Seven years might seem like a long time, but time flies when you’re having fun! Don't you agree? This is the case for Åsa Hoff, Business Advisor at Columbus. She started her career working for the Dynamics 365 department in Columbus Sweden. In the spring of 2020, she decided to make a change for herself whilst helping her customers do the same. She completed her first Prepare for Change project – our change management offer – for one of our customers and is now a part of our Strategy & Change team.
Learn more about how Åsa Hoff became a change manager, what she thinks digital advisory is truly about, and a few of her most useful tips for facing change.
Focus on the people in an organization through Prepare for Change
What was it that made Åsa Hoff change the direction of her career? She explains that what she finds interesting about change management is that focus is placed on the people in the organization and on the whole picture instead of just the small details. This is important for the project to be a success – after all, why spend so much time and money on a new technical solution, if the end users don’t want to use it or even oppose the change?
Prepare for Change was created to make the transition smoother, by doing a preliminary study with a focus on the customer's business that sets the direction for the upcoming project. This is where change managers like Åsa Hoff come in.
“It is a demanding job, but it’s also a lot of fun. I get to work with talented colleagues and ambitious customers and have the opportunity to learn new things and develop. Every day something news happens, it never gets boring,” says Åsa and adds:
“You benefit from being creative while maintaining some form of structure. And of course, it's always important to learn from your mistakes and successes and then take that with you to the next mission.”
How do you create trust to implement the changes you see as necessary?
“In order to build trust with the customer, the most important thing is to listen and that you show that you want the best for the customer. It is important to get the whole company involved in the change, even if not everyone can be part of the project or implementation. That's how you build trust,” says Åsa.
Top of the list for Åsa’s motivations in her career
Columbus' talented colleagues and customers are at the top of the list when Åsa is asked about what motivates her.
“Being able to learn new things and to be constantly challenged comes close second. In many ways, it is a creative role where you learn from your mistakes and successes.”
When we talk about Åsa's driving forces, we get into Columbus’ values: Stay Curious, Build Trust, Collaborate, and Deliver Customer Success. She describes it like this:
“Cooperation is a prerequisite for us to succeed with our projects because the changes in the outside world require us to always be curious and learn new things. A large part of the work is about creating trust. If we manage to collaborate, continue to be curious, and build trust, we will create success for the customer. Our values are something we have the opportunity to practice on a daily basis!”
How would you describe a digital advisor?
“A digital advisor is someone who, based on their knowledge and experience, can guide the customer in the right direction by asking questions and being curious. It's about coaching the customer and leading them on their digital journey.”
Are you ready for a change? Here are Åsa's 3 tips on how to prepare
We can all relate to the feeling that comes with facing a change: you might feel anxiety, nervousness, or even fear. Here are Åsa’s 3 tips on how you can prepare for change:
- Ask questions so you better understand why the change needs to happen.
- Be open about how you feel about the change and put your feelings into words.
- See the possibilities by thinking back on previous successful projects.
Are you thinking about making a change? Then you should take a look at our career page to find the next step in your personal transformation journey!
