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Chapter 16 ■ Learning from change
There are two points to make in dealing with this question. First, throughout
this book I have made very clear the point that managing change demands a
complex set of skills and styles within which both effective leadership and facil-
itative management styles are equally important; second, turnaround manage-
ment still requires commitment. As Taylor (1983) makes very clear, it demands a
high level of interpersonal skills. If the organization wishes to avoid the present
crisis and the next one, managers and employees need to learn from the changes
being made. The very fact of the crisis, if clearly communicated, can impel sup-
port. If so, the learning we are talking about can follow. I re-emphasize: manag-
ing change effectively is not about being ‘soft’ with people – it is about making
demands of them.
Turnaround situations bring the prospect of sudden and dramatic changes.
The impact of these changes can create the stresses referred to in Chapter 13. But
if managers are seen to be dealing with the long-ignored fundamentals (the fact
they have been ignored leading to crisis) then this can motivate commitment
and energy for change. Even so, the lessons of Chapter 13 need to be considered
along the way. Under pressure people can achieve a lot, but the quality of deci-
sions and actions can also flag and fail. Thus a careful watch for the signs of stress
should be a part of senior management’s ‘agenda’. In summary, then, even in cri-
sis situations attention needs to be given to longer-term effectiveness by being
careful over the process of managing change.

Conclusion

The starting point adopted in this chapter was to ask what can be learned from
the process of change. This has been examined through a continuation of a
case study introduced in an earlier chapter of the book. The analysis here is
extended by reference to the learning organization ideas reviewed in the book.
The chapter continued with a review of what we can learn from crisis and turn-
around situations. These represent a real challenge because the need for change
is dramatic. While some of what is required turns out to be distinct, much

derives from general change management approaches.

EXERCISES

1 What now is your assessment of the approach to change adopted by ABF? To
what extent is ABF really focused on mind-set change?
2 To what extent do crisis and turnaround generate special change characteristics
and demands?
3 What is the role of the leader in change as far as promoting learning and devel-
opment is concerned?

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