Looking back at my first rush into change management – my almost accidental fall into this complex world, I now see it as the central moment that started shaping my current understanding. Every failure I did has now become a valuable lesson, one that I am grateful for. I used to think that meaningful change can be implemented through sheer will and a forceful effort to transform how the organization operates for the better.
But over time, I’ve learned the opposite – meaningful change is about the art of invitation. And empathy is the driver. Successful change isn’t just about introducing the new, its about getting others to embrace it.
Today, I stand at new crossroads, leading a completely different change initiative that not only introduces new processes, but aims at reshaping parts of the culture inside the organization.
A view on my first experience Change does not equal war. Pt 1.
The Eightfold Path to Change Management. A new challenge.
The challenge before me now is ambitious: managing communication and collaboration gaps in a rapidly scaling organization. The options are endless, and the paths I can take are many. Whatever the solution may be, it’s center focus should revolve around transparency, collaboration and timely communication.
Scaling too fast and too big can introduce risks, such as scraping out processes and best practices just to “get there”. It’s not unexpected if at some point gaps emerge along the way. These gaps can lead to fragmentation, with teams operating in silos, struggling to align with the organizations strategic goals and to understand how it all fits together.
My task is to enable a culture where information flows freely in a transparent manner, making every team member feel connected to the larger mission, through changing internal SOPs. I am seeking to achieve this with the right understanding (why), the right approach (how), and the right actions (what).
Cultivating change through collaboration. A new approach.
Guided by the Buddhist principle of Karuna, which encourages kindness, understanding of others and supporting those in distress, I approached my Discovery phase. I was committed to understanding the team dynamics, the pains, the gains, everything. I aimed to identify and document the gaps, gathering insights into how they directly or indirectly affected a wider group of teams. This became the foundation, the base of building a clear vision of the bigger picture and what needed to change.
After identifying the needs, I started working on complex solution, that I believed was the best fit for the current situation, I began seeking out early adopters willing to try the solutions and provide feedback.
This approach was a combination of the Knoster-Lipper Model, focusing on early adopters, and a Plan-Do-Check-Act framework.
And here’s where it got interesting. First, I ensured all the components were there. Check! Next, I found a group of early adopters. Check! Then, I utilised the PDCA framework to introduce the change.
Here’s more about the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach:
And despite all the efforts, I faced resistance.
Started going back to my complex, but yet simple plan, searching for what went wrong.
The solution was great, the vision was there, the consensus was there, the skills definitely there – so what’s missing? The incentives.
Recognizing this, I took a step back, rethought my approach. It all became clear, that the organization was actually searching for simple, easy to implement solutions, rather than the complex ones. I realized the solution needed to be as lean as possible. And the timing was so right, since another initiative has emerged, I was able to come up with a lean approach solving two problems now.
The magic started to happen. Since then, I was able to further refine the solution, providing the organization with an efficient, scalable, and lean approach that serves both the business needs and its people.
Reflection on the nature of change and the journey to success
Change is like a river that you cannot force to flow in a certain direction.
Even in implementing change, one needs to stay agile and adapt/change the approach accordingly. Its a journey that requires strategic thinking but also a deep understanding of human nature and behavior incentives inside the organization. It’s a journey of enablement. And that journey begins with the initial assessment – company needs, human factors, fears, desires, challenges.
The failures I had in the past, the resistance and sabotage I faced have thought me valuable lessons of how to effectively navigate change.
Today, I am able to recognize and address the human factors while creating a shared vision that can resonate with everyone, building trust and security, while being aligned with the strategic business goals and values. Change management is a continuous learning piece. The path of change is filled with challenges, with each new initiative offering valuable learnings, helping us refine our approach.
The more I am into this, the clearer it becomes, the more I understand that successful change is not about implementing the new, or reaching the destination. It’s about elevating the value of people and reshaping the way they see themselves and their roles within the organization.