Unthinking Change

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What follows is about organizations, but not how you might expect. Unthinking and rethinking starts with you, then moves to colleagues, and only then to a change target like the org chart, policies, procedures, etc.

This isn't just a nice theory. This is seriously practical. 

You can't change an organization without changing how you talk about it. And you can't change the conversation without changing how you think. Here's how, in a nutshell, which I guess makes my ideas nuts! 

First... your organization turns inputs into outputs and outcomes through operations. By the things you and colleagues "do" on, to, or with the inputs.

Second... any change idea changes some operation. That's the point. You've thought through inputs, operations, outputs, and outcomes in a way that tells you doing something different will get a better result. That's clear to you, but what about your colleagues? 

If they haven't thought about the situation like you have, they'll need time to catch up. Without that, they'll feel like they're being told what to think, feel, and do, and they'll resist. (Wouldn't you?) And if they have thought about the situation and have their own ideas about it, they'll need time and opportunity to discuss. Without that, they'll feel like they're being told what to think, feel, and do about something, and they'll resist. (See the pattern?) 

Ths is where it gets interesting for you.

Third... you changed your thinking once already, when you hatched your change idea. You like your idea and want to try it the way you see it - but that might not happen. It might, but talking with colleagues will probably make you change your thinking again. 

Conversation will produce new information and perspectives which will change how you see things - which is exactly what you asked colleagues to do when you suggested your idea to them. Your ability to keep building a plan everyone can try - no matter what it does to your original idea - makes more progress, faster, than does arguing over whose idea is better. 

Now you've changed how you and colleagues think and talk about change. And here's the takeaway: This is what you want to get good at. 

The better you get at unthinking and rethinking, at updating thoughts and feelings with new ideas and evidence, the better colleagues will get. The better you get, together, the more likely changes made to the org chart, policy, procedure, etc., will be different in the right way - and stay different. 

You won't get better at all this in a day, but you can get better every day. You might need new knowledge and skill, but you already possess knowledge and skill you need. What you try won't always work, but that's not your goal. Knowing what to do then is your goal. Turns out personal and organizational change are a lot alike (wink). And you're not alone in this.