Most of what I’ve written about so far speaks to change initiatives for which the impact can be planned – largely in the area of process improvements or systems upgrades. In those instances, a change manager can deploy a range of tools to prepare for change, lead through it and sustain a new norm.
But sometimes change just happens. In life, it can take the form of an earthquake or tornado or even the death of a loved one – where you’re forced to pick up the pieces and find a way forward. In business, the most common unplanned changes happen in organizational shifts – small changes like an individual employee’s resignation or large-scale reorganizations. Even if you know it’s coming, if you don’t know the details ahead of time, the change can be shocking and disruptive.