Change Management IS Changing How You Manage

Why do so many change management programs fail?

In their new book, Transforming Your Leadership Culture, authors John McGuire and Gary Rhodes, of North Carolina's Center for Creative Leadership argue that it's because they focus too much on changing systems, processes and procedures -- and not enough on changing the people and the culture of the organization.

Key findings from their research:

• Effective change management has to start from the top.
• Leaders cannot delegate transformation to others and, without leading first by engagement and example, success is very unlikely.
• Culture change has to be a personal process first and foremost.
• Change also comes when beliefs change.
• Successful change starts with the beliefs of the senior leadership team and spreads into the middle of the organization. From there, it is likely that momentum will build as successive levels of employees buy into change.

BOTTOMLINE: In essence, change management is about doing exactly that: changing how you manage.