Herman's notes on Leading transformations: Manage change

Finally, the most recent stories present pictures of deeper and more profound complexity and chaos. The hero's journey is less epic. These stories are less about heroism and more about humility and resilience in the face of adversity.

Managers and champions of organizational development provide us with narratives of transition. Organizations regarded as more like living organisms, people are not merely cogs. Change is viewed as a three-step process. Firstly, persuading people to let go of the past. Secondly, guiding them through the difficult middles. Thirdly, ensuring they don't slip back after initial triumphs and enthusiasm wanes.

Our modern culture is a rich story book of images, metaphors, and narratives. If we're to re-imagine change, then we need to be aware of the nature and power of these images. If we're to reinvent ourselves, we must take account of how our identities are wrapped up in the story lines. One foundational story of change permeates the ideas and practices of many managers and organizations, it's the overly rational approach to change. Organizations are viewed as machine-like, we cogs in the machine. In its size, change is a simple two-step process of identifying what's not working well and then improving it. Change is then just an instruction.

plans rarely survive an encounter with the enemy

you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

In response to a request for change, the 19th century British statesman Lord Salisbury famously said, why change are things bad enough already?

people don't resist change, they resist being changed

Kotter's eight step process of change, you'll see that the first three stages: creating a sense of urgency, building a coalition, creating a vision and strategy, are all components of what Lewin identified as preparing for change.

Janusian thinking is not about being two faced. It's about not being restricted to looking and acting through particular masks, but being able to look at and use them.

Old style management is largely controlling. For example, the managing of oneself, others and organizations. New style leadership is more about influencing, managing to get things done. Just managing, managing to get by.

Attempts to more strongly dominate people and events, is a particular level or form of exercising control and not the most effective. We may more effectively influence people in events, by being less controlling.

The word management originally comes from the Italian maneggiare, to handle or touch as in to control a horse.