Change Management vs Change Leadership

I enjoy focusing on the contrast between change management and change leadership. This has been an actual challenge for me throughout my life. 

Kotter (2011) emphasizes that change management focuses "refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control" (para. 1). Change leadership however requires something deeper. Again, according to Kotter (2011), change leadership is "concerns the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation" (para. 1). Both concern, in my opinion, the ability to influence people toward a shared or common vision but there are disticnt difference. I also think there is a time latency aspect where change leadership begins before the project, and before change management. It's making a case for change as well. 

I think back to a moment in my life when I failed in understanding these differences. We were introducing a microlearning platform. I was an advocate of self-performing the development and administration, but we were exploring the option of using a vendor. The vendor agreed to come in for a meeting and their solution was interesting, affordable, and worthwhile. It was at this time that I changed from leadership to management, and allowed the vendor to pitch the idea and project to my boss, the CEO. It was a fiasco on multiple fronts, and the project failed miserably. I thought the vendor would be the best advocate for their own product; I should have continued to provide the change leadership myself, but I had already switched to management. The CEO failed to see my vision.

Looking back, this experience aligns with several of Houston Christian University’s Ten Pillars (Houston Christian University, n.d.), especially the emphasis on human agency, discipleship in learning, and the responsibility to steward influence with clarity and conviction. My goal for myself, and for this class, is to help you understand the value of change leadership. To be the advocate for yourself and your projects. To recognize that leadership is not something you hand off. You alone can be your best advocate. Pillar III reminds us that human beings are called to act with purpose and responsibility. Pillar VI frames learning and teaching as discipleship, meaning we are accountable for how we guide others. And Pillar V emphasizes understanding the world, which includes understanding organizational dynamics, leadership timing, and the human side of change. 

I think these pillars can help us in this regard, as they create a touchstone or foundation to fall back on. Thinking back, maybe a few minutes reflecting on these pillars would have helped me in that meeting with my CEO and that vendor. Would Musk, Bezos, or any of the other innovators we see making significant changes in the world have outsourced change leadership to others? Or would they have led the change? That's my goal for you. To be those change leaders in your own lives. 

  
References

Houston Christian University. (n.d.). The Ten Pillars. https://hc.edu/about-hcu/ten-pillars/

Kotter, J. P. (2011, July 12). Change management vs. change leadership: What’s the difference? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2011/07/12/change-management-vs-change-leadership-whats-the-difference/