Change management

Change management is the topic of the CERC dialogue between Shannon Bowen, University of South Carolina, and Davide Ciullo, Snam.

An exchange of views from two perspectives, academic and professional, on a topic of great relevance in terms of internal communication.

The opinions of Shannon A. Bowen, Professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, founder and executive director of the Global Strategic Communication Consortium, University of South Carolina, USA, and Davide Ciullo, Senior Manager Internal Communication & People Engagement, Snam

How should we define change management?

Shannon A. Bowen: Conceive of change management beyond the traditional paradigm: not as adapting to change, such as a merger or acquisition, but in using strategic intelligence to predict future changes, research and anticipate options, and plan adaptations based on strategy, predictive analytics, and relationships. This view is what we termed strategic intelligence: predicting future issues and planning proactive change options that influence the changes themselves rather than simply leaving an organization to reactively respond to change.

Davide Ciullo: In essence, managing change within an organization means leading it rather than simply responding to it. It shouldn’t be seen only as a reaction to disruption, but as a continuous mindset that guides leadership. After all, change is a constant in every organization’s life. From this perspective, managing change also means anticipating it. The need for change management doesn’t arise only during major transformations. It’s present whenever corporate culture and practices intersect with innovation, whether in strategy, processes, or leadership style. In short, change management is an everyday necessity.

Since when is this topic relevant: historical or current?

Shannon A. Bowen: This approach is neither historical nor current, but a futuristic one. Leveraging AI in addition to traditional research methods allows predictive intelligence to help shape the future of an organization, including how it interacts with and influences the very nature of change. Shaping change and policy can provide strategic efficiencies and enormous cost savings.

Davide Ciullo: From a leadership perspective, adopting a proactive approach to change should be both a guiding principle in decision-making and an integral part of every manager’s mindset. Looking ahead, the futuristic approach lies in using reliable, up-to-date data to sharpen our ability to detect critical issues and design effective solutions. This represents a shift from being merely proactive to becoming predictive. Such an evolution enhances our capacity to listen, enables more informed decisions, and helps anticipate potential crises, ultimately improving both performance and cost efficiency.

What are the ethical issues related to change management processes?

Shannon A. Bowen: To manage this futuristic approach ethically, it is necessary to understand that ethics does not mean something different to everyone; that view is relativism which leads to chaos and geographic division: not a suggested approach. Acting with humility, duty, moral self-reflection, good intention, and offering dignity and respect to stakeholders should always drive our strategic intelligence and change. What I termed the “age of hubris” in 2017 has only deteriorated. Astute leaders should counter hubris so that they can build trust by acting with humility, rectitude, and an attitude of servant leadership. Servant leaders enrich and facilitate the success of others, using a leadership role to inspire confidence in strategic intelligence and ethical leadership so that the change process inspires rather than terrifies those involved. Change is certain in the future and with this strategic and ethical approach it can be one that motivates new commitment, innovation, and success.

Davide Ciullo: Authenticity and integrity are essential when leading any change that impacts people. This means being transparent about both opportunities and risks, avoiding sugarcoating and fostering open dialogue with a genuine willingness to respond. Therefore, the first step is to listen. Continuous listening throughout the process uncovers valuable nuances across the various internal audiences we serve. We must learn to interpret these insights and, where possible, integrate them into strategic planning, without falling into the trap of relativism, which can blur clarity and direction. Structured listening is a cornerstone of effective change management. That’s why internal communication plays such a pivotal role, not only as the function typically responsible for listening activities, but also as the keeper of corporate culture. This dual role is what ensures that change takes root and is embraced rather than resisted within the organization.