Change management is the better known term. Change leadership is the better approach.
Change management is what people think needs to be done. Change leadership is what gets things done.
Change management is scientific and data based. Change leadership is human and emotion based.
Change management is yesterday’s approach. Change leadership is today’s approach.
Change management is small and incremental. Change leadership is big and dramatic.
Change management is reactive. Change leadership is proactive.
Change management is continuous/ongoing. Change leadership is a giant leap and then starting anew.
Change management attempts to control. Change leadership attempts to unleash.
Change management is a set of tools and structures. Change leadership is a future vision and utilizing the power of the people.
Change management attempts to minimize disruption. Change leadership attempts to move quickly through disruption.
Change management is top down. Change leadership’s success comes from the bottom up.
Change management is the past and fear based. Change leadership is the future and optimistic.
Change management is slow and methodical. Change leadership is fast and exhilarating.
Change management wants to overcome resistance. Change leadership wants to energize creativity.
Change management is driving with the brakes on. Change leadership is driving with the accelerator.
Change management is the past. Change leadership is the future.
Steve Weber is the Change Ambassador. He works with leaders of organizations that need an important change to occur quickly, with a minimal amount of pain, and with a maximum amount of employee buy-in. Steve helps leaders design change initiative campaigns and serves as the campaign manager for corporate change initiative campaigns.
As soon as I was done reading this, like a race I’d just won, I yelped, “Boom!” Steve, this is a great article and awesome perspective I hadn’t considered. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Jason. To my knowledge no one has done a side-by-side like this. We no longer need change management, we need change leadership!