Strategic Human Capital Insights

Anti-Change Is Systemically Embedded.  And We STILL Ask, “How Come Change Management Is So Difficult?"

We use the term change very casually these days.  Change literature is all around us.  Change management is now considered a core management skill.  Organizations talk about how employees need to embrace change. So if there’s all this noise about change, why is the reality of change management more like pushing molasses up a mountain?    

Let’s take a look at what is really at the core of why organizations exist.  By understanding what is really at the core of why organizations exist, we might then be able to understand why studies still show a 60 – 70% failure rate for organizational change projects. 

Is there really a difference in the types of change confronting us now? 

Change is all around us.  The word 'Change' has been so overused that we can no longer determine its precise meaning.  For example, a moderate change in process is far different from a change of epic proportions.  The same word, ‘change,’ has significantly different meanings, outcomes, and consequences.

The Age of Unreason - Welcome to the New Normal

Over 25 years ago, Charles Handy wrote a book, The Age of Unreason. Its relevance today is still undeniable. The message continues to be both profound and prophetic. 

Handy’s opening remarks state, “We can and should be in charge of our own destinies in a time of change.” With that backdrop, we will focus on all aspects of change and change management. We need to recognize change as a constant part of our ‘new normal,' not as an isolated event. It’s here, it’s all around us, and it’s not going away.