The psychology of change: understanding the guiding principles of effective change management Most change management models in use today are in the form of a process or set of steps. In fact, the most effective processes or methodologies are based on research and the experiences of change management experts from years of trial and error in the field. However, the underlying lessons and principles that produced these change management processes and tools are not always clear to the practitioner (especially if you are new to the field of change management). In many cases, the guiding principles and lessons-learned are not even discussed as part of the model or tools.
The result: you learn the how but not the why. The years of practical experience and knowledge that formed the basis for these processes are not readily available to a person trying to make them work in a specific situation.
This new tutorial series goes beyond the activities and tasks of managing change for one simple reason: understanding the “why” makes you better at doing the “how.”
Change management is not a matter of simply following steps. No two changes are exactly alike, nor are any two organizations. Following a recipe for change management is insufficient to drive business results. The right approach will be specific to the situation. If you do not understand the why behind your actions as a change management practitioner, changes can fail even when reputable change management processes are followed.
In this tutorial series, we will examine some common activities and strategies that are used by change management professionals, and uncover “why” these activities or strategies are used. For example:
• Why do business leaders need to communicate directly with employees instead of using the “communication cascade” or the normal chain of command?
• Why are change management practitioners