Among the many structural readiness factors that influence change management effectiveness, the project manager's personal recognition of the importance of the people side of change is particularly consequential. Project managers who understand and value change management create the conditions for integration, collaboration, and joint accountability that are essential to successful adoption.
Definition and Distinction
This indicator assesses the degree to which the project manager actively recognises change management as a necessary and valuable discipline—not merely as a compliance requirement or administrative overhead.
Recognition, in this context, manifests behaviourally: does the project manager invite the change manager to key planning sessions? Do they include change management milestones in the project plan? Do they advocate for change management budget and resourcing? Do they flag people-related risks as seriously as technical risks?
This is distinct from formal endorsement of change management in project governance documents (which may exist without genuine recognition) and from the project manager's technical knowledge of change management methodologies (which is a nice-to-have, not a requirement).
Why PM Recognition Matters for Change Management
The project manager's influence on the project team's attitude to change management is significant. When a project manager treats change management as integral to project success, the team follows suit. When they treat it as peripheral, the change manager consistently struggles for information, resources, and access (Prosci, 2023).
Practically, PM recognition manifests in
integrated project and change management planning;
change manager inclusion in design and decision-making forums;
proactive sharing of project information that affects the change management plan;
joint escalation of adoption-related risks to the project sponsor.
Assessing PM Recognition
Change managers should assess PM recognition through direct conversation and observation of behaviour. Questions to explore include:
How does the project manager describe the purpose of change management to the project team?
Has the project manager included change management milestones in the project plan?
Has the project manager advocated for change management resourcing in budget discussions?
How does the project manager respond when adoption risks are raised?
Example of a well-documented assessment: '
The project manager has actively integrated change management into the project plan, including change readiness assessments, communications milestones, and training schedules as formal project activities. In the Project Board meeting of 20 January 2025, the project manager presented adoption risk as a top three project risk and supported the change manager's recommendation for additional resourcing. PM recognition is assessed as High.'
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Accepting verbal recognition without observing consistent behaviour: A project manager may express support for change management in principle while systematically deprioritising it in practice. Assess recognition based on behaviour over time, not statements in introductory meetings.
Not proactively building the relationship with the project manager: PM recognition of change management can often be developed through a structured initial conversation in which the change manager explains what they will deliver and how the PM can support it. Do not wait for recognition to emerge organically.
Treating low PM recognition as fixed: Low recognition is a risk, but it is also a communication and relationship challenge that can often be addressed. Identify the root cause (scepticism, lack of awareness, prior negative experience) and design an appropriate response.
Mixing PM recognition with PM knowledge: A project manager does not need to understand change management methodology in depth. They need to understand its value and their role in enabling it. Focus on building shared understanding of outcomes, not methodology.
References
Prosci. (2023). Integrating Change Management and Project Management. https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/change-management-and-project-management
Hiatt, J., & Creasey, T. (2012). Change Management: The People Side of Change. Prosci. https://www.prosci.com
Project Management Institute. (2021). PMBOK Guide (7th ed.). PMI. https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards