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

Leading changeAs we write this book, the US and UK governments are trying topersuade the rest of the world that war on Iraq was the only way toensure a peaceful future. However, opinion polls within Europe andthe United States indicate that increasing numbers of people areagainst armed conflict and no longer believe that this is a good way ofresolving international issues. Perhaps things are different now. Theincreasingly globalized economy and access to news and informationare perhaps encouraging people to form cooperative relationships witha measure of independence. Are people’s needs for strong leadershipstarting to shift? Perhaps clear, visionary, authoritative leadership is nolonger working?When we look inside organizations, the territory is also changing. JohnKotter (1996) draws our attention to changes in organizational structures,systems and cultures (see Table 4.3). What does this mean for leadingchange? We think this means a shift from expectations of one visionaryleader to the need for increased connectivity and overlapping agendasbetween different groups.STOP AND THINK!Q 4.1Q 4.2Q 4.3Q 4.4Name your top five contemporary leaders and say why you choseeach one. Reflect on how important visionary leadership is to you.What are the most significant changes that have happened in theworld since your childhood? Who was responsible for leadingthese? Did visionary leadership play a key role?Draw up a table identifying the pros and cons of:• visionary leadership;• adaptive leadership;• connective leadership.Re-read Kotter’s (1996) comparison of 20th and 21st centuryorganizational structures, systems and cultures. Then fill in yourown ideas about leadership of change.151