Ready for change
Based on Phil Hawthorn & Robert Joyce (2001) 2 new 2x
2matrices
in Open Business Issue 14; Open University Business
School www.open.ac.uk/oubs-alumni
The only constant thing is change. Different people respond to change in
different ways. The following table suggest five types of response depending on
a person’s level of job satisfaction and loyalty to the organisation.
|
Job Satisfaction
|
|
| mercenary |
|
apostle |
|
loose cannon |
|
| terrorist |
|
dead-wood |
|
| |
|
|
Loyalty |
|
Apostle |
These people love their work and sing from the organisation’s hymn
sheet – not very original but very dependable. |
|
Terrorist |
These people undermine the organisation by saying bad things behind
people’s backs – spoilers. |
|
Mercenary |
These love the work but are not too worried about the organisation.
They will jump ship if pressured. |
|
Dead-wood |
These are the moaners and grumblers who have been around too long, don’t
contribute and refuse to leave. |
|
Loose cannon |
Unpredictable people with energy and ideas – entrepreneurs. You need
them to make change but you then have to tie them down. |
When change is inevitable the organisation should follow the path created by
the loose cannon. An apostle can be assigned to each terrorist to cancel his
negative impact. The mercenaries will probably leave and the dead wood will moan
a lot but follow.
If there are too many terrorists it may be time to wrap up the organisation!
|
The model was designed with the
private sector in mind.
How might it be different in the
public sector?
How is it different in the
community sector? |
|