Debating the role of vision in organizational change: Sacred concept or bland

gibberish?

Ian Palmer

The change management literature is replete with authors such as Kanter, Stein & Jick
(1992) and Kotter (1996) whose central message is that if change managers are to
have any chance of success then they had better get the change vision right – and
make sure that this is adequately communicated to those impacted by the change. In
line with the conference theme this “narrative of the present” has become almost a
mantra, not open to debate. This paper takes an alternative position, questioning the
coherence of this narrative. Whereas some writers treat vision as a sacred concept
(Lissack & Roos, 2001) others now question this, pointing out that vision statements
are often “either generic nonsense or bland gibberish” (Beaver, 2000). As Weick has
also recently argued “We are in thrall to the story of dramatic interventions in which
heroic figures turn around stubbornly inertial structures held in place by rigid people
who are slow learners. This is a riveting story. It is also a deceptive story. It runs
roughshod over capabilities already in place, over the basics of change, and over
changes that are already under way” (Weick, 2000: 237). In line with this sentiment
this paper points to three fractures opening up in the change literature itself about the
role of vision – and of visionary leaders – in organizational change. The first is
whether vision is an attribute of heroic leaders or of heroic organizations. The second
is whether vision drives change or emerges during change. The third is whether vision
helps or hinders change. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these
fractures or debates for change practitioners – and the problem with the role of vision
in organizational change acquiring a taken-for-granted “natural” status both in
language and in practice.

References
Beaver, G. (2000) “The significance of strategic vision, mission and values” Strategic
Change 9: 205-207.
Kanter, R.M., Stein, B.A. and Jick, T.D. (1992) The challenge of organizational
change: How companies experience it and leaders guide it. New York: Free
Press.
Kotter, J.P. (1996) Leading Change. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.
Lissack, M. & Roos, J. (2001) “Be coherent, not visionary” Long Range Planning 54:
53-70.
Weick, K.E. (2000) “Emergent change as a universal in organizations” In M. Beer &
N. Nohria, (eds.) Breaking the code of change: 223-241. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press.

Key Words: Change, vision, debates