One frequent question I hear is “What is your favorite (or what is the best) book on Change Management”? This question surfaces in conversations, in Linked-In forums, and in desperate hopes for a magic pill that will cure all. While this is one of the more frequently asked wrong questions, I empathize with people who ask this because I know they are truly looking to help, to make a difference, or to fulfill a difficult assignment handed to them. They are typically reaching out because of the belief that change can be managed. And, to some extent, it can.
However, when the expectation is that change can successfully be managed, leadership is often left out of the equation. A good friend and colleague frequently puts it this way, “Change is an act of leadership and individual choice.” Once leaders have successfully won people’s hearts, the actions that help and enable people to change become important. That is where the planning and management enter. That is also why I typically recommend John Kotter’s international best seller, Leading Change.
Dr. Kotter is one of the most renowned authorities on leadership and change. His work does not sacrifice leadership’s important contributions to change for the tasks and actions of managing the change, nor, does he omit the planning and management aspects from the equation. Leading Change describes eight steps for leading change. Rather than repeat them here, the following link takes you to a site belonging to an organization led by Dr. Kotter. This site describes the eight steps and provides an explanation of each: http://www.kotterinternational.com/our-principles/changesteps/changesteps.
The leadership contribution is well represented in the eight steps. The management side of change is also represented. An example is in Step 6, Generating Short-term Wins, where the importance of careful planning and effort (planning, not praying) is highlighted. Beyond recommending the “best book,” I would have to qualify that there are many others on nearly the same plane that also deserve serious attention.
Another question to avoid asking is “How do I get our leaders to lead the change?” If you are asking either of the questions posed in this blog, you have likely been asked to or aspire to be an agent of change. The right question to ask is “How do I become a leader of change?” Change agents both lead and enable others to effectively lead change. There is no simple answer to the question, but you can work on, develop, practice, and finely hone your leadership skills. As a start, refer to my last blog, Personal Leadership at http://blog.gpstrategies.com/leadership/personal-leadership/.
Ultimately, the questions being asked are likely not going to be fully answered with an assignment or a book—the truest answer is through a lifelong and life-changing journey. What better time to start than now?