The Hard Side of Change Management

LEADERSHIP

THE HARD SIDE OF CHANGE
MANAGEMENT
BY HAROLD L. SIRKIN, PERRY KEENAN, AND ALAN JACKSON
FROM THE OCTOBER 2005 ISSUE

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HEN FRENCH NOVELIST JEAN-BAPTISTE ALPHONSE KARR WROTE “PLUS ÇA
CHANGE, PLUS C’EST LA MÊME CHOSE,” HE COULD HAVE BEEN PENNING AN
EPIGRAM ABOUT CHANGE MANAGEMENT. FOR OVER THREE DECADES,

ACADEMICS, MANAGERS, AND CONSULTANTS, REALIZING THAT TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS
IS DIFFICULT, HAVE DISSECTED THE SUBJECT. THEY’VE SUNG THE PRAISES OF LEADERS WHO
COMMUNICATE VISION AND WALK THE TALK IN ORDER TO MAKE CHANGE EFFORTS SUCCEED.
THEY’VE SANCTIFIED THE IMPORTANCE OF CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND
EMPLOYEES’ ATTITUDES. THEY’VE TEASED OUT THE TENSIONS BETWEEN TOP-DOWN
TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS AND PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO CHANGE. AND THEY’VE
EXHORTED COMPANIES TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS THAT APPEAL TO PEOPLE’S HEARTS AND MINDS.
STILL, STUDIES SHOW THAT IN MOST ORGANIZATIONS, TWO OUT OF THREE TRANSFORMATION
INITIATIVES FAIL. THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME.

MANAGING CHANGE IS TOUGH, BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS LITTLE AGREEMENT
ON WHAT FACTORS MOST INFLUENCE TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVES. ASK FIVE EXECUTIVES TO
NAME THE ONE FACTOR CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS, AND YOU’LL PROBABLY
GET FIVE DIFFERENT ANSWERS. THAT’S BECAUSE EACH MANAGER LOOKS AT AN INITIATIVE FROM
HIS OR HER VIEWPOINT AND, BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, FOCUSES ON DIFFERENT SUCCESS
FACTORS. THE EXPERTS, TOO, OFFER DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. A RECENT SEARCH ON
AMAZON.COM FOR BOOKS ON “CHANGE AND MANAGEMENT” TURNED UP 6,153 TITLES, EACH WITH
A DISTINCT TAKE ON THE TOPIC. THOSE IDEAS HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, BUT TAKEN TOGETHER,

https://hbr.org/2005/10/the-hard-side-of-change-management#[7/12/2016 12:32:10 AM]

The Hard Side of Change