ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the most common approach to change in organisations and why it doesn’t work. It is a testament to good sense and good managers that so much change is managed with so little fuss. Leading people through change is far more than a technical exercise. Rigid, step-by-step instructions are ideal for operating or fixing machines. None of the things are true and comments often reveal more about the people who say them than their staff. Involving staff, genuinely listening to their concerns, being ready to incorporate other people’s ideas – the things take time, effort and character. Even many management books promote an approach to change that is little more than a polite version of command and control, directive change. The good news is that there is an alternative to directive-change management.
