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

The underpinning theoryOur viewThis phased model is particularly useful when organizations are facedwith inevitable changes such as closure of a site, redundancy, acquisitionor merger. The endings and new beginnings are real tangible events inthese situations, and the neutral zone important, though uncomfortable.It is more difficult to use the model for anticipatory change or homegrownchange where the endings and beginning are more fluid, andtherefore harder to discern.We use this model when working with organizations embarking onmergers, acquisitions and significant partnership agreements. In particular,the model encourages everyone involved to get a sense of where theyare in the process of transition. The image of the trapeze artist is oftenappreciated as it creates the feeling of leaping into the unknown, andtrusting in a future that cannot be grasped fully. This is a scary process.The other important message which Bridges communicates well is thatthose close to the changes (managers and team leaders) may experience adifficulty when they have reached a new beginning and their people arestill working on an ending. This is one of the great frustrations of this typeof change process, and we counsel managers to:• recognize what is happening;• assertively tell staff what will happen while acknowledging theirfeelings;• be prepared to answer questions about the future again and againand again;• say you don’t know, if you don’t know;• expect the neutral zone to last a while and give it a positive name suchas ‘setting our sights’ or ‘moving in’ or ‘getting to know you’.Carnall, change management model: political, organismColin Carnall (1990) has produced a useful model that brings together anumber of perspectives on change. He says that the effective managementof change depends on the level of management skill in the following areas:126