Let's talk Transformation : The business leaders podcast #66 The secret sauce for leading transformational change with Ian Ziskin
"We have an almost unlimited capacity to deny data that doesn't fit with our own view. It is therefore important to master the constant paradox of facts and feelings. "
Why do we so often fail to lead and sustain transformational change ? All transformation is change, but not all change is transformational. Ian and I discuss the power of us : 200 voices in under 200 pages - how does this contribute to getting the right recipe for sustainable and transformational change ? There is wisdom in the collective, which allows leaders to scale change together with others who share the same purpose and passion.
There is no need to necessarily change everything, as some leaders try to do, but it is about anticipating where possible and building ‘as you go’. The secret sauce is simple in ingredients and complex to implement because it is about constantly navigating human and business polarities and complexity. This is the capacity of a system to shape its future and nudge both people and processes towards a more innovative and agile culture.
Ian shares his experience, thoughts and research from the Consortium For Change on working with leaders and businesses across the globe.
The main insights you'll get from this episode are :
- Ingredients of the secret sauce:
o spirit of abundance: learn from and share with other people to create a wealth of information for the collective benefit with a huge spill over effect for leading transformational change – this is fundamental for success.
o from what to what: learn from life and experience (e.g. trauma, bereavement, life-changing events); it is the most important question to ask when driving large-scale change – what is the start and end point?
o the beauty of ‘and’: master paradoxes and reconcile polarities - facts and feelings, data and humans, speed and rhythm (of change), listen to what is and isn’t being said.
- There is wisdom in the collective, which allows leaders to scale change together with others who share the same purpose and passion. There is no need to necessarily change everything, as some leaders try to do, it is about anticipating where possible and building ‘as you go’.
- Leaders should demonstrate love and respect for those who influence and those who resist and not marginalise or ignore people. Covid shows that plans can be sent off course and we need the capacity to figure it out on the fly as part of managing uncertainty.
- The evolution of the workforce and the workplace sees future work as work without jobs - bite-sized, ‘nugget-ised’, not salaried, AI, robotics – and a smorgasbord for leaders to both select from and compile. Disruption brings new opportunities and up-/re-/new skilling should not have a negative connotation.
- Personal definition of transformational change is deriving a benefit from many different perspectives - completely rethinking the what, why, who, how, when and where. There should be a dramatic yet sustainable improvement in or the survival of something or something (at whatever level, i.e. personal, individual, company, societal).
- ‘Pizzanalogy’: a huge global industry from humble ancient beginnings with a multitude of shapes, sizes, toppings, crusts, cheeses, preparation styles, outlets, sauces - entails constant repositioning and reimagining to be relevant, despite being traditional. In a company setting, it prompts the question: what long-standing practices might be jeopardising the ability to see the need to rethink something?
- Do’s and don’ts for leaders
o don’t make people feel stupid or disloyal if they resist or ask questions; healthy scepticism is good.
o don’t ignore data that doesn’t reinforce views – start with the truth and reality.
o do address if it’s true that people hate change: they hate failure more so couch the context of change in ‘winning’ to persuade them of the value of change and help make it happen.
o do seek to navigate uncertainty and manage polarities.
o do understand the importance of surrounding yourself with other people that are closer to the problem or circumstance that calls for change – you can’t know everything all the time.