Stop managing change. Start making it irresistible.

 

Read the article and decide if the sentences below are true or false:

 

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/ibm-change-management-phil-gilbert-leadership-failure

 

1. Phil Gilbert believes that traditional change management is often ineffective.

2. Gilbert’s book argues that top-down mandates are the best way to create lasting change.

3. According to Gilbert, people are more likely to adopt change when they choose it willingly.

4. IBM’s CEO required all employees to follow the new transformation program.

5. The program at IBM was named “Hallmark” to avoid associations with specific technologies.

6. Gilbert recommends branding a transformation in a way that highlights the values behind it.

7. Gilbert believes that real belief is built through concrete stories rather than abstract promises.

8. IBM collected stories from employees who voluntarily joined the program to build internal demand.

9. Gilbert supports using temporary “tiger teams” as the primary way to create lasting cultural change.

10. Updating systems such as HR or promotion criteria can be necessary to support new behaviors.

 

Key: 1T; 2F; 3T; 4F; 5T; 6T; 7T; 8T; 9F; 10T

 

Glossary

 

• irresistible – impossible to refuse, avoid, or say no to because it is very attractive or appealing
• misnomer – a name or label that is incorrect or misleading
• underpinning – the foundation, support, or basic idea that something is built on
• to evangelize – to passionately promote or spread an idea, belief, or change—often in a persuasive or enthusiastic way
• scaling – expanding or growing something so it can work effectively across a larger group, organization, or system
• upline metrics – measurements or performance indicators used at higher levels of an organization that influence what employees focus on
• to stall – to stop progressing, slow down, or fail to move forward
• silos – departments or teams that work separately, with little communication or collaboration with others
• to mandate – to officially require or order someone to do something

 

 

Practice makes perfect

Fill in the gaps in the article extract with just one word:

 

Every leader 1. …….. had the experience 2. ……… unveiling 3. ……..  organizational change — a new system or process, a corporate restructure, a shift 4. ……….. the business model — and getting a less-than positive response 5. ……… their team. Sometimes the reaction is subtle: lowered eyes, tightened lips, silence. With a more confident or vocal team, you 6. ………. get questions about  7. ……… the change is necessary, complaints about “yet another thing 8. ……. do,” and 9. ……. of reasons 10. ……. this just isn’t a good time for a big shift. (…)

 

In order to read the whole article, go to: https://hbr.org/2022/04/change-is-hard-heres-how-to-make-it-less-painful

 

Key: 1. has; 2. of; 3. an; 4. in; 5. from; 6. might; 7. whether; 8. to; 9. lots; 10. why

 

 

Discuss

 

• Why do you think organizational change so often triggers resistance or hesitation, even before the details are understood?
• Have you ever personally experienced a change initiative that felt mismanaged or unclear? What made it feel that way?
• The article suggests that naming and branding a transformation shapes how people perceive it. Do you agree that a neutral or values-focused name can make change more appealing? Why or why not?
• Can you think of an example where the branding of a change helped (or hurt) its adoption in your organization?
• Gilbert says teams “don’t need promises — they need proof.” Why do you think personal, first-hand accounts are more persuasive than executive presentations or vision decks?
• The second article mentions subtle and overt resistance (silence, complaints, “bad timing”). How could implementing Gilbert’s strategies reduce those negative reactions?
• Think of a current or upcoming change in your organization. How could you redesign it to be more “irresistible” based on the ideas in the article?

Watch and Revise!

 

Why Change Management Often Fails & How To Fix It

 

https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/jmao9q9GeNKPSGH

 

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