Chapter 2 The Stages of a Successful Change and What Disrupts It 19

By understanding the Cycle of Change, you’ll begin to see what options make the most sense for leading a change from beginning to end.

In the Dark

There is very little information about the need for change as the cycle begins. But as bits of information come to our awareness, we begin to see a picture emerge. Perhaps this is information that had been in front of us all along, but something happens that jolts us into seeing the implica- tions of the data. Or perhaps, new information comes in—sales figures, your competitor’s flashy new product that is getting a lot of attention, a new threat faces the security of your country, or changing demographics in your community that will require new and different services. How you get this information is inconsequential. What is important is that you move from darkness to light.

In the case of the paper plants, there may have been some reports of quality problems and machines needing too much maintenance attention. When senior management in both companies realized there was a prob- lem, most of their respective staffs were in the dark and unaware of the problem.

See the Challenge

This is an “aha” moment when someone recognizes that there is a problem or an opportunity that must be addressed now. At Ajax Paper’s corporate headquarters, senior executives saw the challenge and immediately moved to action, leaving plant management and workers behind.

At Beta, senior management opened the books so that everyone could see the challenge facing them.

See the Challenge is the most critical stage of the cycle. Once most people who have a stake in the organization’s success see the challenge, it becomes possible to begin to get people aligned to move around the cycle together. Organizational consultant Kathie Dannemiller spoke about the shift that occurs when everyone recognizes the importance of a situation.2

When this shift does occur, people’s views of what’s real are transformed. The shift is not just intellectual, it is visceral. Stakeholders begin to see the world from others’ points of view. The shift is a realization that you are in this together. You see and feel the need for action collectively.

This point is the most important point in the life of a change, but sadly, it is also the most overlooked. Chapter 6, “How to Make a Compelling Case for Change,” addresses why this occurs and what to do about it.