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Consultants
of all types say they ‘manage change’ – but
is it always effective?
Most
of us have shelves and filing cabinets full of books and articles
on the subject of change. Any literature search offers a bewildering
array of information and views on ‘how to…’
manage change.
But
just how like knitting jelly 'managing change' is.
More
than 10 years ago Binney & Williams said: 'Few would be
crazy enough to say that they can create the future exactly
as they would like.'
Getting
better at public performance
Companies
are getting better at initiating change and seeing it through
to completion. But the process is rife with ambiguity - and
this has implications for developing consultants to step up
to the task.
Buchanan & Boddy define
two aspects to change implementation:
-
Up-front logic of what goes on during initiation
and implementation
-
Behind the scenes work to smooth the path
of any project
Backstaging
All
consultants handle what Buchanan & Boddy call the public
performance – rationally considered, logically phased
and visibly participative change. But not all consultants do
so well at backstaging: influencing, negotiating and selling.
Successful
consultants: 'Legitimise change by suggesting different and
new interpretations of events inside and outside the organisation.'
Backstaging is vital for success and not managing the politics
causes many otherwise competent consultants to fail.
Consultants
pride themselves on their technical expertise and project management
skills. But these are not enough where the change is ambiguous
or contentious. Risks can escalate where change becomes complex.
In
situations that start to slip and slide the inexperienced consultant
may be tempted to use the ambiguity to avoid taking responsibility
for controversial decisions.
Avoidance
makes clients nervous and sets up a vicious circle causing project
slippage. Sometimes consultants go native and aren’t able
to inject effective counterproposals to bring the change back
on track.
Delivering
change effectively is context specific and the consultant’s
capabilities need to match. Understanding power, politics and
influence are critical success factors for the consultant. Acting
on the subtler aspects of the organisation is essential to project
delivery– and the consultant’s survival.
Binney,
G & Williams, C ‘Leaning into the Future’ (1995)
Buchanan, D & Boddy, D ‘The Expertise of the Change
Agent’ (1992)
January 2006
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Management
consultants
Backstaging change
