Middle managers often come in for the brunt of angst from change experts. Change advisors are prone to perceive and treat middle chiefs as a stumbling block in the business change management process. This angle can be comprehensible, even if it is useless. Change consultants don’t want to lose momentum and middle managers are often one of the last steps prior to initiating a change initiative.

Unfortunately, middle managers are also certain to raise strenuous and numerous objections to the initiative. This slows down business change management because those objections must be addressed. Change consultants can take a harsh view of this slowdown and the middle chiefs who cause it. This attitude underestimates the real value that middle managers contribute to the change initiative process.

Change consultants sometimes forget that middle chiefs are probably closer to the processes that are going to endure change than any one else in the management structure. They are going to have the most pragmatic view about the impact the change will have on production. They can also have the most pragmatic view of how long the change will take. Part of the business change management job that change advisors do is estimating the period of the change process. It’s the middle chiefs who will inform the advisor 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 can note every 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 reason. 2nd , those solutions and reasons have been returned to and authorized by the middle executives. Middle chiefs are the people on the ground and a change advisor ignores them at their own peril.

For more information, please see our website: Business Change Management