Design - The stage where you determine which interventions
The activities and interventions that need to take place in
(read: actions) are called for. Could be tailor-made, yet (partly)
order to achieve your objectives, of course go way beyond
using existing methodologies is often a very good option.
“change happens get over it”. What you need is a mix of
Lean and Six Sigma, for instance, offer toolboxes filled with
facilitating or catalyzing other desired behavior, a smoother
practical instruments.
process, a shift in (customer) focus, more action orientation, a more flexible management style – avoiding the seagull, post-
Learn - This is the ‘back to school’ phase where you learn,
hoc and mushroom varieties as much as you can! –, enhanced
obtain new knowledge or refresh your theoretical framework.
transparency and improved cooperation. In fact you might say
Usually, the format is a training or workshop; however, taking
that the ability of an organization to change, is proportionally
120 courses and personal coaching are also popular nowadays.
dependent on its ability to transform itself. Through this transformational ability you can really get to
Act - About applying what you learned: a challenging act! The
know the strength of an organization.
phase of implementation and timing in order to bring new
Don’t forget that organizational change is not about
ideas and ways of working to life. Tremendously difficult if you
establishing a set of new givens by rejecting the current status.
don’t take or get time during regular office hours to spend on
It is more like building on the current foundation towards
transforming. It won’t happen just like that, it’s hard work,
an improved new situation. A future that was already, albeit
requiring guts, persistence, the freedom to act, and room to
dormant or in part, present in the past. Like the butterfly
make it happen.
already being part of and present in the caterpillar’s DNA. So transforming something is like unwrapping a gift, it’s fun
Look - It’s always good to have moments of reflection and look
(or should be!). We admit to never having seen a butterfly cry
whether the results that you aimed for have been realized.
because it was revealed in all its splendor, because it developed
Check back, look back, feed-back, lessons learned, next steps
into what it had always had inside as potential, became what
for follow up, and look forward. Key question to answer: did
it was supposed to be.
we reach our (change) goal(s)? And if not: what – in our actions,
Just like our butterfly, people too can reveal themselves and
but also in our assumptions – caused this?
show new, until then unexpected and unknown qualities,