OCTAPACE and Change Management in Project Leadership

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My journey into the field of Organisational Development began in 1993, after my initial experience with ISABs during a T-group session. Subsequently, in 1994, I underwent AHRD and OD facilitator certification under the guidance, Dr. Udai Pareek and Dr. T.V. Rao. Ever since then, I have integrated the teachings of both these influential figures into my work as an educator and change management practitioner. Furthermore, I had the privilege of collaborating with Dr. Pareek on the conceptualization of the Udai Pareek HR Lab in 2004. I have always been an admirer of Dr. Pareek's OCTAPACE model and have strived to incorporate it into my change management endeavors.

I have come to realize that canned programs, which follow a one-size-fits-all approach, employed by renowned consultants, do not guarantee success in every context. Instead, one must possess adaptability and agility while effectively navigating the political landscape. Simultaneously, it is crucial to bring the right talent to the right place at the right time to achieve success in any change management endeavor. Adopting a strategy of managing through and promoting manageable but incompetent individuals may provide a sense of control for the board. However, such a strategy, rather than building credibility, tends to drive away talented and capable individuals. It is important to recognize that different situations require different skill sets, and it is not appropriate to place an unqualified individual in a position where they are expected to perform at the same level as highly skilled professionals.

As mentioned, being agile in project change management involves breaking down the work into manageable steps while retaining the necessary capabilities and strengths. Agility should not be confused with "Jugaad," an Indian term that refers to managing affairs by relying on the work of others without contributing much to oneself. In cricket terminology, we refer to such individuals as "bits and pieces players" who can perform multiple roles to some extent but lack specialization.

Agile management is not about seeking quick and easy solutions while working with limited capabilities. It is about creating excellence by hiring the right people for the right positions at the right time while pursuing a mission-oriented approach with a clear strategy for the next three years. Acting on intuition and agility can yield positive results when the appropriate capabilities are in place. However, this process should not neglect the development of a culture of productive excellence. By promoting incompetence, a culture of negativity and unhealthy competition is fostered, where individuals become engrossed in firefighting mode and compete against each other. Consequently, product delivery suffers in terms of quality. In such an environment, even capable individuals can become incompetent or detractors as they begin to question the flawed processes. Ultimately, they are the ones who suffer the most.

#### The Importance of Adaptability and Agile Change Management

In the fast-paced world of business, it has become clear that canned programs and a one-size-fits-all approach to change management are not always successful. Premier consultants often adopt such strategies, but they may not work in every situation. To succeed in change management efforts, one must be adaptable, agile, and able to navigate the political environment effectively. It is essential to bring the right talent to the right place at the right time. However, it is important to note that managing through and promoting manageable but incompetent people may give the illusion of control to the board. Nonetheless, this strategy can have negative consequences, as it drives away good and capable individuals rather than building credibility.

#### The Importance of Hiring the Right People

It is crucial to understand that you cannot put a donkey in a horse race. Each task requires the right skills and capabilities. Being agile in project change management means dividing the work into short-term manageable steps while retaining all the necessary capabilities and strengths. This agile approach is not about finding low-hanging fruits or managing with limited capability. It is about creating excellence by hiring the right people for the right place at the right time. This approach requires a mission-oriented mindset with a clear strategy for the next three years. Working with intuition and agility will bear fruit when you have the right capability in place. By promoting incompetence, you create a culture of negativity and unhealthy competition, where people get caught up in a fire-fighting mode and compete with each other. This, in turn, leads to a decline in product delivery quality. It is essential to avoid this environment as it can turn even capable individuals into incompetents or detractors, as they begin to question the process and suffer the most.

#### OCTAPACE and Change Management in Project Leadership

To effectively manage change in project leadership, it is important to adopt the basic tenets of Organizational Development (OD) theory, known as OCTAPACE. OCTAPACE stands for:

- O: Openness

- C: Confrontation

- T: Trust

- A: Autonomy

- P: Proactiveness

- A: Authenticity

- C: Collaboration

- E: Experimentation

By embracing a culture of openness and collaboration, empowering proactive individuals, and trusting them with autonomy to experiment, change management efforts can be more successful. Large-scale change management endeavors in India often begin with great fanfare but may only benefit a few, rather than meeting the specific goals of bringing about large-scale change.

#### The Power of Self-Awareness in Change Leadership

Dr. Seashore once said, "Perhaps the most powerful instrument we have in helping our clients navigate change is ourselves. Our ability to use ourselves potently relies in large part on the level of awareness we have about the impact we make, and our ability to make choices to direct and modify that impact." As you mentioned, the change must begin with ourselves. As change leaders, we must first navigate change within ourselves before guiding our team members and ultimately other stakeholders. By being self-aware and making conscious choices, we can effectively lead change and have a positive impact on those around us.