Change is in the eye of the beholder
More musings on change. Further to my last blog, what is becoming more and more clear to me is that 'change' is the eye of the beholder. Almost any change, particularly any significant change is automatically imbued with meaning and different meaning to different individuals. Change has impact, obviously in terms of structure of someone's working day - what he or she is being asked to pay attention to, how they should focus effort but also on that individuals feelings of status, worth and emotional well-being. Change is always an interpretation in both its rational and emotional aspects.
The blindingly obvious but little regarded, is that this response is a construction made by an individual or groups of individuals not by the initiator of the change. It is something over which the initiator has little influence. The nature of change is not communicated in the briefing documents, corporate communications, road shows full of ringing Churchillan phrases and power point presentations - it is constructed in the conversations that occur amongst peers and in informal groups afterwards.
They will decide what is important, whether it is viewed positively or negatively, implicitly they will create a hidden 'rate of change' and effectiveness capability for what others desire.
The challenge then is to find ways in which the 'owners' of the change can actively engage in these conversations.
This is a post by Steve Carter, December 2009
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