In today’s budget-conscious environment, the call to “control costs” often leads to the refrain, “Now is not the time to spend.” While this sounds prudent, it’s not always the full picture. Pausing or delaying organizational change to save money can come with hidden costs that outweigh short-term savings. To make informed decisions, we must weigh […]
Paying to Park: The True Costs of Delaying Change Read More »
Every day brings fresh challenges and navigating them can feel daunting. For lessons on driving change, we can look back to childhood days on the playground, specifically the overhead ladder. Perched high above the ground, this playground feature challenges kids to reach forward, swing with strength, and let go to grasp the next rung. It’s
Hidden Change Lessons from an Unexpected Place: Reach, Release, Repeat Read More »
Have global markets’ wild swings left you dizzy this week? Or perhaps relentless waves of change, crashing faster and larger than ever, have unsettled you for weeks or months. You’re not just disoriented; you’re grappling with change sickness, a unique kind of motion sickness. Change sickness strikes when your expectations of stability clash with the
Become Immune to “Change Sickness” Read More »
In Management by Motivation (1968), Saul Gellerman highlighted a gap in the effective use of personnel that echoes our Quote of the Week by Jay Forester. Where Forester put the effective use of personnel at only 10%, Gellerman qualitatively describes the opportunity to get much more and better results from personnel, calling it a “reservoir
The Energy You’ve Failed to Reach Read More »
If a company’s competitive situation worsens or technological changes require new products and new processes, the organization may need the help of its own employees. Unfortunately, if it has trained them to be indifferent and apathetic, it is unlikely to be able to elicit their cooperation. Even if the employees have information that would be
Why Common Sense Is Not Common Practice Read More »
Everywhere, the Power Paradox ensnares. We assume that others are powerful, and we are weak. The truth is that others are less powerful than we think they are, and we are more powerful than we have imagined. We take these assumptions of who does and doesn’t have power for granted and never test them. We
You’re More Powerful Than You Think Read More »
10%! That’s how effective Jay Forester, the founder of system dynamics, thought organizations were at using the best of their employees. He wrote that in 1961. More than 60 years later, if you’re struggling to meet your commitments with the people, time, and resources you have now, this quote should give you hope. You don’t
10%! Jay Forester on Employee Effectiveness Read More »
The rate of change is increasing; it’s hard to keep up. Grounded in the well-known tactics for change managers and change leaders, many organizations are working tirelessly to meet the demanding pace of change. Where are people turning for insights to help them keep up with, and accelerate ahead of, the rate of change? Change
Equipping the World’s Top Change Agents Read More »
These days crowds gather near ocean shores to watch Space X launch rockets. On January 17, 1955, the crowds were on the banks of the Thames River in Connecticut watching Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson and the crew of USS Nautilus (SSN 571) depart for her first test voyage, powered by a technology unknown less than
Celebrating USS Nautilus (SSN 571) and 70 years of competitive advantage Read More »
Responsibility is a unique concept… You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you… If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the
