Checklist for organizational change
One of the most famous theorists of organizational change is John Kotter, of Harvard University. Last year he published “A Sense of Urgency”, which is reviewed here in the Financial Times.The review quotes from this new book:
“Change is shifting from episodic to continuous. With episodic change, the challenge of creating a sufficient sense of urgency comes in occasional spurts. With continuous change, creating and sustaining a sufficient sense of urgency are always a necessity.”
This is true. But the key word is sufficient. What does that mean? How can you be sure that you don’t create an organizational climate where people run around like headless chickens? When do you need urgency and when do you not need urgency? How long can something be said to be urgent before people become indifferent? Are there degrees of urgency?
Managers always need to think carefully before applying gurus’ ideas to their own organization. Urgency in one department is not the same as urgency in another department. This week’s urgency is not the same as last week’s. The urgency for a particular organizational change can itself change, and so on ……
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