Changes fail.
When they do, there is often more than enough finger-pointing to go around. Sponsors often blame those below them…frequently including change practitioners in the ranks of those at fault. Change practitioners, in turn, often point upward, saying “If only he…”
When changes fail, it is–ultimately–on the shoulders of the sponsors; they are the only ones in a position to hold people accountable for successful execution. However, all too often, change practitioners have contributed to that failure.
In the Change Management Review article When Your Change Sponsor Fails, I address the responsibilities that change practitioners have for the success of their sponsors, and thus the changes they are sponsoring.
