Upskilling Plan for Subject Matter Experts and Business Champions
1. Core Competencies
Organise the competencies into five areas, each with observable behaviours that allow progress—not just attendance—to be assessed.
Change advice and communication
· Explains the purpose of change in plain language for different audiences
· Anticipates resistance and responds constructively
· Applies the practical elements of change models such as ADKAR and Kotter
Business analysis and problem-solving
· Uses effective questions to uncover underlying needs, not just stated requests
· Maps current and future processes and identifies impacts
· Presents issues and evidence-based recommendations clearly
Influence and relationship-building
· Builds credibility with project teams and operational colleagues
· Works effectively with stakeholders who have competing priorities
· Gives advice confidently and escalates when appropriate
Facilitation, coaching and feedback
· Leads structured, inclusive and outcome-focused small-group sessions
· Gives and receives specific, balanced and actionable feedback
· Uses coaching questions to help colleagues develop their own solutions
Presentation and professional practice
· Presents clearly and logically to audiences of different sizes
· Documents and shares lessons and contributes to the network
· Balances champion responsibilities with their primary role
Rate each competency on a simple scale—such as Foundation, Practising and Advanced—with a baseline self-assessment at the start and a review in month 9. Add a manager or mentor rating to provide a more balanced view.
2. Nine-Month Development Program
Run a session each month, combining brief instruction, hands-on practice and case sharing. Between sessions, participants apply the learning to a real project task. Keep theory light and emphasise learning by doing.
Month
Theme
Focus
1
Launch and role clarity
Clarify role expectations and network operations, complete the competency baseline, meet project sponsors, and explore the change lifecycle and where champions add value.
2
Communicating change
Tailor messages, map stakeholders, respond to resistance and develop key messages. Practice: prepare and deliver a change message for a live initiative.
3
Business analysis fundamentals
Develop questioning, process-mapping, impact-assessment and requirements-capture skills. Practice: map a live process from the participant’s area.
4
Presentation and storytelling
Structure messages, use data and stories, manage nerves and present to senior audiences. Practice: deliver short presentations and receive peer feedback.
5
Giving and receiving feedback
Use feedback models such as SBI, navigate difficult conversations and respond to defensiveness. Practice: role-play realistic scenarios.
6
Facilitating small groups
Design sessions, manage group dynamics, include dominant and quieter voices, and facilitate virtually. Practice: lead a 15-minute mini-session.
7
Coaching skills
Distinguish coaching, advising and instructing; apply the GROW model, purposeful questions and active listening. Practice: peer-coaching triads.
8
Influencing and navigating complexity
Influence without authority, manage senior stakeholders, navigate conflicting priorities and build resilience. Include a panel of experienced project leaders.
9
Consolidation and next phase
Showcase work, reassess competencies, capture lessons, recognise achievements and plan year two, including mentors for the next cohort and advanced topics.
Supporting elements throughout:
· Peer learning: place champions in pairs or triads for support between sessions
· Mentoring: pair each champion with an experienced change or project professional
· Practical resources: host short videos, templates and toolkits—such as message templates, process-mapping guides and facilitation plans—in one shared location
· Live application: have each champion support at least one active initiative
· Optional activities: offer quarterly guest speakers or lunch-and-learn sessions on emerging topics
3. Success Factors for a Sustainable Champions Network
Clear purpose and mandate
· Define the network’s purpose, champions’ responsibilities and boundaries, and its link to organisational priorities.
· Create a concise charter covering the role, time commitment and success measures.
Visible leadership sponsorship
· Appoint a visible senior sponsor who promotes the network, removes barriers and ensures managers release participants.
· A common failure point is line managers not allowing champions enough time.
Realistic time commitment
· Agree workload allowances upfront—for example, set hours each month—and include them in objectives and performance discussions.
· Do not treat the role as an unrecognised addition to a full workload.
Thoughtful participant selection
· Select people for credibility, curiosity and willingness to help—not simply seniority or availability.
· Seek broad organisational coverage and a mix of experience levels.
Recognition and career value
· Make participation worthwhile through formal recognition, senior-leader exposure, development pathways and acknowledgement in performance reviews.
· Engagement lasts when the role is viewed as a development opportunity rather than extra work.
Strong links to project teams
· Ensure project teams engage champions early rather than as an afterthought.
· Use a simple intake process to clarify and size requests without overloading individuals.
Community and peer support
· Establish a regular rhythm of check-ins, a shared question channel and forums for exchanging lessons.
· Help champions feel connected to a community rather than isolated in their areas.
Measurement and visibility of impact
· Track a focused set of measures: champion engagement and satisfaction, project-team feedback, adoption indicators and competency progress.
· Share success stories regularly; evidence of value helps maintain funding and sponsorship.
Renewal and succession
· Plan for turnover through defined terms—for example, 18–24 months—a pipeline of new champions and clear handovers.
· Invite graduates to mentor others, strengthening sustainability and recognising their growth.
Ownership and coordination
· Assign a day-to-day owner, even part-time. Without clear ownership, networks often lose momentum within a year.
