Why change management has a bad reputation among senior leaders

Books about change management have a lot in common with self-help books on diets and relationships. While reading the enlightening insights and common sense advice we nod wisely and can’t agree more. Once the books are closed, reality bites hard. Concrete steps that would improve the situation at least a little bit vanish in a mist of compelling phrases. And this is how change management is perceived: a lot of money spent on very little visible outcome. 

One element of change management, however, has established a good reputation. Communication results in copy, events or videos. Something that is very concrete. So should we give up on the remaining aspects of change management? Definitely not because – as many books and articles repeat – its absence produces program failure and unengaged employees.

So what could be done? Let’s have a look at stakeholder management, the core of good change management. Instead of endless jargon on the importance of stakeholder management laid out in countless colorful slides, create an Excel list with your stakeholders, outline what they need, what you need from them, what their preferences are and define how to engage them. And most importantly, don’t file your list away. Look at it regularly, check the progress you are making and what you need to do differently. Diligence and perseverance – and an Excel list – will be your first step to success and good change management.