Reinvention Part III - The
Reinvention Formula
Following on
from the Six Deadly Blindfolds, The Reinvention Formula looks closely at what
is important to factor in to change within an organisation, and to what extend
various organisational level factors influence the opportunity for growth and
development.
When this
notion was first presented to me by the authors of Reinvention: Accelerating
Results in the Age of Disruption, like with much of what they were saying,
it struck a chord and resonated with my own thinking. I may not be perfect at
embracing all that was said, but I do recognise how, over time, each and every
influencing factor has been important, and upon reflection, see where I could
have done things better. Hindsight is always a valuable tool, but foresight,
and the ability to really hone in on what is important, is even more so.
By sharing
Cragun and Sweetman’s reinvention Formula, I hope that I can open you your
reflection on changes within your organisation (and within yourself as either
leader or entrepreneur); but I do strongly advocate buying the book and reading
in detail – for I cannot do sufficient justice to the concept in this short
post.
The Formula
I feel like I
am back at a High School calculus class again:
Simple as that!
Let’s explore
further:
(D x F x A x E)
or the Change Quotient. Four elements; bold choices to be made to
achieve the future outcome. Needing to be tightly aligned, its important to be
certain of these factors, and understand their interrelationships, dynamics,
and politics.
D Dissatisfaction – Simply put,
dissatisfaction for the status quo. We feel something isn’t right; its not
working the way it was envisioned, or the organisation has simply outgrown the
mode of operation. This dissatisfaction is a key driver for the need to change,
as we recognise that “there must be a better way”. However, our unhappiness at
the existing state of affairs is never going to be enough to effect change. We
need more!
F Focus – An epiphany almost;
well, maybe not that strong. It is an awareness of where we should be, given
our existing concerns. Strong focus is an incredible motivator, as many of the
existing barriers which were once seen become minimised in some way – most
often or not, psychologically, as we don’t see them as barriers. Our
determination overrides them.
A Alignment – Building up what we
need to make it happen. Human resources, mindset, equipment, funding. Bringing
together the cochophony of resources that will enable our desired change to be
instigated.
E Execution – Argueably, the most
important. The actual “making it happen”. Often though, this involves doing
things that we haven’t experienced before (it wouldn’t be change otherwise), so
these are uncharted territory for many of us. We simply have to believe in our
teams, our resources, and lead regardless. Onwards and upwards.
The combination
together becomes exponentially more powerful. Without any of the factors, the
impetus to change dwindles, and the effect of any effort is going to be less
significant.
To be
successful, all these factors must come into play together and feed off each
other. Only then do we start to get strong, confident change.
L Leadership – Albeit hugely
symbolic, this factor is a solidifying and extremely empowering to the process.
Strong leadership acts as both a guide and a fallback – for support when times
are uncertain. Leadership is described as a Force Multiplier; something that
dramatically increases the effectiveness of the action.
We all know just
how powerful leadership can change not only mindsets, but worlds too. We have
seen that recently with the American elections, and we have seen it extensively
in the past. At an organisational level, leaders with a strong vision and a
commitment to achieve that become strong guides for the journey, but they also
ensure that the combination of resources and other mitigating factors are the
best available at the time.
Being a leader
is tough, but it is also very rewarding, and this reward filters down strongly
to all involved.
Leaders need to
work hard at building trust, credibility, respect. When these exist, your
followership will be enhanced, and your team will be willing to walk over
metaphorical hot coals for you. It is at this stage where you are truly a team
– as a real team only exists when everyone has everyone elses best interests at
heart.
C Cost of Change – Be it
financial, psychological, or humanistic, there is always a cost to change. In
any action, progress occurs when the benefits of the change outweigh the cost.
In this case, our above equations need to be stronger than the actual cost of
change – for only then is it worth undertaking the effort.
But don’t get
caught up on the definition of cost being financial. Often, the cost is more
humanistic, or in terms of what may be lost to the organisation. Sometimes
dollars and cents do not need to factor in. Just ensure that the benefits
outweigh the detriments.
So, this is the
Reinvention Formula. Nothing profoundly different; but a great opportunity to
reexamine how so many factors need to come together to power other factors to
achieve positive outcomes. Think long and hard about the resources you are
involving for change, and be sure that they are aligned to support the
initiative, rather than hinder it.
Image Source: leaderonomics.com
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