Change Signal Should You Lie About Change? Michael Bungay Stanier solo episode
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Aug 15, 2025 Change is likened to orienteering through fog rather than following a set GPS route. Organizations often prioritize efficiency when they truly need to embrace experimentation. The speaker highlights that small, low-risk experiments can provide a more sane approach to navigating change, with strategies to win over skeptical stakeholders. Fascinatingly, kindergarteners outperform MBA graduates in innovation challenges. This fresh perspective on adaptation offers a roadmap for effective transformation without the usual delusions of control.
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Change Is Orienteering
- Change is like orienteering through unknown territory, not following a clear map or GPS route.
- Organizations usually lack a clear path and must navigate uncertain and misty valleys while discovering targets as they go.
Exploitation vs Exploration Tension
- Organizations are addicted to exploiting the known efficiently and underinvest in exploring the unknown.
- This creates a tension for change leaders trying to experiment and innovate within these settings.
Bullets Then Cannonballs Strategy
- Strategy should begin by firing "bullets" — low-risk experiments to find the real target.
- After learning, commit to "firing the cannonball" fully once the target is identified.
