Edition 27: The Beautiful Game of Change From Kick-off to Trophy Lift

Change is the ultimate match we all play in the grand stadium of life. Like football, this game unfolds in three thrilling periods: the Kick-off of Realisation, the Nail-biting Reformation, and the Victory Lap of Rehabilitation. Let's dive into this 90-minute spectacle of transformation, drawing inspiration from the beautiful game and its legendary figures.

First Half: The Kick-off of Realisation (0-45 minutes)

As the whistle blows and the match begins, we enter the crucial Realisation phase. This isn't merely a fleeting moment, but a sustained awakening that sets the tone for the entire match.

Consider the transformation of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. The realization that change was necessary didn't come in a single moment but through a series of sobering defeats and near-misses in the early years of his tenure. Ferguson's growing awareness that the club's drinking culture and lack of professionalism were holding the team back was a gradual process, culminating in his decision to overhaul the entire club structure.

Similarly, Leicester City's miraculous Premier League victory in 2016 was born from a collective realization. The team, the manager Claudio Ranieri, and even the fans gradually became aware that they could do much more than survive in the top flight. This dawning realization, built over months of surprisingly good performances, fuelled their belief and drove them toward an unprecedented championship.

In the broader context of organizational change, this phase aligns with the "Unfreeze" stage of Kurt Lewin's Change Management Model. It's a period of dismantling old assumptions, like how a struggling team must first acknowledge its weaknesses before improving.

Half-Time Team Talk: Reformation (45-60 minutes)

The real work of change begins as the players gather in the dressing room, sweaty and tired. This is the Reformation stage, where tactics are overhauled, substitutions are made, and the game plan is rewritten.

Take Pep Guardiola's arrival at Manchester City. His reformation involved not just changing the team's playing style, but overhauling the entire club culture. Guardiola's tiki-taka philosophy and commitment to total football transformed City into a dominant force from the first team to the youth academy.

This stage mirrors several steps in John Kotter's 8-Step Process for Leading Change. Like a manager rallying his troops, Kotter emphasizes building a guiding coalition and generating short-term wins to maintain momentum.

Second Half: The Victory Lap of Rehabilitation (60-90 minutes)

As the players return to the pitch, the challenge shifts to maintaining the new approach and seeing it through to the final whistle. This is the Rehabilitation phase, where change becomes the new normal.

Look at Liverpool's journey under Jürgen Klopp. After implementing his high-energy "gegenpressing" style, the real victory was embedding this approach into the club's DNA. From "doubters to believers," as Klopp famously said, Liverpool's rehabilitation culminated in their first league title in 30 years.

This stage echoes the "Refreeze" phase of Lewin's model, or the "Reinforcement" component of the ADKAR framework. It's about making the new tactics second nature, just as a well-drilled team executes its game plan without thinking.

Final Whistle: The Lasting Impact of Change

As the referee blows the final whistle, we're reminded that the game of change, like football, is a tale of interconnected moments that form a greater narrative. Each phase - Realisation, Reformation, and Rehabilitation - plays a pivotal role in the overall transformation.

Realization is the foundation, when players and managers recognize the need for change and the potential for greatness. This crucial awakening is necessary for meaningful change to occur.

Reformation is where the hard graft happens, the tactical adjustments and training ground breakthroughs that reshape the team's approach to the game.

Rehabilitation is the phase where change becomes second nature, as ingrained in the club's culture as the color of their home kit.

So, the next time you face the daunting prospect of change, remember this football analogy. You're not just a spectator in this game; you're the star player, the master tactician, and the passionate supporter all rolled into one. Embrace the realization, commit to the reformation, and see through the rehabilitation.

In the words of the legendary Bill Shankly, "The socialism I believe in is everybody working for the same goal and having a share in the rewards. That's how I see football; that's how I see life." And that, in essence, is the beautiful game of change - a collective effort towards a shared vision of a better future.

Cheers

Kashif