Founding Director, Catalyst of Change Consulting Group

CHANGE MANAGEMENT - TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE! AN OBSERVATION. Increasingly, I have observed, in the last years that the identity of those aspiring to be change managers has gone through a metamorphosis. Perhaps in response to client expectations, their lack of a deep knowledge of authentic change management characteristics and benefits for industry, and/or quick fix business requirements; and for potential employees, the need to get a job in the current scarce market environment. I respect the noble profession of organisational change, cultural change, leading change. All of us must respect the knowledge and skills involved. QUESTION: Are there people "selling" and "marketing" themselves to clients as "change managers" but are not really expert or skilled in change management? OBSERVATION: There seems to be a trend that change management is also technology management; that is, those who purport to be technological experts somehow take on the identity of change manager as well. If this is the case, I see this as highly contestable. Whilst I know some may be able to span both disciplines; I believe that not everyone who is a technological guru can be a real, change manager. The corollary is also the case. These are both specialist disciplines of knowledge and skills that have long and broad histories of corporate banks of expertise. Our clients deserve the best change managers who can work, side by side with technology experts, or, even as one human expert resource to implement technological change. Many change managers have done deep studies of human behaviour to reach the highest of levels of change managerial expertise in organisations; doing courses of bachelors, masters, doctorate degrees from universities within faculties of change. Doing popular contemporary programs and courses for a few days or weeks etc or being on a project team does not automatically "badge" us on our updated CVs as "change managers". Leaders who hire change managers must be aware of such. We cannot just "badge" ourselves as change managers by "experience", in albeit limited experiences or a short program alone. Change management is deeper than this. The practice of meshing various technological implementations with change management must be carefully assessed by clients and potential sponsors who invest in human resources to ensure that "change" is done effectively, efficiently, successfully and authentically, not superficially. Change management is not just technological ICT tools and platforms and artefacts. Change management is about behavioural change, group change, team performances and knowing deeply how to ensure that artefacts, values, attitudes and assumptions change are delivered with depth, not superficially. Have you noticed this trend? Sponsors and clients need to be educated better to "know" what and who they are hiring and what so called "change management" as a discipline, really offers organisations. What do you think?

Insightful...cultural commentary.

My island home of Bosim village in Milne Bay in Papua; Gurrumul and Christine Anu's island homes in NT and NQ Australia; Australians all, our homes on our island continent... Let's contemplate all that is close to our hearts and emotions; all that gives us a common identity, a sense of belonging and a sense of place and meaning together, sharing with each other our island-ness, our saltwater people, our Australian-ness in this special Pacific space, by listening to this iconic song from these famous Australian Indigenous singers.

CHANGE LEADERS - CONSCIOUSNESS AND AWARENESS OF CHANGE.... Listen to Gurrumul sing to us about "Country"...Gopuru... When we stop and listen for a minute in our workplaces and try to find meaning...the sounds of our institutions and our land can be channeled and heard through Gopuru; through Gurrumul's voice and music...

CHANGE CONSCIOUSNESS- SEEKING OUR PURPOSE!! Australians and Pacifika All!!! Listen to the haunting sounds of the Universe through Gurrumul's unique voice and magnetic music... It takes me back to my native land of Papua, the oceans and mountains and golden sands, the reefs and the crashing waves, and the birds singing from the tropical coconut trees....with children playing and laughing... As you listen, become at one, with the dancers searching for a sense of place on this Earth, for a land, and identity in this Universal space. As change agents we need to think into the deeper consciousness of our being, of our institutions....and the spiritual meaning of why we are here...and why we do what we do in organisations.... Gurrumul helps us ponder these questions through his beautiful music!