Last Friday, in my role as Chief Examiner for APMG-International, I delivered a webinar about the Agile Change certifications
Last Friday, in my role as Chief Examiner for APMG-International, I delivered a webinar about the benefits of change management training through my Agile Change certifications. The content for these courses is drawn from the Agile Change Management Handbook, which I wrote (1st edition in 2014 and 2nd edition in 2020).
Within my change management training, there are two different courses, they are;
Agile Change Agent – concentrates on applying agile concepts to create an Agile Roadmap, a visual incremental, iterative plan for your change. The Agile Change Agent (or ACA) course provides you with techniques to identify the benefits of your change and how to prioritise them so you know you are always delivering work that creates the most value for your stakeholders. It equips you with techniques for breaking down the work into specific outcomes, that can be delivered as a series of changes, so you don’t need to plan everything up front, and can respond to feedback and changes in circumstances.
Agile Change Coach – using the Agile concepts and Agile Change Roadmap, the Agile Change Coach (or ACC) course provides 43 techniques for leading people through a change, from initial idea to successful adoption of new ways of working. Each of these techniques gives you a new way of persuading your stakeholders to get involved and to make change happen, using insight from neuroscience to explain how their brains reacts to what you are asking, helping you to simplify your requests and increase their willingness to respond positively to what you are asking.
At the end of the webinar, I was asked questions about the impact and benefit of change management training and qualifications for job seekers, both those looking for new permanent roles and those seeking their next contact. I know this is a popular topic, so I thought I would share with you the points we discussed.
One of the benefits of change management training with Agile Change is that it equips you with a toolkit that you can apply to any Agile environment, avoiding the common pitfall in interviews, where you describe Agile in terms of a single methodology, sounding as if you are quoting from a textbook! Agile Change was developed to create adaptability of Agile thinking and enable you to succeed whatever the agile environment you are working in. Since no two organisations implement agile in the same way, this flexible skill set ensures that you can adjust your approach to meet the unique needs and practices of each organisation.
Agile change management training provides you with lots to say in job interviews. You gain a structured way to discuss your role in facilitating change, showcasing an agile approach to problem-solving and improvement. This story sets you apart as a proactive candidate who understands modern approaches to project and change management.
Any is a permanent credential that marks you as knowledgeable and committed to professional growth. Certifications make candidates more attractive to employers, as they signal ongoing investment in skills and knowledge, making you a more appealing, lower-risk hire.
Agile Change certifications demonstrate that you have ideas for how to make change happen, how to work effectively with project and product teams to align behavioural change with the implementation of new functionality and features from IT roll-outs, restructuring and new target operating models.
Agile change management training demonstrates that you are up to date with industry standards, which is often a deciding factor when hiring. Employers see certified candidates as more likely to bring modern, relevant approaches to their roles, aligning with evolving organisational needs. Whoever is hiring you doesn’t have to worry about bringing you up to speed or having to train you in the basics, and because you already have the certifications, they can look forward to you bringing your own perspective and own Agile Change toolkit to your work.
From a hiring perspective, candidates with the most qualifications are seen as less risky. If you have two great candidates, and one has more qualifications than the other, it is easier and less risky to pick the most qualified one. After all, certifications are an easy way to reassure hiring managers and HR teams that you are knowledgeable, up-to-date, and invested in your own development, so is clearly willing to put effort into your career. This can be a decisive factor when comparing equally qualified candidates, making you the preferred choice for the role.
As you can see from the above – there are plenty of benefits of change management training for both you and your employees. If you would like to discover more about Understanding and Embracing Agile Change read my latest Whitepaper.
If you want to increase your marketability for your next role or apply an Agile toolkit to your current role, book now to get a place on my next virtual classroom Agile courses:
• 19th to 20th November – Agile Change Agent – packed full of practical planning, scheduling, benefits identification and measurement techniques. Not to be missed if you need to plan changes coming up in 2025
• 26th to 27th November – Agile Change Coach – brings neuroscience to life – 41 brain short cuts, each one a practical technique to increase your ability to influence, persuade, motivate and energise your stakeholders
If you missed this webinar, here is your chance to listen: Understanding Agile Change: webinar now available on-demand.
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