Where the Action Is

A recruiter was once interviewing me over the phone about my background and capabilities in transformational culture change.

For some reason (maybe it's my destiny, or my reason for being), in my long career, I have often been "where the action is" for an Organization Development practitioner: that is, "in the eye of the storm" of Change.

Mergers. Acquisitions. Takeovers. Re-organizations. Turnarounds. Downsizings. And yes "Culture Changes" too.

I have been there and done that.

You may ask, What have I learned? Here are a few lessons from the front-lines of change.

Change can be rough - Even when it's the sexy stuff, like leadership development, employee engagement, and culture change, change can be rough. Change always generates stress because it destabilizes things and creates uncertainty. You've got to become a sherpa so that you are skilled at navigating difficult terrain.

It's a journey - Change, such as the sort we are looking at in this post, takes time. It's a journey as William Bridges taught us. And the change part is relatively easy. It's the transition that's harder. All change begins with an ending. And the Letting Go phase may be the toughest. It can feel as traumatic as a death for some people some of the time.

Stay focused - Things can really start to swirl when you are in the midst of change. Like a typhoon. So to keep your head on, and your wits about you, you must stay focused. Focus can come from many sources. I've found it helpful to stay focused on the W's: Why are we changing? Where are we headed? What will we get when we arrive? A good set of questions gives you the map and compass you need to find your way.

Take care - As an OD professional, your Number One tool is yourself. So you have to stay sharp. Big change projects that go on for long periods of time can grind you down. So you must stay in good shape, physically yes, but also mentally and emotionally. Consider taking up Tai Chi Chih for instance as a way to maintain your balance your resilience, your serenity...and your sanity.

Stay open - Additionally, you have to proceed through change "with your eyes wide open" so that you can see what is going on...and what may be coming at you. To that end, you have to keep your lines of communication open with the key people that you are engaging with.

Keep learning - Along the way in a change project, all kinds of you-know-what can happen. Setbacks. Shifts in direction. And fiascoes. The key thing when it comes to mistakes and failures in change projects is to learn! Continuous learning. Honest and open discussions around questions like "What happened? Why? What can we learn?" are critical.

I've often said that the most important credential for anyone in the Change Agent business is first-hand personal experience with it. Like being downsized and losing your job. There is no better way to learn about transition and transformation.

About the author: Terrence "Terry" Seamon helps guide his clients through change. He is the author of Change for the Better, a short guide for change agents and change leaders.