This was a piece of advice Antonino Canavacciuolo, a 3-Michelin-star chef, shared on a live TV show in Italy.
As a fellow Neapolitan, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between this advice and the timing of introducing a change manager (CM) to a project. Just like adding salt too late makes it hard for it to stick, bringing in a CM too late can hinder the effectiveness of the change process.
Too many organizations today think that involving a CM can wait, which often leaves the CM with little time to assess stakeholders and measure change readiness. By the time they’re brought in, the communication about the change might already have been sent out, and the tone or language may not have been carefully thought through. Even more importantly, resistance to the change may have already started to build, leaving the CM to navigate conflicts, power dynamics, and office politics.
Can the CM still help? Absolutely, but the energy required to steer things back on track can be draining. It can lead to delays (requiring additional resources), employee burnout, turnover (re-hiring, retraining, knowledge loss), and increased investment in HR efforts.
Think about it like this: Imagine having a disagreement with your partner and seeking the help of an external mediator to find common ground. It takes time to build trust with that person, to open up honestly about how you feel, and to follow their advice. Even after that, it will take time to apply those recommendations successfully and return to a sense of normality.
But in the fast-paced world of projects, time is often in short supply. Deadlines are tight, and going live by a specific date is crucial.
So, to wrap up: Add the salt to the pasta when the water is boiling. Once the pasta is cooked, it won’t stick!
