Change Management and Lance Armstrong in the 2009 Tour De France

Sipping a cold New Belgium Mothership Wit brew, my husband and I viewed 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and fellow Team Astana member, more youthful rival, and 2007 Tour de France winner, Alberto Contador, fight in the Pyrenees. The change management practitioner in me shocked if the elements in the 2009 Tour would pose unique challenges for Mr. Armstrong given the contentious workforce dynamics.

In Mr. Armstrong&#39s earlier tour wins, he was surrounded by a team with an unwavering, targeted vision which was to do almost everything achievable to support Lance Armstrong profitable the Tour. There was no problem about the pecking purchase – Lance Armstrong was the established crew chief and every single other crew member understood there put. In this yr&#39s tour, Group Astana does not have a very clear crew chief. Alberto Contador has been the primary chief of Staff Astana in the previous few of years. With Lance&#39s arrival to the workforce, the direct role is questionable.

When questioned about the opportunity division of leadership, Johan Bruyneel, Group Astana Basic Supervisor, mentioned on Group Astana&#39s net internet site,

“At the conclude of the working day, the strongest rider will be supported, irrespective of that person&#39s title or what they&#39ve accomplished in the past.”

I commenced to see a fascinating correlation amongst this year&#39s Tour and John P. Kotter&#39s popular Harvard Business Critique article, “Main Change: Why Transformation Attempts Fall short.”

Mr. Kotter identifies, “Forming a Guiding Coalition” and “Building a Vision” as two (of eight) ways in reworking an organization. Forming a guiding coal consists of organizing a group with sufficient authority and electric power to guide the change. Generating a vision involves clarifying the path the organization needs to shift.

Will Team Astana&#39s compromised direction coalition and absence of a popular vision be the bane of Mr. Armstrong&#39s chance to secure the winning title of the 2009 Tour?

The next weeks will be fascinating to enjoy. Will a crew leader emerge that other team users rally close to to protected a Tour gain? Or will the concern of management and disparity in vision cause Workforce Astana to defocus?

Research reveals that 70% of all change initiatives are unsuccessful. Prosci&#39s 2007 change management benchmarking report displays that the amount a person impediment cited as the cause for unsuccessful change initiatives is ineffective change sponsorship, which include conflicts of fascination amongst essential holders, blended priorities, and very poor alignment. Change management is a willpower, a willpower to manage the people today facet of change. Staff Astana will be a fascinating change management circumstance review that unfolds in the coming weeks.