"Change" has always been upon us…

 “Change Is The Only Constant” - “‘Parivartan Hi Sansaar Ka Niyam Hai” .   

We have heard these phrases over and over again, and yet when change arrives, we seem unable to accept and are oftentimes unprepared to respond adequately.  This happens both at the individual level and in organisations we are part of. We find that are caught “off – guard”.   But should it really come as a surprise?  Are we not set up to self-detect early signals  in ourselves and in the socio-economic systems we are part of ?  Are we just not listening?  Because  more often then not, it is highly likely,  that cracks we see now preexisted the latest crisis. We just ignored warnings and castigated "whistleblowers".   

When we finally acknowledge  the “need” for change. The battle is only half-won. What has to follow is a process of driving that change by convincing, collaborating and maintaining steady momentum to emerge on the other side.

This is not easy. Many of you may have experienced this in your organizations – in small and large teams.  It doesn’t help that neuroscience tells that the no two brains are alike and that people see the world as they are, not how it is ! 

So as one of the greatest crisis of our times is now upon us – how will we all respond?  Could it be that the place to begin is where the fault lines already existed: in our homes, in our communities and,  in our organisations?   Our 19th book, is John Kotter’s, “Our Iceberg Is Melting",  a simple story about a penguin colony that teaches us about complex challenge of both acknowledging the need for change and driving it. For anyone seeking to lead change, big or small,  in these times, this is a great read: https://www.kotterinc.com/work-with-us/

When we used this book for a reflection exercise, here is what our participants said (we have their permission to quote) :

Change management is about people management

“ In “Our Iceberg is Melting”, John Kotter discusses the theory of change management as it applies to business, or more broadly, life. The larger point the book tries to make is that humans are creatures of ‘feeling’ not ‘logic’. Addressing these individual psychological blocks is critical to ensure buy-in while facilitating any major change. Kotter rests this approach on three pillars:

1.     Communication - Paint the vision, make them see what you see by using stories and examples they can relate to, to help make the situation more real to the audience. You need to express conviction and confidence in your vision, elevate the conversation to a plane where people feel connected to the larger values that are driving the need for change versus the tactical outcomes that change would bring.

2.     Team effort: Within the decision-making / management layer, lay the groundwork for effective collaboration upfront by encouraging informal activities that lets people ease into working together and understanding each other’s work styles. While working together, it’s important that each member is perceptive and aware of what the others might not explicitly express.

3.     Short term wins - Momentum is key to motivation. When people see evidence of progress and rewards in the near term, it is easier for them to keep investing in the program. Award individual contributions and empower each individual to ensure he performs to his maximum potential.

To conclude, constant change is necessary for any organisation to thrive and managing this shift effectively is really contingent on handling the people involved more than the processes.” 

May you  all lead with courage and conviction.. 

Vinati @The Script