cameron and green making-sense-of-change-management

The underpinning theory• Power problems arise when there is a threat that power might betaken away from any currently powerful group or individual. Thiseffect can be reduced through building a powerful coalition to takethe change forward (see Kotter above).Our viewThe Nadler and Tushman model is useful because it provides a memorablechecklist for those involved in making change happen. We have alsonoticed that this model is particularly good for pointing out in retrospectwhy changes did not work, which although psychologically satisfying isnot always a productive exercise. It is important to note that this model isproblem-focused rather than solution-focused, and lacks any reference tothe powerful effects of a guiding vision, or to the need for setting andachieving goals.As an alternative we have found that the McKinsey seven ‘S’ model isa more rounded starting point for those facing organizational change.This model of organizations uses the same metaphor, representing theorganization as a set of interconnected and interdependent subsystems.Again, this model acts as a good checklist for those setting outto make organizational change, laying out which parts of the systemneed to adapt, and the knock-on effects of these changes in other partsof the system.The seven ‘S’ categories are:• staff: important categories of people;• skills: distinctive capabilities of key people;• systems: routine processes;• style: management style and culture;• shared values: guiding principles;• strategy: organizational goals and plan, use of resources;• structure: the organization chart.See Managing on the Edge by Richard Pascale (1990) for full definitions ofthe seven S framework.122