The current definitions of change management are hopelessly ’soft’ and poorly defined. Let’s look at how Wikipedia reports on the definition of change management.
Change management is a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. The current definition of Change Management includes both organizational change management processes and individual change management models, which together are used to manage the people side of change. (Wikipedia)
Various definitions include similar components, such as:
I find this definition too soft. Can you imagine trying to talk to a group of high tech engineers or scientists by leading with this definition? They would dismiss you faster than a professor that wants to get back to their research. As a result, I'm putting forth a new definition of change management.
Change Management is the art and science of knowing how to change the day-to-day behavior and thinking of people in an organization to achieve desired results.
I would add that the discipline of change management requires
emotional awareness,organizational savviness,and the much needed
understanding of the science of change.
Check out the article, “Change Management – Understanding the Science of Change” by Christopher Koch. As the study and discipline of change management evolves, we must look to the research of our neuroscience friends. During the last two decades, scientists have uncovered amazing insights in the study of the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of nerves and nervous tissue - especially their relation to behavior and learning. Understanding the brain’s chemistry has led to insights that can help people ameliorate the struggle with change and improve our ability to adapt to change. These advances are bringing a necessary foundation of science to a leadership challenge that has a consistently poor track record.
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