Change leadership principles

1/12/2012

I'm indebted to Rosabeth Moss Kanter for her wise insights and guidance on change leadership, especially in her excellent article, 'Managing the Human Side of Change'. I will share some of her insights and suggestions below along with some of my own and how these could look as guiding principles. I would be very interested to hear from others too...what principles have you found that make the greatest positive difference when dealing with human dimensions of change?

1. Loss of control

'How people greet change has to do with whether they feel in control of it or not. Change is exciting when it is done by us, threatening when it is done to us. Giving people chances for involvement can help them feel more committed to the change.'

(In what ways can you get people involved in the changes you are planning?)

2. Staying close

Leaders can be tempted to avoid contact with people affected by change in case they face criticism or questions they can’t answer. Staying closer to people during change enables communication and builds trust.

(What opportunities can you create to engage with people throughout the change?)

3. Excess uncertainty

'If people don’t know where the next step is going to take them, change can seem dangerous. Information, coupled with the leaders’ actions to make change seem safer, can convert resistance to commitment.'

(What do people impacted by the change need to know to minimise uncertainty?)

4. Surprise surprise!

'People are easily shocked by decisions or requests suddenly sprung on them without groundwork or preparation. Give people advance notice, a warning, and a chance to adjust their thinking.'

(What do people need to hear now to help prepare them for the change?)

5. The difference effect

'Change requires people to become conscious of, and to question, familiar routines and habits. Maintaining some familiar sights and sounds, the things that make people feel comfortable and at home, is very important.'

(What good things can you safeguard to maintain a sense of continuity?)

6. Loss of face

'If accepting a change means admitting that the way things were done in the past was wrong, people are certain to resist. Commitment to change is ensured when past actions are put in perspective – as the apparently right thing to do then, but now times are different. This way, people do not lose face.'

(What things can you do positively to affirm the past?)

7. Future competence

'Sometimes people resist change because of personal concerns about their future ability to be effective after the change: Can I do it, how will I do it, will I make it under the new conditions, do I have the skills to operate in a new way? We have to be sensitive enough to make sure that nobody feels stupid, that everyone can ask questions and that everybody has a chance to be a learner, to come to feel competent in new ways.'

(What could you do to enable people to meet future demands?)

8. Ripple effects

'Change sometimes disrupts other plans or projects, or even personal and family activities that have nothing to do with the job, and anticipation of those disruptions causes resistance to change. Effective change masters are sensitive to the ripples changes cause. They introduce the change with flexibility so that, for example, people who have children can finish the school year before relocating or managers who want to finish a pet project can do so.'

(What is negotiable to make the change more workable for those affected?)

9. More work

'The effort it takes to manage things under routine circumstances needs to be multiplied when things are changing. While an employee is working harder, it certainly helps to know that your boss is acknowledging that extra effort and time.'

(What can you do practically to affirm people working through the changes?)

10. Past resentments

'Anyone who has ever had a gripe against the organisation is likely to resist the organisation telling them they now have to do something new. Going forward can mean first going back – listening to past resentments and repairing past rifts.'

(What past hurts need to be dealt with in order to go forward positively?)

11. Dealing with loss

'Sometimes a change does create winners and losers. Sometimes people do lose status, clout or comfort because of the change. We all need a chance to let go of the past, to mourn it. Rituals or parting events to honour the past help us let go.'

(What creative rituals could you do to celebrate the past and enable people to move on?)

12. Modelling values

The way leaders treat people during change reveals their true values. When leaders act honourably with love, care and respect, it builds trust, loyalty and hope for those who stay with the organisation.

(How will your values influence your decisions and behaviour?)

30 Comments

Ian Brownlee

1/12/2012 06:57:00 am

These two articles are closely related to this post: Language, psychology and a humanistic perspective on “Change Management". Short link: http://wp.me/p2guX2-5s and
PART 2: Linguistics, psychology and a humanistic perspective of change management: 6 Common Errors. A new & original article by Ian Brownlee. Shortlink: http://wp.me/p2guX2-8S

Nick Wright

1/12/2012 02:52:10 pm

Hi Ian and thanks for sharing the links to your blog articles. I could see a number of similarities with the principles in Rosabeth Moss Kanter's work. I prefer the term change leadership to change management when dealing with human-psychological aspects of change and transition, particularly because change management is often associated with technical aspects, processes and procedures, akin to project or programme management. With best wishes. Nick

Manish Ramachandran

1/12/2012 02:43:31 pm

An able leader has beautiful principles laid in his/ her palm which could be the foundation stone for all of us. He/She implements them in such a way that none can be defeated at any state of ambiance. Work towards that achievement we will win the race. Leaders principled will change the situations according to the nature of the land.

David McCuistion link

1/12/2012 06:50:56 pm

Nick, thanks for this post and the author's name. I have to check it out.

I prefer Dr. Janet Cooper Jackson's book on Change in which she also talks extensively about the human factor of change management. I have used her practices over the past few years with great success. Thanks.

David McCuistion
www.vol-training.com
www.vanguardldrship.wordpress.com

2/12/2012 02:01:34 am

Hi David and thanks for the note. I haven't come across Janet Cooper Jackson before but have just glanced at her book 'Organization Development: The Human and Social Dynamics of Organizational Change'. It sounds like she is moving along very similar lines to where my own thinking has evolved over the years. I've ordered a copy now so thank you very much for the recommendation! I've also found William Bridges' book 'Managing Transitions' helpful in this area. Have you come across it? With best wishes. Nick

Julius Cesar Hassan

2/12/2012 01:49:26 am

The world, as we all know right now, talks about, thinks about, and does change management. The world, as we all know, doesn’t do much change leadership, Change leadership is going to be the big challenge in the future, and the fact that almost nobody is very good at it is—well, it’s obviously a big deal.

2/12/2012 05:50:13 am

Hi Julius and thanks for the note. I too have noticed how many organisations approach change as a practical task to be managed rather than a human experience that calls for, at times, courageous and humble leadership. I wonder if this is sometimes because practical aspects that can be managed (e.g. re-drawing structure charts, redesigning processes) feel easier, more manageable and less stressful/anxiety-provoking than dealing with the actual people affected. Would be interested to hear if you have further thoughts on this. With best wishes. Nick

David McCuistion

2/12/2012 12:12:20 pm

I have read the Bridges book, Nick. It is a great book, especially for someone enduring some personal crisis in their lives. Thanks. David

2/12/2012 12:14:13 pm

Hi David and thanks for the note. Yes, I think Bridges produced two different books, applying the core transition principles to personal and organisational contexts. With best wishes. Nick

Marion Nash

3/12/2012 03:57:55 am

Hi Nick, great article. I was at an employee engagement event in London earlier this week. The comment was made that Virginia Satir had said that people are not worried about change, they are worried about being coerced into change. Good point I thought. Marion

3/12/2012 12:44:17 pm

Hi Marion and thanks for the encouraging feedback. I like the comment you quote by Virginia Satir. I often find remarks in organisations that 'people are resistant to change' curious and bemusing. People can be highly motivated to change when, say, the change is consistent with their own desires or aspirations or when they are involved in co-creating fresh vision or ways of working. Conversely, people may respond negatively to change if, say, it feels imposed on them, is a bad decision from their point of view or is handled insensitively. That's why I find Rosabeth Moss Kanter's insights and guidance so refreshingly human and real. With best wishes. Nick

7/12/2012 05:18:55 am

I agree - I think it's the co-creation bit that's usually missing - which is where the coercian comes in. The issues you mention, bad decision or handled insensitively, would not arise if there is co-creation. It's all interesting stuff - and interesting how the psychological contract/trust are so quickly eroded by bad change management. For instance, organisations do temperature check surveys during change, taking their questions from senior management, as opposed to eliciting them from them from staff subject to the decisions that create change. So much knowledge out there, but people revert to ticking boxes.

Paul Birchall

18/12/2012 05:09:56 am

Hi Marion

I totally agree with Nick. They must feel they have a part in the 'future vision'. They are the experts in their jobs, we are the experts to facilitate them getting there!

Best regards

Paul Birchall

Shawn Michael Nichols

3/12/2012 03:58:50 am

Thank you for sharing RMK's work and this particular article. These concerns are useful for our highly functioning clients as well as those clients who struggle. Defenses are more sophisticated in the more educated client but all defenses are the result of core values and traumas.

3/12/2012 12:48:23 pm

Hi Shawn and thanks for the note. I think you raise an interesting point about what defences are based on or tap into. I've noticed defensive routines being acted out by those leading change as well as those subject to it. Do you have any experiences of surfacing and working with underlying defences that you would be willing to share? With best wishes. Nick

Luis Cochofel

3/12/2012 03:59:37 am

BTW - here's the link to the article by Rosabeth Moss Kanter: http://www.apbs.org/archives/conferences/fifthconference/files/UTAH/managing_Change.pdf

3/12/2012 12:51:46 pm

Thanks Luis - appreciated. With best wishes. Nick

4/12/2012 12:44:38 am

Nick,

A recent example was an organization where the Leader 1 and Leader 2 hired me to assist the leadership group of 12 (mostly department heads) to come to their full authority and responsibilities. The group began to evolve and typical process changes developed as well as some initial fundamental concerns were discussed.

Leader 1 and 2 then postponed any further meetings as they said, " we are happy that your efforts are creating the movement we were looking for. We had not anticipated the flood of responses and will have to formulate a plan to effectively contain them until we can utilize them responsibly."

The feedback from the other 10 was that L1 and L2 were afraid of losing control. No further attempts at shared leadership have occurred there since.

Thanks!

8/12/2012 07:03:08 am

Hi Shawn and thanks for sharing such an intriguing experience. If I have understood you correctly, it sounds like the senior leaders (1 and 2) embarked on a journey but lost their nerve or confidence part-way through. It's as if the experience burned their proverbial fingers and so they've avoided situations where that level of comfort could be re-experienced. On reflection, if you were to approach the same situation again, is there anything you would do differently to achieve a different result with 1 and 2? With best wishes. Nick

Funmi Johnson link

4/12/2012 01:56:17 am

Hi Nick,

This post is very closely linked in my mind to your post last week on gender, whether leadership is gendered? Whether there should be differences based on gender differences.

I think change leadership is most effective when person/ team leading the change has all the skills necessary. I don't think the skills of empathy, a more collegiate approach are common to women only, but they do show up in women a bit more i think. Similarly, logic, reason are not common to men only, but are ascribed to them more often. Fear on the part of those leading the change and those being led can be paralysing and have a disastrous effect. I think a way forward could be to anticipate the human cost of change- beyond physical logistics, plan for that cost and build it into the plan, even before anything is implemented. In that way, some of the points you raise could be dealt with, even before the change process begins- kind of like a pre planning stage.

Regards
Funmi

8/12/2012 06:57:53 am

Hi Funmi and thanks for the note. I think you raise some very interesting points. For example, how the gender of those leading or impacted by change could or perhaps should influence how it is approached. Did you have any further thoughts on this? I would be very interested to hear more. It would certainly be a positive argument for ensuring that change leadership initiatives and those who lead them include a mix of men and women to ensure that different gender perspectives and experiences are taken into account.

I agree with your view that Rosabeth Moss Kanter's principles can be valuable to prepare in advance of change intiatives as well as to guide and act as a touchstone during the process. The leaders of one organisation I worked with recently decided to post the principles on walls, intranet etc (a) to make them visible and (b) so that staff could hold them to account to them. This called for courage and humility, attitudes which helped the leaders manage their own anxiety when facing and leading the change.

With best wishes. Nick

Sim

9/12/2012 08:22:26 am

you know these days, the "recipient of change" understands that nowadays we live in a world that is changing constantly and that change is necessary, developmental and brings progress - but resistance comes in when communication doesn't reach the values and purpose domain of the person that is affected by the change. Interesting approach for managing the human side of change I find in ADKAR (awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, reinforcement) model "how to implement successful change in our personal lives ad professional careers by Jeffrey M. Hiatt

10/12/2012 02:31:55 am

Hi Sim and thanks for the note. I hadn't heard of ADKAR before so have just done some reading into it on the internet. Some aspects sound similar to those embedded in Rosabeth Moss Kanter's approach. Have you had any experiences of using ADKAR that you would be willing to share? For example, what was the change imperative, how did you approach it, what happened, what would you do the same/differently next time? With best wishes. Nick

10/12/2012 01:09:07 pm

A change effort or initiative must start with a vision. creating a vision will clarify the direction for the change. In addition, the vision will assist in motivating those that are impacted to take action in the right direction.

It is important to get the right people in place who are fully committed to the change initiative, well-respected within the organization, and have power and influence to drive the change effort at all levels.

While creating a shared need and urgency for change may push people into action, it is the vision that will steer them into the new direction.

10/12/2012 01:20:06 pm

Hi Julius and thanks for the note. I think you make an important point about vision. I remember reading John Kotter a while ago who said something along the following lines (my paraphrase): 'Vision must be convincing to the mind and compelling to the heart'. This approach speaks to different people who are motivated by different things, some by rational persuasion and some by emotional feeling.

In my experience, the issue of 'driving' change partly depends on the imperative/urgency of the need for change and partly on how the vision that change should support was developed. If the vision was developed collaboratively and has high degrees of buy-in, it's perhaps a question of how how best to lead rather than 'drive' it? I would be interested to hear your thoughts. With best wishes. Nick

Earl Harewood

9/1/2013 09:18:55 am

Change is more than a shifting of a process or systems, in fact, it is all a human activity.

9/1/2013 09:22:04 am

Hi Earl and thanks for your comment. Sounds like you may find this blog interesting too? http://www.nick-wright.com/1/post/2013/01/leading-through-transition.html. With best wishes. Nick

14/1/2013 04:33:13 am

Hi all. Just found a simple, brightly coloured posted on change management via this link, including a not-for-profit version: http://betterbusinesslearning.com/simplechangeguide. Nick

Louise Jones

17/1/2013 11:53:34 am

Thanks Nick for the link to this, and to the visual. Very useful, and simple ideas to use and communicate. I will certainly use them as inspiration and guidance when working to support our managers who may be afraid of or struggling to facilitate transitions.

25/1/2013 09:09:43 pm

Hi Louise. Pleased you found it helpful! With best wishes. Nick