After a couple of intense peer conversations I now realize I am not the only one participating in this dance. Not real dancing, although it certainly rivals the precarious nature of a ballerina perched on her toes, more like dancing around.
Good senior change management consultants can tell you exactly what would need to happen to truly get to the end state. That answer would involve structure, process and possibly people tweaks and changes. Tweaks may not be the right word. Substantial alterations more likely.
They can tell you that before anyone in the organization gets in the way (once individuals “get in the way” the practice of change management itself changes) of the move to the end state. In other words they know objectively what is necessary and what is not, for end states.
To be able to make those suggestions, let alone work to accomplish them, is some hallelujah, lucid moment in time in a parallel universe. Never will this happen.
No, instead, because of people/money/careers, what does happen is a precarious dance between executives, the change management consultant and individual stakeholders. Short of the change management consultant (and saying that is a stretch since there are a lot of arrogant CM’s out there) everyone has something to gain or lose- that is the nature of business every day of the year.
End states fall when they buck up against individual compensation and careers.
All the frantic activity that happens within the project stream is a low level form of change management. Carrying out those suggestions, really doing what it takes to get to end states, that is the ultimate (ultimately unattainable) for a change management consultant.
How strange to have a career where you know you will only be able to do half of what you are capable of. This is a career where there is no way you will ever be able to do things the fully correct way.
Mastering the individual steps for the dance is oh so fascinating though…
Hi Garrett
I really like the dance analogy. Still when you learn couple dancing you learn that one of the dancers should always lead the other. Can’t you see the change management consultant as the expert dancer that tries to get the newbie on the dance floor. He needs to be attentive enough to help the newbie follow the steps. Ultimately the final dance might be a total disaster or an acceptable waltz. It all depends on the amount of attention and dedication the two of them put in the exercise – and how natural movement and change is for the newbie!