"A profession not fit for purpose, where organisations, senior leaders, and those in change management roles are happily involved in a change charade, committing acts of change insanity, and dilettantes supported by their institutes and associations?"
Introduction:
When one looks critically at the change management profession, it is hard not to conclude it is one big charade, acts of insanity are the norm, performed by dilettantes. The vast majority of change management professionals are pushing populist, simplistic approaches that have effectively ‘stupidified’ the profession. These approaches not only fail to deliver sustainable organisational performance improvement change (SOPIC) but actively harm businesses and broader societal structures by fostering a culture of mediocrity and complacency. While diversity and inclusivity are essential goals, sacrificing merit-based recruitment to complete a diversity-related tick box exercise has caused additional chaos, potentially impacting the future for everyone. Modern organisational change is far more complex than most practitioners acknowledge or comprehend. While a simplistic change approach might suffice for small organisations, the reality of substantial transformational efforts demands a comprehensive and holistic strategy that penetrates deep into the organisational ecosystem. Success requires navigating intricate cultural dynamics, aligning multiple stakeholder interests, and understanding the nuanced interplay of processes, systems, and human behaviour. The current landscape of change management is characterised by a dangerous combination of superficial methodologies, leadership disconnection, and a profound misunderstanding of what genuine organisational change or transformation entails. Practitioners increasingly rely on comfortable, surface-level interventions that avoid difficult conversations and challenging leadership dynamics, ultimately undermining the potential for SOPIC.
Leadership Change Contempt:
Leadership change contempt caused by either self-protection or lack of capability are existential threats to successful organisational performance, if not survival. The vast majority of senior organisational leaders treat change with contempt. There is a fundamental disrespect for the change process, treating change management as a trivial or unnecessary organisational activity rather than a critical strategic imperative. Leadership is too often seen as a barrier to change when, in reality, it should be the catalyst. Waiting for the right moment or assuming that the current trajectory will continue indefinitely is a form of contemptuous negligence. Leaders who are slow to act or who ignore the signs of change within their industry are committing an act of organisational self-sabotage. This leadership change contempt is not only detrimental to the organisation’s long-term success, but it also endangers its survival. The situation is made worse and continues for three main reasons. Firstly, their boss or board is of the same mindset or settles for the status quo or does not have the ethical conviction to intervene. Secondly, these deluded leaders surround themselves with ‘yes men and women’ that follow in abundance, allowing this behaviour to perpetuate. Finally, the vast majority of change professionals have a preference to work with change-receptive employees and have leaders' avoidance syndrome of focusing only on change victories that have little to no impact on organisational change. Key indicators of leadership change contempt might include behaviours such as passive-aggressive resistance to change and publicly criticising change initiatives. Additionally, leaders may demonstrate this contempt by refusing to allocate necessary resources, maintaining a status quo mentality, and blocking or sabotaging SOPIC and transformation attempts. Without a widespread commitment to honesty, a willingness to acknowledge failures, and a focus on developing change leadership capability, it is unlikely that this cycle of leadership change contempt will diminish or come to an end.
Change Leadership Alignment on Day Zero:
Change leadership alignment is essential for the success of organisational change initiatives. This critical alignment requires a significant time investment from the senior leadership team before implementation begins, yet it offers a very high return on investment. A unified approach among senior leaders helps prevent conflicting priorities that can hinder effective implementation. When leaders agree on strategic priorities and the role of change, it fosters a cohesive effort that maximises resource utilisation and builds stakeholder confidence. The absence of clear agreement on strategic priorities and the role of change can lead to conflicting priorities and short-term thinking, ultimately undermining the change process. A lack of alignment among senior leaders regarding organisational priorities can be equally detrimental. When leaders pull in different directions, the change effort becomes fragmented, resulting in inefficient resource utilisation, missed opportunities for synergies, and a loss of stakeholder confidence. This disarray not only jeopardises the immediate success of change initiatives but also threatens the organisation’s long-term viability. Establishing alignment from the outset lays a strong foundation for the change journey. By prioritising change leadership alignment, organisations enhance their capacity to navigate complex transformations. This ensures that all efforts are directed towards achieving sustainable outcomes while fostering a culture of collaboration and commitment throughout the organisation. Leaders who recognise the importance of alignment from ‘Day Zero’ position their organisations for success, creating an environment where strategic change can thrive. Ultimately, a commitment to change leadership alignment is not just leading practice; it is a strategic imperative that can determine the difference between successful transformation and organisational stagnation. In a rapidly evolving business landscape, organisations that invest in this foundational alignment will be better equipped to adapt, innovate, and succeed.
Leadership Strategic Change Inertia (LSCI):
Change management is a critical endeavour in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, where adaptability and responsiveness, including the effective implementation of emerging technology and AI, are key to organisational survival and competitiveness. The leadership team in an organisation plays a crucial role in guiding the company’s overall strategic direction and success, including change implementation. However, well-intentioned change initiatives can falter when the senior leadership team exhibits a phenomenon known as organisational leadership strategic change inertia (LSCI). This insidious mindset manifests itself in various ways, from an excessive focus on normal day-to-day operations to a reluctance to embrace transformative change and a tendency to delegate the organisation’s future to less influential change teams or external consultants. At its core, organisational LSCI stems from a fundamental disconnect between the leadership team’s mindset and the organisation’s long-term strategic vision. Senior leaders may become entrenched in the comfort of the status quo, resistant to disrupting established processes and power structures. They may prioritise short-term goals and immediate performance metrics over long-term strategic initiatives, leading to a fixation on day-to-day operations. Siloed thinking, lack of strategic foresight, and fear of change can further exacerbate this inertia, blinding leaders to the pressing need for transformation and adaptation. When senior leaders exhibit such inertia, they inadvertently set their organisations on a treacherous path towards stagnation or decline. By failing to embrace change proactively, they render their organisations incapable of keeping pace with the ever-evolving business landscape. Consequently, market position, competitiveness, and overall organisational health deteriorate, leading to a downward spiral that can be challenging to reverse.
Populist Approaches That Oversimplify Change:
The change management profession has devolved into a dangerous landscape of simplistic, ineffectual methodologies that fundamentally misunderstand organisational complexity. Populist approaches gain traction through seductive marketing and perceived simplicity, yet they catastrophically overlook the intricate interconnections that define genuine organisational transformation. These methodologies represent more than mere academic shortcomings; they are active impediments to SOPIC. By overemphasising theoretical knowledge at the expense of practical skills and organisational self-awareness, practitioners create a charade of change that lacks substantive impact. The result is a profession increasingly detached from the nuanced realities of organisational dynamics. Critical elements are systematically neglected: active sponsorship is marginalised, leadership engagement becomes performative, and sustained commitment dissolves into superficial interventions. Effective change management demands a comprehensive understanding of an organisation's unique cultural ecosystem, a depth entirely absent from the current populist, people-centric approaches that dominate the field. Cultural factors – the values, beliefs, and unspoken norms that truly drive organisational behaviour, are reduced to checkbox exercises rather than being recognised as the fundamental drivers of transformational success. This reductive approach not only undermines change initiatives but actively prevents SOPIC.
Simplistic Solutions Fail on Complex Organisational Change:
While a simplistic change approach may work for some small organisations, the majority of organisational change implementation is very challenging. Organisational change is a complex and multifaceted endeavour that requires a comprehensive and holistic approach. Success hinges on senior change leaders' ability to navigate the intricate web of elements, including culture, leadership, multiple stakeholders, processes, and systems. Simple prescriptions that ignore the inherent complexity of real change efforts rarely succeed. The challenges stem from a lack of formal change management methodologies, limited expertise, and an overemphasis on a people-centric approach amid organisational complexity and resource constraints. The risks of an unstructured and disconnected approach include a lack of alignment and integration, inconsistent messaging, and missed dependencies, leading to ineffective change adoption and sustainability challenges. Unintended consequences may encompass employee resistance and disengagement, cultural misalignment, erosion of stakeholder confidence, and increased costs and delays, ultimately compromising the success of change initiatives.
Happy-Clappy Change and Fragmented Efforts:
The happy-clappy change practitioners have become increasingly prevalent without showing evidence of effectiveness. These practitioners often gravitate toward working with change-receptive employees and focus primarily on employee support or adoption. While their intentions may be positive, this approach tends to rely on simplistic people centric change methodologies that overlook the critical roles of sponsorship and leadership. By prioritising trendy tactics over comprehensive strategies, they risk undermining the very foundations necessary for sustainable change. One of the significant challenges posed by this happy-clappy mindset is the resistance that can arise from senior leaders. When leaders prioritise maintaining the status quo over embracing change, initiatives can quickly become derailed. This resistance is often compounded by a phenomenon known as senior leadership avoidance syndrome (SLAS), where change management professionals hesitate to engage with senior leadership. This reluctance can sabotage change efforts, leading to misaligned priorities, inadequate resource allocation, and a lack of strategic cohesion. Moreover, the predominantly theoretical approach adopted by these practitioners often neglects practical application, resulting in insufficient skill development and limited self-awareness among change leaders. Without a grounded understanding of the organisational context and the complexities involved, change initiatives may falter, leaving teams unprepared to navigate challenges effectively. Ultimately, successful change requires a balance of enthusiasm and pragmatism.
Change Sponsorship, the Overlooked Enabler of Success:
Change management sponsorship is crucial for the success of organisational change initiatives. Without proactive and effective sponsorship, most change programmes are likely to fail in achieving their targeted business objectives. Sponsorship serves as the most critical factor in ensuring that change efforts align with organisational goals and are communicated effectively, facilitating smoother transitions and greater stakeholder acceptance. To successfully implement change, it is essential to recognise three key responsibilities of effective sponsors: Say – clearly communicating the change; Support – providing necessary resources; and Sustain – embedding the change within the organisation. Without a committed change sponsor with gravitas and authority, organisations risk undermining their initiatives, leading to missed opportunities and diminished performance.
A Wake-Up Call for the Change Management Profession:
Change Management Charade, Change Management Insanity, and Change Management Dilettante represent a critique of those involved in the change management profession. The twelve protagonists of the charade, the eleven acts of organisational insanity, and the twelve traits of change management dilettantes should be a wakeup call. They expose the systemic failures plaguing change management, including leadership strategic change inertia, senior leadership avoidance syndrome, populist methodologies, and a fundamental disconnect from organisational realities, to name just a few. Organisational change is inherently complex and crucial to its success. It can’t be delegated; it demands the most talented leaders if the organisation is to effectively adapt and evolve. There needs to be a laser-focused approach to organisational change (or transformation) that executes strategy to deliver measurable and sustainable organisational performance improvement. SOPIC requires leadership accountability, stakeholder engagement, and measurable metrics such as productivity, efficiency, process improvements, profitability, employee engagement, etc. More importantly, the books collectively represent a comprehensive examination of a profession that has lost its way, offering a sharp critique that demands immediate, fundamental re-examination of change management's core principles and practices. They challenge leaders and practitioners to confront uncomfortable truths about their discipline's widespread ineffectiveness.
Change Management Body of Knowledge (CMBoK) Critique
Leadership of Change® Volumes 8, 9 & 10
Refers to organisational change implementation where the leaders of the organisation and the change team are involved in an absurd pretence intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance of change. The leaders continue to focus on normal day-to-day operations devoid of change leadership responsibilities and are permitted to do so by the change team or consultants deluding themselves that they can implement successful change.
Refers to the reckless tendency of organisations and their leaders to repeat unsuccessful approaches to change, expecting different results. These eleven insanity acts begin when senior leadership treats change with contempt, the idiocy continues rendering successful change elusive.
Refers to an individual who engages in change management practices without a deep understanding, commitment, or passion for the discipline. They dabble in the field without serious intent or expertise. This lack of genuine engagement can contribute to high change and transformation failure rates globally.
"Change Waits for No Leader. All Leadership Is About Change and Improvement."
Find out more:
Peter consults, speaks, and writes on the Leadership of Change®.
He works exclusively with boards, CEOs, and senior leadership teams to prepare and align them to effectively and proactively lead their organisations through change and transformation.
For insights on navigating organisational change, feel free to reach out at Peter.gallagher@a2B.consulting or schedule a free consultation
Peter F. Gallagher is a leadership guru, change management global thought leader, organisational change authority, international corporate conference speaker, 15X author, and C-level change leadership coach.
Listed #1 by leadersHum Top 40 Change Management Gurus You Should Follow in 2022 (Mar 2022).
Ranked #1 Change Management Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Change Management (2024-2023-2022-2021-2020) by Thinkers360.
Listed #15 in the “Top 30” for Global Gurus Leadership (2024) by Global Gurus.
Ranked #1 Business Strategy Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Business Strategy (2022) by Thinkers360.
Ranked #6 Leadership Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Leadership (April 2024) by Thinkers360.
Business Book Ranking
Change Management Behaviour - Leadership of Change® Volume 6, listed among the 50 Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2022.
Change Management Adoption - Leadership of Change® Volume 5, listed among year-to-date’s (Jul 2021) most popular books on business and technology from Thinkers360 member thought leaders.
Change Management Handbook - Leadership of Change® Volume 3, listed among the 50 Business and Technology Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2021.
Change Management Pocket Guide - Leadership of Change® Volume 2, ranked within the top 50 Business and Technology Books (Jan 2020) from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders.
Comments