Planned Change

In this weeks readings we discussed planned change and the concepts embodied in making change occur according to plan. Yet I wonder, how much change is truly planned? There appears to be on every level an unintended and unexpected side affect to planned change, some call it opportunity, while others call it poor planning. Example: the growth of the Internet has allowed the explosion of social networking and enhance the ability of persons to stay in contact over distance, simultaneously it has created an explosion in the pornography industry. The aforementioned example, was it an intended side affect or an unforeseen, unintended happenstance? No matter which is the case it underscores the need for proper and upfront analysis of the intended and unintended changes that may result from your plan.
Ely underscores a point I think is often overlooked and that is the concept of time as a resource which needs to be utilized. Time is key not only for understanding but for practice. Franklin Covey points out it takes 21 days for someone to change a habit. They also remind you that the habit has been changed and not eliminated and can be reintroduced if you do not maintain certain factor, e.g. incentive and time to practice.
I have a corporate background and all too often I have seen the poor introduction and implementation of plans from the top down. Site managers did not believe in the change and thus could not sell it to unit managers, whom consequently failed to sell it to line/production workers. There is a distinction to be made here, I don't have to believe that the idea is going to work as planned, but I do have to believe its intent is to have a positive impact.
The other major strategy detailed in his weeks readings was communication. We often take for granted that what we are talking about is understood as we intent simply by what we said. This is so often not the case, people will not ask additional question out of fear or embarrassment or there understanding of the word we used is different than ours.
What is clear to me is that again behavior, personal factors and environment intersect on multiple levels to impede and enhance the process of change.