One member of the Customer Services team has been chatting informally to some Sales co-workers.

Comprehensive and Detailed Step-by-Step Explanation:

Context from UniCo Scenario:

The Sales staff at UniCo are resistant to changes related to the company ' s new strategic focus on mobile applications. The concern raised here involves Customer Services staff feeling overburdened and Sales staff perceiving the changes as impacting customer experience negatively. This type of resistance reflects miscommunication, lack of engagement, and uncertainty —key elements that require addressing.

Analysis of Each Option:

A. Do nothing and allow the informal view to circulate, knowing it will eventually be proved wrong.

This is not appropriate as it fails to address resistance proactively, which may lead to low morale , increased misunderstandings , and further negativity among teams. The AgilePM framework emphasizes collaboration and communication over passive approaches to resistance management.

Rejected.

B. Include the member of Customer Services in the planning of the sales process changes to reduce disruption.

This approach directly engages the affected parties (Customer Services staff) by involving them in planning. It fosters ownership , reduces resistance, and creates solutions that are practical and inclusive. Aligning this action with AgilePM principles ensures engagement of stakeholders in the change process, which is key to minimizing disruption.

Selected.

C. Invite Sales staff to help with planning the next phase of internal Sales training for the process changes.

While involving Sales staff is useful, the issue here centers around Customer Services staff concerns about disruption and added workload. This option fails to address the root cause of the resistance.

Rejected.

D. Counter the informal views by inviting the Change Manager to explain the changes at the next Sales staff meeting.

This action ensures that informal resistance is addressed through formal communication channels. By providing clarity and transparency about the Sales process changes , this approach prevents misunderstanding and builds alignment across teams. AgilePM emphasizes the importance of clear communication to manage resistance.

Selected.

E. Revisit the Stakeholder mapping work to ensure that the engagement of parties affected by the Sales changes is accurate.

Stakeholder mapping is a strategic action but may not immediately address the informal resistance in question. The issue at hand requires immediate communication and engagement rather than long-term structural adjustments.

Rejected.

Why B and D Are Correct:

Inclusion in Planning (B):

Including Customer Services staff in planning ensures their concerns are heard and integrated into the solutions. This aligns with AgilePM’s focus on stakeholder collaboration and engagement to reduce resistance.

Clear Communication via the Change Manager (D):

Inviting the Change Manager provides an authoritative and transparent explanation of the changes. This aligns with AgilePM’s emphasis on using regular communication to manage resistance and mitigate informal, negative narratives.

References to AgilePM Framework:

Stakeholder Engagement:

AgilePM highlights involving stakeholders in planning as essential for building trust and reducing resistance to change. (AgilePM Practitioner Guide, Chapter 9: Stakeholder Engagement)

Transparent Communication:

AgilePM emphasizes clarity and frequent communication to manage resistance effectively. Using formal channels ensures alignment and prevents misinformation from spreading. (AgilePM Practitioner Guide, Chapter 11: Managing People)

Proactive Resistance Management:

AgilePM promotes proactive actions (like engaging affected staff and using formal communication) rather than passive approaches to manage resistance. (AgilePM Practitioner Guide, Chapter 12: Change Management)