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Why change management is so hard
Very often we come across leaders who genuinely want to change the culture of an organization for the better. Unfortunately, no matter what they do, they fail. And the harder they try, the bigger the failure.
As I reflected on this, I realised the desire to change must come from the people within the organization. It is not something a leader can do and the following loop explains why this is so ….
1 — What the Leader Sees
As the leader initiates change, there will naturally be resistance to it. After some time when change does not happen, the Leader will see the resistance to the change.
2 — What the Leader Does
In response to what the Leader sees as resistance to the proposed changes, the Leader will try to cajole staff to change with the positive intent of encouraging it.
3 — What the Staff Sees
Based on their mindset towards the change (and the Leader), staff who are resistant will interpret this cajoling as a form of retaliation from the Leader.
