7 Responses to “Video Blog: Why Change can’t be ‘managed’”

1. Andrew Peel says:

   6 December , 2009 at 22:37

   As a Change Project Manager I have a professional interest in your views. Which I have to say I concur with. In particular about the fact that as soon as I have finished my lovely Gannt chart it might as well be ‘binned’ because it’s out of date straight away.

   The issues I come across are:

   – As soon as a Director sees a plan with dates against it they think it’s actually ‘real’, They fail to realize it’s a projection. It’s amazing that if you asked them what would be happening in a year’s time they would look at you as if you are mad, yet if I produce a plan and things fail to happen on the projected date it’s all my fault.

   – Change management is essentially about moving people out of their comfort zone in a controlled way, identifying the benefits for the organization and as you say getting the Change Champions early. What I come across is a failure of managers to accept there will be ‘losers’. They try and delude themselves everyone will love this change.

   – Lack of Emotional Intelligence. Again Senior Managers like to think they make rational decisions for the good of the organisation. Again this is untrue all decisions are based on their ‘feeling’ of where the organization should be. The very concept of a ‘vision statement’ makes it clear it’s a feeling based approach. They have seen the ‘promised land’ over the hill. Problem, all their workers are still at the bottom of the hill and fail to see it. Royal Mail is the classic example of this. The Royal Mail have the right vision they just fail to understand the postal workers need to grieve for the ‘old ways’ and they are failing to facilitate that process,

   Really enjoyed the video and feel when I am at my desk tomorrow writing all those Highlight Reports there is at least one other person who thinks I could be more gainfully employed actually managing the process.

   Andrew Peel

2. richardderwentcooke says:

   6 December , 2009 at 22:41

   Andrew,

   What you say is absolutely ‘on the money’ and I’m pleased to hear it from the lips of a professional project manager. However, it saddens me to hear that despite this awareness on your part, your clients are still so unaware of the key requirements to win Hearts & Minds and to bring about behavior change.

   That is why they really need Change experts on board too

3. Ruth Edwards says:

   8 December , 2009 at 10:44

   Engaging for content and your passion is clearly evident – agree there needs to be a 2nd party there as the questionnaire but think you will have great success with this move in your communicatons Richards.
   Fab!

   Ruth Edwards, LLB, eMA
   Smartstart Media Ltd

4. Peter Syme says:

   9 December , 2009 at 19:56

   Hi Richard

   I have spent all my working life in change management situations, via military to high level corporate to the daftness that I live now.

   My input is very simple as I have had to learn through experience rather than teaching . I know what change means and the ability to do delivers or worse the inability and resulting issues leading to terrible situations. Therefore, I have tailored my experience to the following which can be adapted to any business or life situation but please excuse the story as it is the only way I can communicate.

   A = Adaptability

   You have just been dropped from you normal life in a city to the jungle to work for a period a minimum of 6 months to whenever. You have to adapt to the change of the environment as quick as you can or your life will be very difficult. ( Most freak and run and do not adapt)

   C = Compatibility

   After adapting which only allows you to function, which is not good enough, you have to become compatible which means that you are at one with the environment and are functioning at a high level. ( The majority of the adapters do not get to this level the jungle freaks them in the long term and they run for the city) Those that do become compatible think they have made it!

   F = Flexibility

   Your 6 months in the jungle became three years your are now a prince or maybe even a king of the jungle. However, one day you wake up and you are in the arctic! Change again jungle prince or king. Can you do it again? Drop out rate is very , very high from those who got passed the first two stages!

   The cycle repeats itself over and over again. Once you embrace it you thrive in ways that the vast majority cannot understand.

   Simplistic I know but hey life is not that complicated.

   Peter

5. richardderwentcooke says:

   9 December , 2009 at 20:00

   Peter,

   I think you are completely right here.

   I’d obviously use different language but the fact is that as this is a journey, it has certain common characteristics, and one key one is the desire to run away when confronted with the unknown. That is why it is crucial to support people through this process. Unfortunately, too many think that this a matter of project planning rather than people management.

   Another key thing is finding our who adapts early to their new jungle life and using them to teach and support their colleagues. It may be a different group who succeeds in the Artic

6. Peter Syme says:

   9 December , 2009 at 20:01

   Richard

   Project planning has its place but you are correct if people are not onside and driving towards the objectives from a point of desire rather than because they have been told to the project plan is still a plan but one full of weakness.

   As I am sure you know, people do not like change on the whole and therefore that is where the vast majority of effort should go. If you support the people, the change can happen.

   That said the reason people do not like change is because of the way we live and the systems that are imposed all around us makes us creatures of habit. From school to the work environment systems enhance the habits that make it more difficult for people to thrive in change environments. Even those that do cope with change well very rarely in my experience thrive on it, it is more they have just learned to deal with it.

   The world is going to become more complicated and the challenges on everyone are going to increase. Change is already a constant and being able to thrive during change will become an essential skill for the current and next generations.

   Peter

7. richardderwentcooke says:

   10 December , 2009 at 09:00

   Peter .. .dead right… that is why it requires focused support.