Common Change Management Errors
There are around 100 of the most common management errors are included in this Knowledge Base.
Some of the errors explored include:
- . organisations thinking they are ‘bullet-proof’
- . not understanding the successful organisation symptoms
- . unable to handle VUCA environment
- . not understanding their organisational culture and sub-cultures
- . not accepting that ‘one-size-fits-all’ is inappropriate as every change is unique
- . not realising change is very circumstantial (situational and contextual)
- . happy with status quo thinking
- . lack of buy-in/ownership (including co-creating /co-designing) of the change agenda by key stakeholders
- . not adopting a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach
- . not understanding neuroscience, ie how the brain works
- . not realising the importance of timing
- . focusing too much on symptoms rather than causes
- . underestimating the importance of stories
- . lack of adequate resources (money, people, skills, time, etc)
- . poor negotiating skills
- . too much reliance on technology
- . not appreciating the human side of change (including people skills)
- . not understanding how to handle resistance to change
- . not realising the importance of grassroot support
- . not realising that stakeholders need to know the ‘why’ the change rather than just the ‘how’ and ‘what’
- . not aligning change with the organisational strategic direction
- . too much focus on the short term
- . not receiving authentic feedback
- . not understanding the different types of change
- . not remaining flexible and agile enough to handle the unexpected
- . too much reliance on predictions
- . importance of the balance of leadership and management, etc
(sources: Patrick Dawson, 2005; Lawerence Fisher, 2005; Edgar Schein, 2004; Annette Simmons, 2002; Robert Kriegel et al, 1996; David Stauffer, 2003; Peter Senge et al,1999; Peter Senge et al, 2005; Gavin M Schwarz, 2005; Ronald A Heifetz et al, 2002; Geoffrey Colvin, 2005b; Eric Bonabeau, 2003; Luke Collins, 2005b; Robert Winston, 2003; Mike Hanley, 2005; Edward deBono, 2004; Helen Trinca, 2001a & 2006; AIM, 2002; Dale Carnegie, 2003; Thomas Johnson, 1999; Bronwyn Fryer, 2003; Michael Watkins et al, 2003; Karl Albrecht, 2003; Catherine Fox, 2003; Harry Onsman, 2005; John Kotter, 1995, 1996a, 1996b & 2003; Susan Heron, 2006; Dennis Hall, 2006a; David T Snowden et al, 2007; David Pitonyak, 2005; Catherine Fox, 2007h; Robert Sutton, 2007; Fiona Smith, 2008d; Clayton Christensen et al, 2003; Deepak Malhotra et al, 2007; Fiona Smith, 2008l; Richard Branson, 2008; Rita Gunther McGrath et al, 2009; Seth Godin, 2007; Michael Mauboussin, 2009; Fiona Smith, 2009y; Alex J Pollock, 2010; David Rock et al, 2006; David Rock, 2009; Michael Mauboussin, 2009; Fiona Smith, 2009y; John Forster, 2010; Fiona Smith, 2010; Boris Groysberg et al, 2010; Dale Carnegie, 2003; Barrie Dunstan, 2010; Barrie Dunstan, 2010a; Nassin Taleb, 2010; Alex Pentland, 2010; Peter de Jager, 2010; Chip Health, 2011; Daniel Kahneman, 2012; Malcolm Gladwell, 2013; John Markoff, 2014; Abby Ellin, 2014)