Change is a journey. It is multi-dimensional. Following the uncertainty principle, it seeds its own story of successes and failures. Many have written on the topic of change and change management. Perhaps, Franklin Covey summarizes the best.

Knowledge is the theoretical paradigm, the what to do and why. Skill is the how to do. And desire is the motivation, the want to do. In order to make something a habit in our lives, we have to have all three.

– Stephen Covey; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

At the end of the day, our energy flows to where our attention goes. If you are a manager tasked with improving teamwork between silos, ensuring the decision-making process incorporated all the right individuals from different groups maybe more important than the decision itself. If you are implementing new processes, providing training and tools are great, but not enough without the proper incentives to ensure people are utilizing it. 

Change Cycle

The change cycle starts with awareness. Whether you are using the ready-aim-fire or ready-fire-aim method, change is a process of trial & error coupled with reflection, which drives needed course corrections. Just like a treasure map, the change process guides its followers through a complex network of interactions, activities and deliverables. Given that, it is crucial to define and communicate your change process, whether the desired change is cultural, procedural, organizational or any other type. This not only provides a structured methodology to what may seem like a chaotic process, but it also builds-in accountability and engagement for all.

As you are initiating and implementing your change process, you also develop your design language. Sometimes explicitly, but mostly intuitively, we pick a design language for presenting and communicating change. Our design language kit includes everything from fonts, colors, images, vocabulary, terminologies, attitudes, styles, principles and more. It redefines and establishes our new belief and value system, and sets the foundation for establishing common understanding and vision. 

Staring at a blank canvas can stir up emotions of fear, doubt and excitement. However, maintaining a forward momentum is crucial for change progress. At times like this, to maintain momentum towards the desired goal, recognizing what it is not is as important as understanding what it is. Remember, change is a journey, a marathon and not a sprint. As Yogi Berra said “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” However, keep in mind that through your learnings and reflections, you may need to course correct. And, be ready to challenge your beliefs and values, as you are building a new reality.   

Lastly, as you move through your change process, keep in mind Michael Fullan’s eight basic lessons of the new paradigm of change. They are not only great advice but valuable wisdom.  

• Lesson 1 - You can’t mandate what matters. (The more complex the change the less you can force it.) 
• Lesson 2 - Change is a journey not a blueprint. (Change is non-linear, loaded with uncertainty and excitement and sometimes perverse.) 
• Lesson 3 - Problems are our friends. (Problems are inevitable and you can’t learn without them.) 
• Lesson 4 - Vision and strategic planning come later. (Premature visions and planning blind.) 
• Lesson 5 - Individualism and collectivism must have equal power. (There are no one-sided solutions to isolation and group-think.) 
• Lesson 6 - Neither centralisation nor decentralisation works. (Both top-down and bottom-up strategies are necessary.) 
• Lesson 7 - Connection with the wider environment is critical for success. (The best organisations learn externally as well as internally.) 
• Lesson 8 - Every person is a change agent. (Change is too important to leave to the experts, personal mindset and mastery is the ultimate protection.)

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