Change Management Certification

Change Management Specialist (CMS)®

Change Management is the process of implementing a structured solution to organizations as they go through a change process.  Changes within an organization can be positive or negative therefore a certified change manager must have an understanding of proper management techniques to ensure it is handled properly.  This is why having a change management certification can be beneficial.

The Change Management Specialist (CMS)® Certification, developed exclusively for the Management and Strategy Institute, is designed to test your understanding of how to implement change in a corporate environment.

With MSI’s innovative CMS® certification, no prior experience is necessary.  Unlike other certification bodies, MSI includes online training material at no extra cost.  Our material is specifically designed to prepare you for the certification exam without overloading you with excessive information.  All study material is provided online and you’ll have instant access to it when you register.

The training material included with the Change Management certification will help you design and manage change programs, persuade people to change and respond to resistance to change.

The importance of effective Change Management can’t be understated.  Positive changes to a business can help it be more efficient, less wasteful, and more productive.  Organizational change management is essentially a wide-scale plan that aims to increase individual and organizational effectiveness by making use of behavioral science technology. The purpose of this is to reduce the chances of negative fallout in a business and to put more emphasis on the “people side” of how an organization can change.

Introduction

The program covers all basic change management principles and gives the student a solid understanding of change management and how it is applied in the work place.  The goal of the Management and Strategy Institute is to teach you the key competencies required to function in the role of a manager within a changing corporate environment.  As you go through the training material you will learn the competencies listed below.

The CMS exam is a timed, online exam.  Randomized between 35 & 60 questions.  It has a required passing score of 70%.

This course of study covers the following competencies:

Why organizations fail

• Why do organizations fail?
  • Learning Outcome: Understand how businesses go through change and what factors lead to failure.

Is Change Inevitable

• From a certain view, change is neither emergent nor planned. As an organization goes through cycles of growth it needs to respond to the changing environment.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand how to recognize change and if it will occur.

Types of change

• Change evolves slowly and follows a clear path.
  • Learning Outcome: Student will learn the path that companies follow while changing.

Leadership versus Management

• Management is different from leading. To be effective, you must understand this principle.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand the difference between leading and managing.

Two Theories of Change

• There are two archetypes of theories of change.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand the two theories of change.

How Change Affects People

• This session explores various ways in which people respond to change. This helps you understand what people are going through as a result of the change and allows you to plan accordingly to provide support, training, mentoring, coaching and resources.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand how ideas spread and how people react to change.

Why Reaction to Change Matters

• Everyone reacts to change. Some positive, some negative.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand the personal transition curve.

How Organizational Change Works

• Change is a process that needs to be handled carefully. It consists of an organizational restructuring as well as changing attitudes and behaviors.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand How Organizational Change Works

Principles of Effective Change

• Change management must follow a predefined well-thought out strategy.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand the principles of effective change.

The World is Changing… Fast

• We are about to enter the third industrial age.
  • Learning Outcome: Review a brief history of corporate/business change.

Managing Resistance

• This chapter looks at managing the resistance to change.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand why people are afraid of change and use behavioral techniques to overcome their resistance to change

Stakeholder Engagement

• When going through change, it is important to gain the support of key stakeholders.
  • Learning Outcome: Understand the importance of Stakeholder engagement.

How to Manage Change

• Learn the skills needed to manage change.
  • Learning Outcome: Identify skill gaps and required infrastructural changes through a structured approach.

Skill Management

• Change the organizational culture.
  • Learning Outcome: Use a skill matrix to identify areas that need improvement.

Mentoring, Coaching & Motivating

• A critical factor in making a change program succeed is to make sure employees are persuaded and cared for so they are totally involved in the process.
  • Learning Outcome: Evaluate people’s performance and use coaching and mentoring to motivate them towards change

Management Tools

• In this session, you will be introduced to a series of tools that help to brainstorm ideas on change management.
• Learning Outcome:  Use various tools to identify which areas you need to focus on the most and brainstorm ideas on how to move the change process forward