Leading people and communities through change : the case for unlearning

Organisations impact the community in which they operate, and vice versa. This particularly is the case for regionally-based organisations. When significant organisational changes are being designed and implemented, it thus may be crucial to consider the likely impact on the community. In many cases, the individuals involved - and sometimes entire communities - are being confronted with changes that question long-held beliefs and basic assumptions. In this situation, simply encouraging a "new way of doing things" may be insufficient, and the more recently recognised issue of unlearning becomes particularly relevant. This article utilises as an example two regionally-based organisations located in the same town, considers the impact of change at the individual, organisational and community level, and advocates the need for unlearning.