I was asked by a third party recruiter today, “which change methodologies have you used”.
My answer? “All of them.”
Because adherence to any one of them by consultant or client is not the best kind of change management- call it the “management of that particular methodology” – just don’t believe CM is that limited.
12manage is a good spot to see a starting list- I counted to 60 and gave up. My practical by perspective model the 5 W’s is not in there (not to worry since I can layer mine over any of the other 100 if my client insists and/or it is warranted).
Imperfect
Many of them tend toward the figure it out, engage, manage, record timeline of phases. Within that they work on categories like communication, training, project management, working through change. Fine. All good stuff, but wouldn’t you want to engage the instant you begin “figuring it out”? Look at the phases of a lot of those methodologies. Don’t they look hierarchical? Doesn’t the communication look like it works its way down to the stakeholders? Or maybe the phases for that one of 100+ models look more like project management and less like a people collaboration process? At least one of the methodologies touted is based on questions to those managing change. Would that be the best place to get perspective (a status quo model- change management is about tweaking the status quo-foxes in the hen house)?
You can easily pick on mine too. Five W’s, isn’t that a little simple?… Rebuttal I find that a powerful tool to use against 99 other confusing models…
My point is that they all have faults. Having been exposed to 30+ so far I have my own “scientific” track record. If they are perfect and include everything then they get lost in the translation, thereby rendering them imperfect. If they are too simple (think cheese) they leave a trail to be fixed by something less storylike.
Change Management is the connection of vision to work. Or it is the connection of motivation to vision (which will equal work and accomplishment of business objectives). It really is THAT simple. To keep it that simple robs service providers of lots of opportunity to make money explaining and then following lots of defined steps. Let’s make this scientific so we can package it…
Your choice (if you insist on one model) is very revealing
It usually means you have been sold on hype. If you are a client that is certainly the case, a consultant-probably. It typically means fast, project oriented with no time to make sure the next round of change goes smoothly. If it is an off the shelf “turn key” approach (really multiple turns of the key since you will now purchase their supporting templates) you risk having languaging in your organization that looks like everyone else. Change that is packaged does not culturize for long or at all.
So when clients or the third parties recruiting for them ask which models I have used I list those I know the client knows and hope for layering of others later. Given the opportunity I will always explain the 100+ model environment. It is not the model it is the execution- if the model gets in the way, well…
Your choice if you have multiple models is also revealing
At last count 25 at one firm. Overlap? Specificity? Organic change gone wild? Or if only a few perhaps you thought this through and you are adapting perspective and research around your environment?
Asking for a specific approach ties your hands and limits you
The take away here is that one model and sometimes worse, one perspective on change, limits you and shows in the final result- wrong end state, no end state, endless initiatives etc. Don’t be fooled by certifications, change organizations and marketing hype.
This is one career where experience makes a difference and is essential for big change- unless that experience narrows to one closed approach.
