How do you choose the right change management certification online for your career goals?

In my experience, it is important to consider which persona you align to in choosing your change management certification goal. Are you a lean / Black Belt / project management professional who will facilitate and therefore would benefit from specific tools in the framework that would assist you day-to-day with your stakeholders, or are you a strategic leader who will be creating the frameworks from which the change management program will be executed within? I believe this first question is key, and then from there you can choose the methodology that both fits your organizational needs, as well as which change management philosophy resonates most with you.

In my experience, the best way to truly learn a new skill and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers and/or clients is to: Volunteer for projects that allow you to hone your change management skills. Volunteering leads to the immediate use of the skills you are acquiring. By using your skills, you identify any gaps in your understanding and can seek help to plug them. Volunteering also gives you work experience, case studies and references that attest to your skill and expertise. Finally, it boosts your own confidence. You know for sure that you have change management skills - not just in theory but in practice. So, in addition to any learning, find a voluntary project to turbo-charge your career goals.

Current Learning & Development theory suggests that "experiential learning" is far superior to online or in-person training. Further, it is more important than ever for professionals to develop a deep "tool box" of experiences and skills, and exhibit success through their accomplishments. The trend in hiring is skill-based. Of course, self-learning and research regarding Change Management is part of having a growth mindset. From my experience, the most successful transformations occur when the change strategy unites The People, The Process, and The Technology. With today's collaboration tools, democratization of information and strategy can be achieved through technology and broader buy-in of change can be achieved earlier.

Based on my own experience, understand your why because it's something that will require your undivided attention. No matter how well a transformation is planned, something always seems to go wrong. [ie. The assumptions are wrong because the underlying data is incomplete and/or wrong.] It's more common than many realize yet tensions increase because the operational and political stakes are typically high for everyone involved. Getting the project back on track while managing the emotions is challenging especially if you don't have a strong sponsor for the project. Like start up, transformation work takes passion to do it well.