Calendar of Events

TOPIC:  The Science of Stakeholder Engagement in Change Management

Most change management methodologies approach stakeholder engagement based on the notion of overcoming resistance to change. The session will introduce a science based approach to stakeholder engagement that triggers the right motivations and facilitates a smooth change.

Hemant will present a perspective on change management in which change begins with the leaders making sense from chaos, and creating the driving vision. The very basis of change is a vision of an initiative right at the concept stage. Hemant will talk about how to engage stakeholders so that change adoption occurs early in the process rather than after project completion as is usually the case. This session is about how to drive change from concept to reality and how to make it sustainable using a science based stakeholder engagement approach that addresses root causes for resistance to change.

I will present an approach for assessing stakeholders, and discuss the reasons for stakeholders taking a particular attitude towards change, and how change management should be designed to address the stakeholder’s specific needs and motivations. How do we shift those who are unwilling or unable, to the other side of the spectrum, and how do we achieve that early in the change process? There are strategies that are effective in shifting the change adoption curve with early engagement. 

 SPEAKER: Hemant Kumar

Hemant is the President and Principal Consultant at Engage First Management Consultants Inc. Hemant is a well-respected and trusted advisor to senior government officers and corporate executives, and a thought leader who has practiced extensively for the past twenty years. Hemant has worked with clients in Canada, US and India where he has advised business leaders in successfully realizing major shifts in strategy, policy, planning, and program delivery.

Hemant is known for being effective even in complex environments and produces results that are unequivocally supported by stakeholders even with divergent interests. Hemant is an expert facilitator known for his ability to deliver engaging presentations. Hemant has delivered thought provoking workshops to many different audiences on topics such as business transformation, change management, governance, policy, and project management. He has spoken at venues such as conferences, institutions, government and, corporate executives, and professional associations including several PMI events.

Hemant has a B.Sc. in Physics, a Master’s in Computing Science, and an MBA from the University of Alberta. He is a certified Project Management Professional and a Certified Management Consultant. Hemant was on the Board of PMINAC for 5 years and also it’s President in 2015-16.