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By: Ginger McCullough | OCM & Training Practice Director | Oxford Global Resources
A few months ago, I hosted a webinar comparing leading change to navigating a road full of orange cones and barrels. It’s a simple, visual metaphor—an image that resonates with leaders spearheading large-scale ERP projects because it often feels like driving through construction sites, with unexpected turns, slowdowns, detours, and critical areas that demand attention.
As an OCM Practice Director, I work with companies every day that are making major shifts or driving changes–like introducing new systems, standardizing processes, or rolling out new technologies–and asking their people to work differently. The organizations that succeed are the ones that recognize those orange cones early, plan for them, and equip their teams with strong Change Management and Training support right from the start—not after things go off the rails.
You Cannot Ignore the Big Orange Barrels
Big barrels are big blockers with an even bigger impact, meaning you cannot sidestep them. The orange barrels represent major elements of change. If not addressed early on, orange barrel issues can risk your entire transformation effort. In other words, these aren’t just formalities or tasks to check off a to-do list–they’re critical enablers that keep people engaged and reduce resistance; they’re the things that help change stick.
Orange barrels include:
- Change Impact Assessments to understand how roles, jobs, workflows, and responsibilities will shift and change across departments.
- Leadership Alignment to drive reliable, visible encouragement by ensuring leaders are aligned, consistently communicating, and actively supporting change.
- Communication Strategies that effectively deliver the right messages, in the right way, to the right audiences—from the front office to the shop floor—ensuring engagement and understanding across all levels of the organization.
Orange Cones Can Slow You Down
Orange cones represent medium-sized issues that can slow your momentum if not managed well. These issues are controllable when viewed and tackled independently, but they can quickly add up, becoming more significant obstacles. Creating hands-on, scenario-based training in mock plant environments–or places where employees can practice using the system in a setting that feels familiar–ensures that people learn by doing what’s expected of them and not just hearing about it. This approach enables employees to gain confidence, make mistakes safely, and build the skills now that they will need to succeed when it really counts.
Orange cone issues include:
- Training that doesn’t accurately reflect real-world processes
- Limited hands-on learning opportunities before system go-live
- Support materials that are impractical or inaccessible
- Assuming people will “just get it” once the system is live
Why It Matters: Looking at the Data
Nearly 60% of transformation projects fail, and research shows that this is most often due to people not being ready for change. It isn’t because the new system or process didn’t work. Instead, it’s because the support around it failed to meet the need.
This data shows that implementation alone isn’t enough; adoption is what truly matters. When people aren’t provided with adequate training or given the time, space, or context to embrace change effectively, success isn’t likely regardless of how brilliant or impactful the change is. That’s why keeping people at the forefront of transformation is critical because they are the ones who will ultimately determine whether a project fails or succeeds.
Leading Change with a People-First Approach
Employees manage daily responsibilities and support business goals, and when change happens, they must simultaneously learn new systems, adopt new processes, and adjust to the changes. In other words, they are expected to absorb additional demands while still handling their routine job duties.
Change doesn’t stick unless people are prepared; and that takes more than software. It requires intention, planning, and empathy. The real work of Organizational Change Management (OCM) is ensuring employees have the right tools, training, and time to make change successful. Change doesn’t work unless people do, and it’s up to you to empower and equip them with the ability to do so well.
For people to succeed, it’s important to actively participate in their success by providing:
- Clear communication
- Relevant hands-on training
- Tools they can use on the job
- Time and support to absorb the changes and adapt effectively
Orange Cone Ahead: Upcoming Webinar
By now, you are likely to be aware of a new diversion–AI. While the opportunities are vast, the roadblocks are just as real. Oxford’s AI Practice Director Alie Doostdar will be hosting a can’t-miss webinar titled: The Key to Unlocking AI Success: Strategy, Readiness, and Real-World ROI. If you think ERP change comes with orange cones, just wait until you discover the challenges lining the road to AI adoption. Still, change is possible when you anticipate and plan for the cones; it makes it that much easier to navigate the path. Stay tuned–this is one detour you’ll want to be prepared for.
If you’re ready to discover how AI can positively change your business and drive transformative growth, sign up for our webinar today to step into a future filled with possibilities!
“Companies that change may survive, but companies that transform thrive. Change brings incremental or small-scale adaptations, while transformation brings great improvements that ripple through the future of an organization.” – Nick Candito, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Progressly
