Change wisdom

Me pretending to podcast. But also, this is what it looks like.

Change wisdom (from Change Signal)

My new podcast, Change Signal, launched in February. I feel like I’ve been wading out into the murky waters of change, going out slightly beyond my depth, and sensing new currents I hadn’t known before.

It’s been delightful.

This is an adapted article from my Change Signal newsletter. (I know there’s some overlap between people who read both, but not much, and these insights are too good and too universal not to share.)

Five key questions about change — organizational and also personal — from five different, brilliant guests. Here we go.

(And yes, if you touch change and transformation in your work, I hope you’ll consider signing up for the pod and/or the newsletter. I’d be glad to have you there.)

1. Creation or change: What’s your language? (David Lancefield)

Language really matters. When I started this work in organizations, it was all “change management,” and since then it’s moved on to “change,” flirted with “transformation,” doubled down on “digital transformation,” and seems to have come back to “change.” Or maybe not. Maybe now it’s just “everything.”

For individual change, there’s something similar. “Behaviour change,” “habit-stacking,” “transformation,” “becoming a butterfly” (????). So many words, all similar and all different.

So what do you call this thing we do? When we say “change” or “transformation,” it’s useful to know we might just be triggering resistance from everyone we hope will be on our side.

David tells us:

“I tend to use more words that focus on creation rather than change. If you talk about ‘How do we create something? How do we make something which will involve change?’ I think it triggers different emotions.”

2. What’s the dragon protecting? (Dr. Liane Davey)

I remember one time when we sweepingly labelled all the managers as “the frozen middle,” that great slab of people who were going to be against our ambitious change plans.

It might be true, as Bobby Kennedy (not the ‘health’ one) said, that “25% of people are against everything all the time.” But it’s more the way we respond to them. Not up for my change? Well, it’s obvious You vs. Me.

But what if they were champions for something that mattered? What if they were, in fact, reminding us of something precious? Here’s Liane’s memorable metaphor:

“If the dragon is breathing fire, it’s because they’re protecting treasure.”

You might tap into and notice your own resistance when it comes to facing change. Where do you cross your arms, get in your own way, get sulky, and breathe a little fire?

What might you be protecting?

3. What if you added “vibe” to your metrics? (Dr Jason Fox)

Deciding what to measure as part of the change project is always a slippery task. Some things are too small, some too big, some trailing, some leading … sometimes it can feel like you’re trying to track the entire world, other times you’re groping forward in the dark. And even when you find something to hang on to, I was always reminded that what can be measured can be manipulated.

When I’ve tried to track progress on individual change, I’ve often found myself measuring stuff that either I don’t care about, or I care about only because it’s easy to tick the box. (“I’m on a streak of doing stuff that’s not the most important stuff. A streak!)

It’s clear that Jason’s a philosopher and a provocateur in his episode, willing to poke at the standard ways of doing things. He knows full well that things need to be measured, but suggested an alternative or perhaps an addition. Here’s how Jason puts it:

“Vibe is a beautiful word that articulates complex nonlinear emergent dynamics that are, if you were trying to put your finger on anything specific, too weak or too imprecise.”

4. Where are your best leverage points? (Dan Heath)

One of my bosses had a screensaver: “When you chase two rabbits, you catch neither.” I’ve found that out through a thousand other metaphors. Rolling too many peanuts forward. Throwing too much spaghetti at the wall. Hoping that a flurry of activity will make up for not knowing what the real challenge was.

Dan Heath’s got a long history of making complicated ideas feel doable, and his latest book on change is no different. He resets the idea of the theory of constraints in a practical way. Here’s how he puts it:

“When we’re trying to change systems, find a leverage point within the system, a place where a little bit of investment yields a disproportionate return.”

This is hard work to do at the best of times, especially when you’re trying to figure out your own change process.. Tim Ferriss talks about finding “the first domino,” meaning what’s the one thing you can do that will have the most impact on other related things downstream. Leverage, in other words.

5. What euphemisms are disguising your intentions? (Margaret Heffernan)

Who hasn’t listened to a leader’s speech and wondered, just what are they actually talking about? Change projects often bring out the metaphor, the euphemism, and the jazz hands. “Don’t worry about the details, it’s going to be fine. Onwards!” Margaret is a straight-shooter and has no time for that. It’s nothing against metaphor, it’s the patronizing infantilization she objects to. She’s appropriately blunt about explaining her point

“If you’re doing a cost-cutting program. Call it that. Let’s not pussyfoot around. You fool nobody, and you just make people incredibly cynical.”

The woo-woo nature of coaching, sometimes, has driven me nuts for years. Euphemisms drive me crazy. Metaphors I love. And the closer you can get to naming the thing in plain language, the better.

Which one strikes a chord for you?

Each of these insights shines a light on a different part of the change process. Some are about big-picture things, others are about the details. They all matter.

Which one felt most helpful for you today?

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