Change is inevitable. It happens with us or without us. We can drift on the current going where it leads us and accept that we are where the current took us. We can accept the random hand that life has dealt us.
For some that is ok. They expect no more from life. They would say it is what it is. For some of us, it is an opportunity to lead Dynamic Change. We may put up a sail and travel against the current or find some uncharted passage. While we might never control the flow maybe we can influence where it takes us and what the outcome may be.
Dynamic Change comes when the right group of people shares an understanding of what is to be accomplished, know who they are as a team, and come together to engage in innovation and possibility thinking. There is a need for a shared understanding of what the team’s strengths are and where each member can take the team. It is important to agree where the team is now and how it got there. What can this team contribute that will make change and how does it plot a course that will bring it to Dynamic Change.
To Lead Dynamic Change you must start with:
What area is it critical to make change,
What constitutes Dynamic Change,
How will it both impact and benefit the store, the company, and the team members,
What processes that we do now can keep and why, and
What we should not keep.
This gives us a Tabula Rasa where the mind is in its empty or blank state. This gives us a blank canvas to build upon. The Leader needs to lead the team in open engagement and engaged listening. The Leader needs to also guide the boat through the current and inspire the team to be innovative, courageous and even outrageous. Often the best ideas come from those that may have the lesser knowledge about what we do.
Point of View:
To Lead Dynamic Change you should lead the leaders; teach them to be the voice of change. Create an environment of engaged listening that will inspire them and give them the courage to express their ideas. Ask them to imagine what ifs and the wonders of possibilities. Lead your team to a place where what you can imagine can be put into something that creates change. Most of all speak to the leader within all the team members.
Leading Dynamic Change can take your team from the mundane to being inspired leaders that are creators, builders, and dragon slayers.
Thank you Larry! Change is truly the only constant. You talk about engaged listening which I love. Why? I talk about Engaged communication rather than Effective in my book and in some of my speeches. I believe there is a difference because of the importance of listening which as we know is 40 percent of the communication family.
Thank you. Great add on. Have to get your book
Thank you Larry! I would be honored!
Change requires leadership marked by courage and patience, continually inspired by models of excellence, ready to turn problems into opportunities and anxieties into propulsion engines. Change Management is the expression of a basic attitude aimed at accepting the challenge of complexity with the resources of creativity and passion: the future belongs to those who can imagine it.
Thank you Aldo always grateful for your valued insight
Every time I think of change, I think of the first step, changing the paradigm. When I think of changing the paradigm, I think of downloading massive amounts of data into someone’s brain. I can’t help but think of Johnny Mnemonic — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Mnemonic_(film)
He definitely change the genre of music
I worked with many who feel that they are change leaders. But when you look at what they have changed, nothing really has changed. Language changed, but the process and culture didn’t — not one bit.
And this gets people frustration when they hear someone is a change leader. Even if that person was that leader, people still remember the snake oil salespeople that gave them that raw deal.
I think the most important thing for a change leader to do is change the mindset and make that change permanent; to make the change “epic”.
I think the hardest part for me is we made dynamic change. So now we have to sustain change. And be ever-changing. That’s what we’re working on as a team now what is the next step. Step one worked and was extremely successful but for change to be change it always has to be moving creating and for lack of a better word always changing. Let you know what’s next for us and how we sustain Dynamic change as a process
Our firm focuses on change from the view points of
– customers
– culture
– process
– data
Through these views we provide restructuring, modernization, and data driven business management.
Thank you Chris. Great points those for encompass a lot
I have never heard of “Tabula Rasa where the mind is in its empty or blank state”. I have heard of being void of conscious thought. Now I know there’s a name for it. You’ve made all good points but one that stands out to me is the word ‘understand’. We can know a lot of things but until we understand the present context and historical past, we can’t create a better future – which, of course, requires dynamic change.
Many years ago I was in a bank called Tabula Rasa . That is where I first hear of it. Think about it. Having a clean slate and an empty mind. You start from now. It is useful in meetings as a place to start.. I always ask that we clear our minds and be open to the new. I have to be the first to admit that I love my old dirt road memories.
That would be in a band called Tabula Rasa, getting late in the day.
Hahahaha that cracked me up. I can envision a bank named Tabula Rasa. It looks pretty cool in my imagination.
I guess that means it would be a blank check
LOL I could fill my mind with LOTS of opportunities with that!
Great information Larry and thank you for providing this list 🙂 In further support, I wanted to add the importance of ensuring our team is ‘on board’, committed, and understands. This can easily be accomplished through active communication, acute listening, and motivating them by reminding them of the benefits of the change process/results~
Thank you Dr. Jennifer. I am grateful for your feedback. I like acute listening. Listening and asking question is a great place to start. Thank you again for taking the time to read and respond.