Middle chiefs frequently come in for the brunt of angst from change specialists. Change specialists are prone to understand and treat middle bosses as a stumbling block in the business change management process. This attitude can be understandable, even if it is counterproductive. Change consultants don’t wish to lose momentum and middle chiefs are frequently one of the last steps before initiating a change initiative.
Unfortunately, middle executives are also likely to raise strenuous and countless beef to the initiative. This slows down business change management because those beef must be addressed. Change specialists can take a harsh view of this slowdown and the middle chiefs who cause it. This angle belittles the real value that middle chiefs make a contribution to the change initiative process.
Change consultants sometimes forget that middle bosses are probably closer to the systems that are going to undergo change than any one else in the management structure. They’ll have the most practical view about the impact the change will have on production. They may also have the most practical view of how long the change will take. Part of the business change management job that change experts do is estimating the period of the change process. It is the middle executives who will inform the specialist whether or not their estimations are realistic, remotely possible, or not even close to possible.
If the change advisor wants to do their job with the best degree of effectiveness, they may note each objection and appraisal the middle chiefs offer. The business change management process should not move on till 2 two things have happened. First, the change team has gone over everything on the list and found satisfactory solutions or explanation. Second, those solutions and explanations have been taken back to and licensed by the middle chiefs. Middle chiefs are the people on the ground and a change advisor ignores them at his or her own peril.
For more information, please see our website: Business Change Management
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