Ethical approach to transformation management

Ethical management of individuals is not only a moral imperative but can also lead to positive outcomes in terms of employee morale, engagement, and long-term organizational success. It helps create a workplace culture built on trust, fairness, and respect, which can ultimately benefit both individuals and the organization as a whole. The traditional change management approaches tend to the classic conditioning (Pavlovian conditioning) that states behavior as an automatic, conditioned response paired with specific stimuli. People can use classical conditioning to exploit others for their gain. A prominent example of this occurs in advertising^[2]. This may work on a controlled environment, but in working environment is far from linear or controlled. It is incredibly unpredictable like S. Hopper says. When attempting to align with the intentions of senior leaders within their teams, there’s often a temptation to provide instructions in the following manner: “This is the sole plan for the company, and it represents the most effective means of achieving our objectives. We have thoroughly considered and sought consulting advice on it, so please be mindful of all the advantages it offers and, implement it promptly.” This mindset poses a risk to the project, prompting the need for a traditional Change Management approach to craft a plan that can be more easily accepted by all, a process we refer to as the “Damage Control Change Plan.” Sally emphasizes: “We (the change management team) optimistically try to smooth things over and save face rather than admit that we hadn’t anticipated this reaction or appreciated the power relations at play[3]”