Meet Christy Renier, Consultant in Change Management

Christy Renier is a change management and communications professional. In March 2016, she left the corporate world to go to work as a change management consultant. In January of this year, she launched Renier Consulting, LLC which is her very own Change Management and Communications consulting business.

Christy is just putting the finishing touches on her new website, so keep an eye on www.renierconsulting.org. You can also learn more about her by visiting her LinkedIn page.

1. What made you decide to leave the corporate world?

There were many factors that went into my decision to leave the corporate world. When I was young, I dreamed of starting my own business some day. My dad was a business owner, so you can say it is in my blood. I also saw how hard he worked his whole life and knew my timing was critical. So, instead of going into business for myself, I went to work for a global Fortune 500 company, knowing that my dream would come true one day. Now, here we are nearly 17 years later, and I've been working with the same Fortune 500 company. Throughout the years I've gained a wide range of global business experience and honed my industry knowledge, so I was feeling confident that if I were on my own, I could deliver expert services with a professional experience for my clients.

Next, I had a fantastic support system:
- a business mentor who encouraged me,
- a family that supported me, and
- a strong professional network.

The time was right; the time was now...!

2. How did you come to focus on change management in your work?

For me, there really was no other choice. Change management is my passion because I care about people. And, at the heart of change management, it is all about people. Over the past 17 years, I've worked in a variety of the "softer sides" of IT which tend to fall under the change category: training, technical documentation, project management, resource management, organizational design, executive communications, and strategic planning.

So, when I combine my passion with my skills and experience, I invoke what I like to call the "trifecta for success." Passion(Skills + Experience) = Trifecta Success. So, choosing my focus was as simple as P(S+E).

3. What exactly does change management mean?

Change management, simply stated, is the act of managing the "people side" of an organizational change. An organizational change is when a company takes action to make an improvement in some way, such as reduce costs, improve revenues, solve problems, align work and strategy, or improve efficiency/effectiveness within the company. People can have a reaction as a result of this change, both internally and externally. Having a robust change management strategy and a rock star change manager on your project team will is improve the likelihood of success and the overall return on investment for the project.

4. Why does communication have such an important role in change management?

The majority of the communications roles I have had over the past 17 years were related to change management activities... and at the heart of every great change management strategy is a solid communications plan. Managing the human side of change is heavily based on communications. It is extremely important for leaders to be authentic and honest when communicating with people who will be impacted by any company changes. Employees should feel respected and well informed every step of the way.

Thanks, Christy!

Meet Mauricio, Founder of NEWinPM, a Website for Project Management Education

Mauricio is the founder of NEWinPM.com, a modern e-learning site that first launched in January 2013. Since then, the educational materials on the site have been helping students from all over the world to study project management and prepare for their CAPM Certifications. If you are just beginning your project management studies, NEWinPM was designed with you in mind. Check out the following link to learn more about how to get CAPM certified.

1.When you came up with the idea for an e-learning site, why did you choose to focus on project management?

Education has always been a thing of high importance to me and close to my heart. I am a Project Manager myself within a MNC. We never wanted to restrict our business to a particular region or space. Project Management today is one of the most important stepping stones to one's career and professional needs.

The reason for choosing online education and especially imparting Project Management study was to make sure that students and professionals all over the world, and especially beginners, get to know Project Management better through our Online Courses and learn the necessary steps to progress in their careers.

2. What is the PMBOK, and why is it so important to people who want a career in project management?

PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) is a study guide from the PMI (Project Management Institute) to share the best practices involved in Project Management operations. It consists of a collection of processes and concepts that are vital to Project Management implementation across multiple industries.

For those who are passionate about Project Management and are looking for a breakthrough in their careers by writing their Project Management entry level exam (CAPM), PMBOK will teach all the basics of Project Management and the guidelines followed in Project Management. Aspirants should follow this book so that they will be able to leverage all the concepts in their real time work, too.

3. What is CAPM certification, and how does your site help people prepare for this credential?

CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) is an entry-level certification from the PMI that helps beginners and aspirants gain fundamental knowledge of the processes involved in Project Management.

NEWinPM is a modern online educational platform that focuses on imparting Project Management education for those who want to undertake CAPM and other Project Management exams. Our practices follow the latest knowledge books from the PMI and ensure that students and professionals stay up-to-date with the concepts.

4. Would you tell us a bit more about the resources your site provides to help people get started in project management?

NEWinPM offers tailored services to suit the needs of different individuals. Our approach is very unique in its way where we offer video tutorials that add a great value to learning. We also have tons of study materials, quizzes, and games that help in the learning process and make it far interesting.

For our students we also offer many tips and tricks, as well as community support where they will interact with fellow students and enrich their knowledge. Our forums and articles offer plenty of Project Management news and knowledge that can be very valuable for students and professionals.

5. If you were talking to someone who had never taken any sort of online class or study program before, what would you describe as some of the specific benefits of the e-learning format?

The convenience of learning at any time and anywhere makes e-learning the best way to gain knowledge. Today in this fast-paced world, the majority of the students and professionals are busy with personal and professional commitments that make it hard for them to study effectively.

NewinPM has taken the leap here to address these issues. We offer convenient e-learning project management coaching for CAPM that is fully packed with all the resources from videos, books, quizzes, article sections, forums, community discussion, and much more than you may ever want.

Thanks, Mauricio!