Change Management Advice Consultants Won't Tell You
A 1983 article by Julien Phillips laid the groundwork for change management. However, the industry's massive growth has led companies to often focus on the wrong aspects.
The field of change management has ballooned into a significant industry over the four decades since McKinsey consultant Julien Phillips published his seminal paper in 1983. Phillips' ideas, focusing on companies' failure to adapt quickly, formed McKinsey's first change management model. Today, nearly every major consulting firm has a transformation practice, and enterprise software vendors routinely bundle change management services with implementations.
However, critics argue the industry often prioritizes protecting larger sales over creating lasting organizational change. Many change management efforts, such as communication plans and training sessions, do not necessarily lead to successful transformations. More crucial elements involve overcoming resistance, leveraging small, interconnected groups, and planning for success.
Anticipating resistance is paramount. As activist Saul Alinsky observed, every change inspires its own counterrevolution. People form attachments to routines, beliefs, and institutions, and change threatens this equilibrium. Organizations must prepare for dishonest and underhanded opposition. Before initiating change, a resistance inventory should be conducted to identify potential forms of resistance and mitigation strategies.
True transformation is driven by small, loosely connected groups united by a shared purpose. Rather than orchestrating large kick-off meetings, the focus should be on cultivating networks. Research suggests change can reach critical mass with considerably less support than commonly believed – perhaps as little as 3.5% of a society or 10-20% of a system. Leaders' role is to foster the creation of these networks and unite them with a shared purpose.
Finally, planning for "surviving victory" is essential. Overemphasizing short-term wins can embolden opponents and create the impression of a superficial effort. Change is non-linear, and early progress does not guarantee long-term success. The strategy must be deeper, rooted in shared values and a common mission for the change to endure.