Change As An Act Of Creation
...by Charles L. Fields

We’re all fascinated by change. We’ve tried to lead it, manage it, be an agent of it, control it, and change it. Here’s how one author describes it.

“Most progressive managers today are deeply concerned with the problem of developing managerial strategies appropriate to the changing conditions. The word “change” is no longer even a buzzword. It has become a part of our everyday language. Managers are continually working on the problems of how to develop a flexible organization which can move with changing requirements, which can be “proactive” (influencing the environment) rather than reactive. Managers are seeking ways to establish a work climate in which increasingly complex decisions can be made by people with the information regardless of their location in the organization. Managers are looking for ways in which increasingly complex technologies can be managed and in which people who have an even higher sense of freedom and autonomy can be encouraged to want to stay and work in their organizations. The search for ways of concurrently increasing collaboration among the members of organizations and at the same time increasing the rationality of decisions occupies many hours of management time and many chapters in management books.”

This seems to sum up what we’re trying to do with change in our organizations. It outlines seven issues facing us. We are interested in:

1. Developing strategies for changing conditions
2. Creating a flexible organization which responds to changes
3. Creating a culture where people, at any level, with the information can make increasingly complex 

    decisions
4. Developing methods to manage increasingly complex technologies
5. Encouraging people to have a higher sense of freedom and autonomy
6. Increasing collaboration among the members of the organization
7. Increasing the rationality of decisions

As you read this you may feel that it describes what you’re facing in your organization and wonder who the author is. The quote comes from Organization Development: Strategies And Models, by Richard Beckhard, 1969. Yes it was written in 1969! It is the Holy Grail of change. It does describe what we’re trying to create.

Yet over forty years later we are still searching for the process to manage change and create that elusive culture. Since Beckhard wrote that statement in 1969 hundreds of books and articles have been written on what change is and how to proceed. I’ve read many of them and been part of a variety of change initiatives.

Most of what I had learned about change described it as a linear process moving from “Defining the change problem” to “Evaluating the results”. It is very much like a formula. The hope is that change could be managed successfully if we followed the formula.

I’ve followed the formula and worked with others who followed the formula. Today I view change more as an act of creation than as a linear process. I see it as bringing something new into being more than moving from point A to point B. Now, I see change as times of stirring, seasons of contemplation and preparation, periods of planting and growth, and times of harvest and rest. I see differently, I think differently, and I talk to others differently. So what would this look like in real life? Here’s a personal example.

Some time ago I worked with an engineering company. A problem that had plagued them for a few years was getting the final reports into the hands of the customers quickly – “15 working days”. In one particular business unit it averaged 45 days to get the reports processed and mailed. So the goal was “to reduce the time to 15 working days.” The company tried things like reengineering the process, hiring more staff people, and creating a priority handling system all with limited success. The 15-day threshold remained elusive. Many wanted to change the culture to be more customer focused.

During that year, the engineering department started a management development program intended to increase the skill levels of its managers. Part of that program dealt with managing change, creativity and problem solving. It was natural that they would bring this situation into the workshop.

As part of learning about creativity, the managers were asked to stop focusing on the goal of 15 days and started thinking about what they were trying to create for the customers. At that point, a major breakthrough came. It came in the form of two questions. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just hand the report to the customer before we left?” followed closely by “Why couldn’t we?”

The result was the creation, by several managers & engineers, of a report that could be produced on site and left with the customer. It reduced the turn-around time to 0 not 15 days; the customers liked getting it that fast. It also reduced the workflow by 12,000 reports and saved nearly a half million dollars annually. And all because they focused the change on what they were trying to create instead of a goal of 15 days.

To me that’s what change, as an act of creation, looks like - people agreeing to come together to create something new, not just re-engineer an existing process. Here are some of the other things I see differently when I look at change as creating.

Maybe it’s NOT really faster: Change doesn’t seem to happen as fast as we think it does. In our busy-ness we just don’t recognize the early signs any more. We’ve become addicted to speed and we miss the signs. Take the weather for example. It doesn’t really change rapidly. There were conditions that preceded the storm. Weather watchers see those conditions and begin to alert people. But, if you miss the alerts, you get surprised! It’s similar in our organizations. All our customers didn’t wake up one morning and change their minds. But if we’re not watching for the signs, we get surprised. Who’s watching in your organization?

Snowflakes aren’t the only thing that’s unique: We know that fingerprints, DNA, and people are unique. While people have many common elements, they are still unique. It’s seems to be true for change as well. Change has several common elements and yet every change is different and unique. Change resists being reduced to a formula, a recipe, or a step-by-step process. Just when you think you’ve figured it out -- something new and unexpected happens! Don’t try to figure it out. Just embrace the uniqueness and follow the flow.

It’ a choice: Here’s the choice facing us, to quickly identify the problem, generate a solution, and move to action. Or to slow down and think about what’s going on. We rush to judgment and jump to solutions when confronted with change issues. We’re quick to say, “We need to change the culture.” or “We need a new software system.” The result is that we repeat the past, usually without learning from the past, and often repeating the mistakes of the past.

Contemplation is good: Slow down. Remember – it’s “Ready, Aim, Fire”, not “Ready, Fire…” Take time to really look at the situation…to contemplate. Take time to ask yourself and others some powerful questions like,

“What’s going on – really?”
“What’s the significance of what we see going on?”
“What happens if we do nothing?”

Contemplation feels like we’re wasting precious time. The intention is to slow you down to speed you up! It will amaze you what you’ll see and learn as you take time to really think about your situation.

Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto: Many managers believe that they must deal with the change alone. They believe that it is their duty and responsibility to be the one in control and to have all the answers. I was taught that. I operated that way. It was considered a sign of weakness to involve others. The manager’s job was to be above it all…to be all knowing…to make decisions, to give direction, and to rally others to take action. We called it rugged individualism. We admired the individual who, acting alone, cut to the core, solved the problem and acted decisively. In a simpler, more stable, slower world that worked…sometimes. Yet I began to see that no one ever really acted alone. Which brings me to my next observation. In today’s fast paced, complex, technology driven world…

We see in part -- no one has the whole picture: We need each other; we need participation. Talk to others about what you see and feel about the situation and ask for their thoughts. Invite people to contribute their piece to the picture…to co-create the final picture. We need what others bring. We need to hear their voices. Seeing change as an act of creation encourages others to be creative. The participation becomes intense because there’s a freedom to create. Brain drizzles become real brainstorms.

Come together: We, as leaders, are becoming conveners of meetings to set in motion the change to take place. We need to bring together others to help develop a broader picture, to talk of the significance of what they see, and then to work to create something new. We literally need to “sit in counsel” with each other.

Places in the heart: Too often we give little consideration to where we meet. Any room with a table and some chairs seems to be OK. Where you meet and how you group people signals your intentions. It tells of the importance and passion that you have for what you’re trying to do. For example, I was always amazed when people asked me to “think outside the box” when we were meeting in a room with no windows. Ask yourself, “Does this space represent my intentions?” If not, find a place that does. Don’t treat the choice lightly.

Take stock occasionally: Don’t wait until you’re finished to look at what you’re creating. Stop occasionally. Step back. Take a look at what you’ve done so far. Talk about what you’ve created…together. Reflect on what you’ve collectively learned and want to give to the next generation of creators. Don’t be surprised if pause generates a few more ideas. That’s the beauty, creating leads to creativity.

And today, when I’m involved in a new change effort, I‘m not as interested in having a powerful sponsor and a process to follow as I used to be. I’m more interested inviting others to join me in exploring the signs of change and working to create something that will serve the customer and build the strength of the organization. To help me get started I use these general questions.

Stirrings

1. What are the promptings I see for making a change?
2. What is their significance?

Contemplation and Preparation

3. Whom do I invite and what is my invitation to them?
4. Where do we meet that represents my intentions?
5. What is the conversation we need to have regarding the change?
6. What are we willing to create together?

Planting and Growth

7. What is the roadmap we’ll follow?
8. What commitments are people willing to make?
9. (Ask occasionally) Where are we now?

Harvest and Rest

10. What did we achieve together?
11. What did we learn that we want to tell others?
12. What impact did we have?

So as you move forward with your own change efforts, hoping to build what Richard Beckhard described in 1969, consider re-thinking how you’ve done it in the past. Start thinking about the possibilities and see change as an act of creation. Ask others to join you on the journey. Create something new.