Learning to waltz with multiple partners: a Goffmanesque approach to interaction work in change meetings

As often observed, the literature on change management is frequently formulaic and prescriptive in character. Despite increasing recognition being given to the uncertain, complex and emergent nature of change and its management, what those formally involved in change management 'actually do' is far less often explored. This paper will contribute to an improved understanding of how change management work is done. We characterise meetings as change rituals and employ a Goffinanesque interaction work approach to allow us to explore the complexities of this particular field of innovation practice - participative multi-hierarchy cross-functional change meetings. The paper provides a basic outline of this approach and illustrates it with selected vignettes from meetings observed in an eighteen month ethnographic study of a multi-hierarchy Working Party assigned to redesign work and model cultural change in an Australian steelmaking plant.