How might change ...change

For change leaders in organisations it’s a curious time, looking at the pace and scale of change in the world.

All of those times change leaders struggled to get changes approved, adopted or implemented as they were met with objections and resistance, denial or disagreement.

Now look at what we humans can do. There is evidence now, a kind of precedent that vast change can be made. And swiftly. Resources can be deployed, people can be coordinated and focus can be shifted to new ways of doing things.

Ok yes, some things are required via compliance or directives, but there is still much to see here. There are people to observe, new processes being implemented, new ways of doing things that were ‘too hard to’ previously. Look out for the adjustment, adaptation and the willingness to let go of perfect. There is collaboration and consensus in times when it’s needed ... and it’s happening swiftly.

If we can change like this, how then might change ... change?

How will change be led in the future? Now we’ve been stretched, will we be more willing to change ... or less? Do you lead change: How might change ... change?

Participants and observers

As well as being participants in times of change, we can also be observers. We can watch what is happening, spot trends, notice change and join the dots of these observations and experiences. 

There is hindsight (working out what happened) and there is foresight (suggesting what might happen in the future). 

We can also be more tuned in to the now. This is the place of insight. 

It’s where and when insights come to us. We can take notice of these cues or let them fly by, remaining oblivious to them. 

Observing and interpreting insights is a vital part of adapting to uncertain and changing times. It’s a part of the capability that is Sensemaking. 

How do we do this observation and Sensemaking thing better? 

-Listen 

-Write things down 

-Reflect and review at the end of a conversation or meeting 

-Review your notes again later on 

-Sleep on it 

-Notice what you think the next day. 

Your brain will have done some incredible sorting, decluttering and rearranging overnight. And that is some of the best Sensemaking we can be doing... without even knowing it! 

Listen, notes, review, sleep on it, response. It can help us make sense of the strangest things. 

We're doing what we thought we couldn't do

“We’re doing what we thought we couldn’t do” - said a frontline worker in an agency I was speaking with last week.

 When new - and different - ways of doing things are forced on us, we have to find ways to make it work. We are responding and solving, getting around obstacles and finding our way through and over things.

Our ingenuity and adaptability is high. Yes, we are doing what we thought we couldn’t do. In some instances, we are now doing what people were trying to have us do years ago. We are doing what people had proposed, requested, asked for and suggested ... many times in the past.

It’s happening in finance, in retail, in medical and health care, in education and training, in human resources, with boards and governance and in industries and sectors all over the world. We are doing many things we thought we could not do.

Let this encourage you to keep finding the things we are currently saying can’t be done... that we know can be. 

What's going on and what do we need to do about it?

These 'two questions in one' can provide us with great focus and purposeful direction. 

They are a better agenda item than the general ‘update’ or ‘status report’. 

And they are questions that get the team gathering insights and learnings about what is actually happening... and then ...identifying, committing to and implementing actions directly related to the insights. 

They are questions that help us move from fear to action. 

And they are questions that are a part of sensemaking and decision making in times of great change and uncertainty. 

Rather than being paralyzed by fear, distracted or drawn down into endless details, or buried in a sand hill of denials, lift up.

Elevate yourself above all of the noise, activity and chaos and ask 
🌕 what's going on?
and 
🌕 what do we need to do about it? 

Whether you’re the leader of a team, the leader of a family, a partner in a relationship, part of a family, community, neighborhood, company or organisation ... take responsibility and accountability to find out what’s going on and then to commit to doing what you can about it. 

This is sensemaking

This is sensemaking. We are 'in it'. Trying to make sense of so many things. 

As we begin to know something ... we 'find out'. Almost like a maze. 

And we think 'that’s it'. 

Then things change. New information comes to hand. 
New information, insights and understanding. 

Because we have more information and experience with that information, we can look back over data, dates and details to connect more dots and make more sense. 

And then we can act again based on what we now know. 

So we're right in it. 
It’s wild, wicked and changing rapidly. 

Keep on making sense as things come to light no matter where you are or what you're doing.  

We are all uncovering, discovering, learning. 

It's this very human activity of trying to 'make sense' of it all.