

In a small agile team of cross-functional specialists, by design each member is a specialist in his/her functional domain, whether it is testing, software development, operations, etc.  It would be rare for a domain specialist to have such a breadth of skillsets to include a range of change management skills.  Of course, this is not impossible, but difficult for a team to possess.

An agile team is by design focused on delivering.  By design, the agile team is laser-focused on its iteration work and delivering to the schedule at the right quality.  It does not have a lot of capacity to devote itself to working with a wide range of stakeholders as a result.  The change manager, on the other hand, is by design focused on the world of the stakeholders as well as what the agile team is delivering and designing a series of steps for the changes to take place or a people and organisational perspective.

Moreover, beyond project change management skills, organisations that have a myriad of self-organising agile teams require greater air-traffic control at a portfolio and enterprise level.  Whilst this may be fulfilled from a portfolio management perspective, attention should also be paid to change portfolio management.  Within a fast-paced change environment, the capacity stakeholders across the organisation have for the changes, and the overall prioritisation and sequencing for these changes are paramount.

Without this, changes may fall off the radar, superseded by other competing changes delivered by other agile teams.  Alternatively, change saturation fatigue may be a result.  In fact, there is increasing evidence that this is prevalent across organisations.  Stakeholders’ capacity for change is limited and must be managed effectively to ensure the right changes are adopted.

If change management so critical to agile changes let’s delve into the essential role that change managers play within agile teams, breaking down their contributions across the four typical phases of an agile initiative: Define, Build, Test, and Deploy.

Define Phase

During the Define phase, agile teams lay the groundwork for the project by identifying objectives, scope, and initial requirements. For change managers, this phase is critical for assessing the scope and complexity of the change and determining the necessary resources and support structures.

Key Activities for Change Managers in the Define Phase:

1. Assessing Change Size and Complexity: Change managers evaluate the magnitude of the change and its potential impact on various parts of the organization. This assessment helps in tailoring change management strategies to address specific needs.

2. Resource Planning: Identifying the required business and change support resources is essential. This includes assembling a team of change champions, communication specialists, and trainers who will help facilitate the change.

3. Strategic Planning: Developing a comprehensive plan that outlines key activities and tactics to engage stakeholders and drive successful change. This plan acts as a roadmap for the entire change management process.

Build Phase

In the Build phase, agile teams start developing the solution. Change managers intensify their efforts to understand the potential impacts of the change and begin engaging stakeholders.

Key Activities for Change Managers in the Build Phase:

1. Detailed Stakeholder Assessments: Conducting thorough assessments to identify how different stakeholders will be affected by the change. Understanding these impacts is crucial for tailoring communication and training efforts.

2. Initiating Stakeholder Engagement: Early engagement with stakeholders to communicate the vision, goals, and expected outcomes of the change. This engagement helps in building awareness and buy-in from the outset.

3. Scenario Planning: Since the exact nature of the change may not be fully defined, change managers work with various scenarios to anticipate potential challenges and opportunities. This flexibility allows for adaptive communication and engagement strategies.

Test Phase

The Test phase is where agile teams validate the solution through testing and feedback. For change managers, this phase is pivotal for ensuring stakeholders are prepared for the upcoming changes.

Key Activities for Change Managers in the Test Phase:

1. Collaborating on Testing Processes: Working closely with agile teams to determine how stakeholders can be involved in testing. This may include business testers, change champions, or end-users who provide valuable feedback.

2. Designing Communication Content and Learning Interventions: Developing and rolling out communication materials and training programs to prepare stakeholders for the change. These interventions are tailored based on feedback from testing.

3. Engaging Stakeholders Through Various Channels: Utilizing demos, team briefings, and other engagement channels to keep stakeholders informed and involved throughout the testing process.

Deploy Phase

The Deploy phase marks the transition of the solution into the live environment. Change managers play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transition and full adoption of the change.

Key Activities for Change Managers in the Deploy Phase:

1. Ensuring Readiness: Before deployment, change managers gather evidence that stakeholders are ready for the change. This involves assessing training completion, communication effectiveness, and overall preparedness.

2. Executing Engagement Strategies: During deployment, change managers leverage various engagement channels to support the transition. This includes continued communication, support hotlines, and face-to-face interactions to address any concerns.

3. Monitoring and Feedback: Establishing performance metrics to monitor the adoption and effectiveness of the change. Feedback is collected and analyzed to make necessary adjustments and integrate the change into business-as-usual operations.

Key Differences in Change Management for Agile Teams

While the core principles of change management remain consistent, their application within agile teams introduces unique challenges and opportunities. Here are some key differences:

Proactive Integration in Cross-Functional Teams

Change managers actively contribute to the progress of agile teams by embedding themselves within the cross-functional team structure. This close collaboration ensures that change management activities are aligned with the development process, allowing for more effective and timely interventions.

Flexibility and Adaptation

In agile environments, the content and nature of changes may evolve throughout the project lifecycle. Change managers must remain flexible, working with scenarios and adaptable communication strategies to respond to shifting requirements and stakeholder needs.

Continuous Feedback and Engagement

Ongoing stakeholder engagement and continuous feedback are cornerstones of effective change management in agile teams. Regular check-ins, feedback loops, and open communication channels help to identify and address concerns early, ensuring smoother transitions and higher adoption rates.

Iterative Planning and Adjustment

The iterative nature of agile projects necessitates continuous review and adjustment of change management plans. Change managers must be prepared to tweak strategies, update communication materials, and refine training programs based on real-time feedback and evolving project dynamics.

Practical Tips for Change Managers in Agile Teams

1. Embed Yourself in the Team: Become an integral part of the agile team to gain a deeper understanding of the project dynamics and build strong relationships with team members.

2. Embrace Flexibility: Be prepared to pivot and adapt your change management strategies as the project evolves. Flexibility is key to staying relevant and effective. Come up with scenarios such as communication materials and engagement tactics as needed.

3. Drive Proactive Open Communication: Create an environment where stakeholders feel comfortable sharing feedback and concerns. This openness will help you address issues promptly and maintain trust.  Note that stakeholders may need learning interventions to truly understand and adjust to agile ways of working.

4. Leverage Data and Metrics: Use data and performance metrics to monitor the effectiveness of your change management efforts.  Data does not just apply to the rest of the agile team.  Change management data is no less valuable. This will help you make informed decisions and demonstrate the value of your work. To read more about how to measure change check out our practical guide here.

5. Continuous Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with stakeholders early and often. Building strong relationships and maintaining regular communication will increase the likelihood of successful change adoption.

6. Understand the Change Landscape: Since the change manager’s role is to adopt a people lens, it is critical to see from the impacted stakeholder’s perspective the range of changes they are or will be going through.  Change that is designed in a vacuum will not be successful.

Change managers play a pivotal role in the success of agile teams, ensuring that changes are effectively adopted and integrated into the organization. By understanding the unique dynamics of agile projects and adopting flexible, proactive, and iterative approaches, change managers can significantly enhance the readiness and adoption of changes. Their efforts not only support the agile team but also drive the overall success of the organization in navigating an increasingly intense landscape of changes.

To read more about managing agile change, check out our suite of articles here.

Ready to start trying different agile change tactics? Check out our agile change playbooks here.

The meaning of managing change

The meaning of managing change

by | Change approach, Designing change, Portfolio management

Is change management just a job or a career? When you clock in and clock out everyday do you ever wonder what is the purpose of all this work? Yes, your natural response could be, well, managing change helps improve employee work experience and we help company land initiatives. We help maximise initiative benefits. Is this all? And are these the only ultimate outcomes?

For those of us who have made change management a career, we often roll out eyes across initiatives as we see common trends and occurrences across initiatives. What would have been highly stressful or dramatic is just seen as ‘yet again’ more of the same. You know what I mean …

  • Sponsors who only show up for announcements and ghost the project team the rest of the time
  • Corporate communications wrestle you to the ground by taking out factual information about the initiative that are critical
  • You send out a series of initiative communications and the impacted teams rarely read them
  • Some of your stakeholders nod and agree furiously in project meetings and do nothing afterwards, despite repeated engagement and consultations
  • Thanks for corporate-wide budget cuts, your project is now sliced into bare bones, and all the work required to drive behaviour change evaporate into thin air, to be replaced by a pure system implementation

Don’t get me wrong. There is definitely a lot of organisational benefits in managing change. There are definitely ample studies that draw attention to how, without successful change efforts, initiatives are doomed for failure. We definitely play a key role in achieving those hefty millions in benefits that are targeted. Also, let’s not forget that most of us are in this because we care about people. We truly believe that creating a good experience for people is the essence of what drives successful change.

The big questions is – what is your purpose and the meaning you are striving for when you work in change management? Beyond the cheque that pays the bills, why do we work hard to improve how change is managed? What is our north star? What truly motivates through thick and thin, through obstacles that stakeholders put along the way?

This is a personal question and not always an easy one to answer. There are some who are happy to go to work, get paid, ignore the BS within the corporate environment, just to feed their family and pay the mortgage. Others may have stumbled into change management and find it interesting work. However, to really strive in leading change, year after year, initiative after initiative, there would need to be some kind of burning flame inside you that keeps pushing you forward.

Exploring your own motivation in driving change not only helps you to understand your own behaviour and the source of your energy, it also helps you be clear about what you really care about. Clarity about your passion helps you to know what to reach for next time you are feeling down about how the project is going, or none of your change tactics are panning out.

For me, the meaning of managing change is only realised after experiencing a series of bad changes. Let me share more. I’ve worked for organisations where I have seen how hurtful and how traumatic bad changes have been for employees. A typical context is organisational restructuring. These are just a few examples what could happen ….

  • Employees are marched out by security after having lost their jobs on the day of the announcement, in case they retaliate and ‘steal’ company secrets, in public display for everyone to see
  • Leaders lie through their teeth about what is going to happen to the restructure in order to keep the workers productive, and eventually everyone realises it’s all been a series of lies and fabrications
  • Consultants are brought in to do the analysis and leaders basically reference what the message is from consultants, without interpreting what this really means for their people. Employees with years of tenure who have significant insight into how to improve business outcomes are ignored
  • In order to gain better roles and responsibilities managers backstab each other and even team members to jostle their way to favourite positions in the new org chart

For the individuals involved it could be such traumatic experiences that they may be scarred by the experience. Counselling may be required and organisational stress levels may be through the roof. It is not just those individual employees, but their families and friends could also be impacted like ripples in a pond.

Even if you don’t focus on the most dramatic of changes, a series of smaller badly run changes can still impact employees, their belief in the company, their trust in management, their work life health as well as overall health. Multiple smaller changes can add up.

So for me, the real meaning behind managing and leading change is about all those individuals that could be impacted, whether it be employees, customers or partners. Each is a person with a set of circumstances. They may be dealing with other stressors in their family or friendship circles already, or that they may be particularly vulnerable. This is particularly the case in our virtual working world.

Every person deserves to lead a happy, healthy work life. And change is such an important and memorable part of working life that every life you touch is a touch of dialling up the happiness/health level. It may not be the jumping up and clicking heels type of happiness. It would be managing risks so that negative experiences are avoided or minimised. Now imagine a long list of multiple changes all effective managed. Such is the power of managing change. We touch working lives in profound ways.

This is why at The Change Compass our vision is to improve the experience of people during change. “People’s work lives shape who we are and bad change experiences can be traumatic. With great change experiences, we can change the world”.

Now, isn’t this something to get motivated about through thick and thin?

What is YOUR meaning in managing change? How have your experiences shaped your approach and belief in managing change? How do you keep going day in and day out especially when times are tough?

To read more about designing change visit our ‘Designing Change’ section.

Data driven revolution: The Crucial Role of Strategic Change Data Management

Data driven revolution: The Crucial Role of Strategic Change Data Management

by | Change maturity, Change Measurement

There is now a lot of attention and focus on data. However, is the same applied to change management data? With the substantial financial investments companies make in change efforts, there’s a growing recognition of the need to leverage change management data strategically. Senior managers and executives are increasingly demanding data-driven insights to make informed business decisions. Here, we explore the challenges associated with change data, the strategic approaches to managing it effectively, and how incorporating it into the decision-making process can drive organizational success.

Common Challenges in Working with Change Data

  1. Ad hoc and Tactical Approaches
    One common challenge in working with change data is the ad hoc and tactical nature of its collection. Often, data is gathered as needed, primarily at the project level. This can result in a fragmented view of change initiatives, making it challenging to derive meaningful insights. For instance, progress data may be limited to generic metrics such as the number of change impact sessions or completed training sessions, lacking depth and context.
  2. Data Insufficiently Fact-Based
    Another prevalent issue is the creation of data that lacks a solid factual foundation. Change practitioners sometimes rely on gut-feel ratings or broad categories that are difficult to defend or substantiate infront of stakeholders. Heatmaps, a popular visualization tool, may be based on subjective assessments rather than objective, quantifiable measures, hindering the data’s credibility and utility.
  3. Ineffective Data Visualizations
    Data visualizations play a crucial role in conveying information effectively. Unfortunately, some visualizations fall short of making a significant impact. Whether they are overly colorful, fail to use the right chart to highlight key points, or present data in a way that obscures the primary message, ineffective visualizations can impede the decision-making processes.
  4. Seeking Easy Fixes
    Many change practitioners view working with data as a chore and opt for quick fixes. They may collect just enough data to generate a report or dashboard, neglecting the importance of a thorough understanding and management of the data. This short-sighted approach can compromise the quality and reliability of the insights derived from the data.

Strategic Approaches in Working with Change Data

Strategic approaches to manage change data can result in significant value for the organisation. Imagine the power of a range of change management data that highlights anything from impact levels, saturation risks, sentiments, adoption risks and benefit realization progress. Such is the power of change data, if managed effectively. What are some of these strategic approaches?

  1. Managing Data as a Core Routine
    To address the challenges associated with ad hoc and tactical data collection, organizations must establish routines for managing change data. Monthly data reviews, updates, and audits create a disciplined approach to ensure the data remains accurate, relevant, and valuable. By making data management a core routine, organizations foster a culture of accountability and accuracy. This can be applied across a large program, a business unit, a portfolio of initiatives or across the enterprise.
  2. Leveraging AI for Data Auditing and Cleansing
    Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play a pivotal role in auditing and cleansing change data. Platforms like The Change Compass offer features that automate these processes, reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring data integrity. AI-driven tools can identify inconsistencies, outliers, and inaccuracies, providing a more reliable foundation for decision-making.
  3. Linking Change Data with Other Business Sources
    The true power of change data emerges when it is connected with other relevant business data sources. By integrating change management data with project data, HR data, risk data, and operations data, organizations gain a holistic view of their business landscape. This interconnected approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of key business risks and opportunities, facilitating more informed decision-making.
  4. Incorporating Data into Decision-Making Bodies
    Change data should not exist in isolation; it should be integrated into key decision-making forums and processes. From executive leadership forums and strategic planning sessions to portfolio planning and operational meetings, incorporating change data into these discussions ensures that insights derived from the data inform critical business decisions. This alignment helps organizations proactively address challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

While recognizing the strategic importance of change data is a significant step forward, change practitioners must actively implement practical measures to enhance their approach to change data management. Here are some recommendations to help change practitioners become more strategic in their utilization of change data:

  1. Standardize/Routinize Data Collection Processes:
    o Develop standardized processes for collecting change data across different projects and initiatives.
    o Implement consistent data collection templates and methodologies to ensure uniformity and comparability of data across initiatives and business units
  2. Invest in Training and Skill Development:
    o Provide training for change practitioners on data management best practices, including data collection, analysis, audit and interpretation. This is critical to drive data capability and maturity.
    o Foster a data-driven culture within the organization by equipping practitioners with the necessary skills to leverage data effectively.
  3. Utilize Technology and Automation:
    o Embrace technological solutions, such as data analytics tools and AI-driven platforms, to automate data auditing, cleansing, and visualization processes.
    o Leverage technology to streamline data collection and reporting, reducing manual effort and minimizing the risk of errors.
  4. Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration:
    o Facilitate collaboration between change management teams and other departments, encouraging the sharing of data and insights.
    o Establish cross-functional teams to integrate change data with project data, HR data, and other relevant business sources.
  5. Implement Data Governance Frameworks:
    o Develop and implement robust data governance frameworks to ensure the accuracy, security, and compliance of change data.
    o Define roles and responsibilities for data management within change initiatives, promoting accountability and ownership.
  6. Enhance Data Visualization and Reporting:
    o Invest in training or hiring professionals with expertise in data visualization to create compelling and impactful reports.
    o Tailor visualizations to the audience, ensuring that key messages are communicated clearly and effectively.
  7. Conduct Regular Data Reviews and Audits:
    o Establish a routine for regular data reviews, updates, and audits to maintain the accuracy and relevance of change data.
    o Use audits as an opportunity to identify and rectify data discrepancies or inconsistencies.
  8. Integrate Change Data into Decision-Making Processes:
    o Actively participate in executive leadership forums, strategic planning sessions, and other decision-making bodies.
    o Present change data alongside other relevant business data to contribute to well-informed decision-making.
  9. Measure and Communicate Value:
    o Develop metrics to measure the value generated by change initiatives and communicate these metrics to key stakeholders.
    o Regularly assess the impact of change data on decision-making processes and adjust strategies accordingly.
  10. Seek Continuous Improvement:
    o Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the change management function.
    o Encourage practitioners to reflect on past experiences, learn from challenges, and refine their approach to change data management over time.

The strategic management of change data is not just a necessity but a critical component of achieving business success in today’s dynamic environment. By addressing common challenges and adopting strategic approaches, organizations can unlock the true potential of change data. As the business landscape continues to evolve, leveraging data-driven insights becomes a strategic imperative for navigating change, mitigating risks, and capitalizing on opportunities. Embracing change data as a strategic exercise positions organizations to not only survive but thrive in an ever-changing marketplace.

Navigating the Winds of Change: A Glimpse into the Future of Change Management in 2024

Navigating the Winds of Change: A Glimpse into the Future of Change Management in 2024

by | Agile, Change approach

As the global landscape continues to evolve, so too does the field of change management. The year 2024 promises a shift in the way organizations approach change, driven by a combination of economic factors, continued technological advancements, and the ever-increasing need for adaptability. In this article, we explore the background factors influencing the upcoming changes, and delve into seven key predictions that are set to reshape the realm of change management in the coming year.

Background

Inflation Continue to Drop: A Ray of Economic Hope

One of the pivotal factors shaping the economic landscape in 2024 is the anticipated drop in inflation. After grappling with economic uncertainties, organizations can breathe a sigh of relief as the pressure from rising costs eases. This economic respite paves the way for strategic investments and initiatives, creating a conducive environment for change.

Avoiding Recession: Building Resilience Through Change

The specter of recession has loomed large in recent years, casting a shadow on organizational stability. However, as we step into 2024, the concerted efforts to avoid recession is forecasted to have paid off. Organizations have become more resilient, honing their ability to weather economic storms through strategic change initiatives. This backdrop sets the stage for a transformative year in change management.

Key Predictions

  1. Agile Change as Business as Usual

In 2024, the concept of Agile Change is no longer a mere ‘work in progress’ but rather an integral part of Business as Usual (BAU). Organizations have recognized the need for agility in the face of rapid change, and Agile change methodologies have transitioned from experimental to foundational. This shift represents a change in mindset, emphasizing iterative processes, collaboration, and responsiveness to evolving circumstances.  After more than 10 years of agile project methodology in the market place, agile change practices are starting to become ‘the norm’.

  1. The Rise of Adaptive/Hybrid Change Models

Building on the previous point, agility applies beyond at an ‘intra-methodology’ perspective, but also how change approaches and methodologies need to be mixed and matched to work.

The increasing pace of change demands a more flexible approach from change practitioners. The dichotomy between structure and flexibility, innovation and process-focused strategies, gives rise to adaptive and hybrid change models. The emergence of terms like “wagile” (a fusion of waterfall and agile) underscores the need for a balanced approach that combines the best of both worlds. Organizations must strike a delicate balance between structure and flexibility to navigate the complexity of modern change initiatives.

For example, in regulated business functions there may need to be quite rigid planning of exactly when the changes must take place as well as the level of consultation and engagement required.  However, the actual design of different engagement, positioning and employee involvement strategies may be tested in an iterative way.

  1. Expanding Skill Sets for Change Practitioners

To meet business needs change practitioners will need to have a broader range of skills beyond ‘people skills’. In 2024, the demand for change professionals with a broader skill set encompassing strategic thinking, digital/data literacy, and business acumen will continue to be on the rise. As change initiatives become more complex, practitioners must equip themselves with multifaceted skills to address the diverse challenges that emerge during the change process.

For example, stakeholders are increasingly looking for data for reporting purposes to get a clearer sense of how changes are tracking.  Beyond sentiments and opinions, stakeholders are looking for adoption indicators as well as precise indications of the nature of impacts across the employee population.

  1. The Ascendance of Change Portfolio Management

Change portfolio management will continue to gain increasing visibility and importance in 2024. Organizations are recognizing the need to manage change initiatives collectively, aligning them with strategic objectives. The holistic oversight provided by change portfolio management enables organizations to prioritize, monitor, and evaluate change initiatives in a comprehensive manner, ensuring that resources are optimally allocated for maximum impact.

Whilst stakeholders may not be clear of the differences between transformation, portfolio management and change portfolio management, they are clearer of the benefits required in managing people impacts, against the need to maximise business performance and change adoption.

  1. Leveraging Change Data for Informed Decision-Making

In the evolving landscape of change management, data is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. In 2024, the norm becomes leveraging change data to make informed decisions. Organizations recognize the value of data analytics in understanding the impact of change, identifying patterns, and proactively addressing challenges. This data-driven approach enhances the efficacy of change initiatives and provides a foundation for continuous improvement.

It is no longer that the expectation for data-led decision making rests in project functions such as technical development, business analysis, testing and user-experience.  Change management teams are also expected to demonstrate the impact of their work through data. 

  1. Increasing Use of Software in Change Implementation

The leverage of software in change implementation should see an uptick in 2024, along with general increase in software usage rates in organisations. Organizations are leveraging technology to streamline and enhance various aspects of the change management process. From change project management tools, change measurement platforms, as well as change portfolio management tools the role of software can accelerate the pace of change initiatives and supports the realisation of benefits.

  1. AI for Change: From Wait-and-See to Full Adoption

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for change management is no longer a ‘wait-and-see’ proposition; it’s a reality in 2024.  In 2023 a lot of users have sat on the fence as others argue about the risks in using AI and data security. The launch of Microsoft Co-pilot and the continued adoption of Chat GPT 4 signal a paradigm shift in how organizations approach AI.  Users will over time be used to asking a chat bot, using prompts to form analysis and other AI features to augment their work. Advanced AI change tools can also assist in decision-making, predictive analytics, and even virtual facilitation, revolutionizing the efficiency and effectiveness of change processes.

In addition, there will be significant interest in change management tools that have incorporated AI features, from data and trend analysis, risk analysis to recommendations on change approaches.

As organizations navigate the complexities of 2024, change management emerges as a critical linchpin for success. The predictions outlined in this article reflect an emerging shift in the approach to managing change, from the integration of Agile methodologies to the widespread adoption of AI. Change practitioners must equip themselves with a versatile skill set to thrive in this dynamic environment, where strategic thinking, digital literacy, and adaptability are paramount. As we stand on the cusp of a transformative year, organizations that embrace these predictions are poised not only to weather the winds of change but to harness them for sustained success.