The manager of lowly Pipelag Town Football Club faced the media at a press conference to unveil the club's new signing. Using his contacts within the game, the manager had secured the services of the great Argentinian striker, Tino Fray-Bentos, an acquisition way beyond the stature of the club. As cameras flashed and microphones were switched on, hordes of ecstatic fans gathered outside, chanting the name of their new hero while waving flags and scarves in celebration. To quote the manager, it was 'a great day for everyone associated with Pipelag Town'. But this was not entirely true.

There were some at the club who were far from happy with the new signing. The existing strikers saw the new arrival as a threat to their positions. The current first choice striker would be relegated to the subs' bench and those strikers further down the pecking order would have even less of a chance to work their way into the first team. The disgruntled players called an emergency meeting with the manager to clarify the situation. This meeting called upon all of the manager's skills in managing change, a tricky but very important part of the make-up of a good manager.

Even when, as in the example above, change is clearly for the better, there can still be those opposed to it. To highlight some of the problems you might encounter in managing change, and to keep the football theme going, here is a mnemonic I made up of five key points in managing change, SCORE, which stands for:

Sell
Clarify
Own up
Reassure
Evaluate

Sell the idea
In the example above the manager could point out that his new signing would boost attendances, which would bring in more in gate receipts. The new striker's high-profile would also increase media interest in the club, which would hopefully lead to more lucrative sponsorship deals. It is very important that everyone involved is aware of the benefits the change will bring.

Clarify
The manager explains that the club has been flirting with relegation for several seasons now and running at a loss. The new signing was the first step on the ladder that would, hopefully, take them clear of the relegation dogfight and into the right end of the table, with promotion being a realistic goal. Explaining that there is a genuine need for the new signing will go a long way in appeasing those who are opposed to it.

Own up
Of course the manager has to deal with the concerns of those other strikers, who are demanding to know what the future holds for them. The manager can gain nothing by sweeping any unpleasant news under the carpet, and part of his job is to relay such news in a professional manner. It is always best to be open and truthful about the effects the changes will have on others within the organisation. Telling white lies or neglecting to mention crucial facts will only result in discovery further down the line. This would lead to mistrust, which would be disastrous for the relationship between the manager and his charges. To keep the football parlance going, the manager would have 'lost the dressing-room', and that is usually the first step towards the removal of the manager.

Reassure
It is inevitable that change will have undesired consequences for some people. Reassurance should be given to those affected that everything will be done to make the change as painless as is possible. In the above scenario the manager would inform those strikers who are staying that they still have a part to play in the advancement of the club, while those who are leaving would be helped in their search for new clubs. This eases the concerns of those who stay and those who leave do so without bitterness.

Evaluate
When the changes are in place it is important to monitor their effect. Returning to the football scenario above, the manager would be noting the impact the new acquisition has had in areas such as team performance, attendances, league position, team morale and media interest. Regular evaluation of the situation will keep the manager up to date as to the progress or otherwise of the club since the arrival of their star player. This evaluation would either justify the acquisition of the new star, or he will be exposed as a 'pudding'.

All of this goes to show that even when change is clearly for the better, not everyone will be happy with the new situation. It is a part of a manager's job to be able to deal with those who show concerns in a professional and sympathetic manner.