Last term, we revealed three (out of five) Behavioural Change Keys. In this article, I zoom in on the key: Sense of Urgency. The word sense (feeling, awareness) is not unimportant in this key. Often the urgency of a needed change (in a rational sense) is clear, but there is no awareness of the urgency or of what it means concretely. And that is badly needed to feel commitment and to help build an ambition or goal of organizations.
Many great plans in areas such as sustainability, inclusiveness, diversity or growth and innovation run aground on this. What I have often heard: "Everyone is familiar with it, everyone agrees with it, but we act and don't act on it ... it doesn't get anywhere". And then the logical reaction is often: increase the pressure, communicate (shout) even louder, enforce. But that is often not a good and effective recipe.
Fueled by my annoyance with common change models and above all inspired by the practice of how it does work, I developed the LUNAR Change Keys Model with my colleagues. It has become a familiar method for many teams to test, monitor and adjust large or small change plans.
Our approach to change management is characterized by a better balance between:
- People and Process Orientation
- Having Direction and Control versus Flexibility, Freedom and Autonomy (agility)
- Enforcing or directing direction (Push) versus the intrinsic motivation and engagement of people full of urges (Pull)
The five change keys that play a major role in our approach are:
- Sense of Urgency
- Motivation
- Perspective
- Growth mindset
- Embedding & direction
John P. Kotter, one of the leading change experts ("Leading change" and "Our Iceberg is melting") describes in 8 steps what it takes to change, but names "sense of urgency" as the most important. With the realization that the change is really necessary and also achievable (necessity and positive hope).
Even more interesting is his insight that we thinking That change takes place through reason and conviction, with much substantiation therefore (graphs, figures, research), according to the formula:
Analysis -> Think -> Change
But that the real change is through feeling:
See -> Feel -> Change
Nightmare Competitor
Instead of clever analysis, you then end up with creative work forms where people feel what it would lead to if nothing were to change or what it might look like in X years if the change is embraced. Proven forms of work include creating or imagining your Nightmare Competitor, making you see and feel how lousy you will be if you keep doing what you have always done, either imagining the existing and future customer journaley with actors in a theater play.
Symbols and metaphors also capture the imagination much more than a carefully constructed logical story. That is why we always recommend carefully determining the language and symbolism of a desired change. And that differs from organization to organization: one organization gets moving nicely on nature symbols and language, another does better on sports metaphors, and a third goes all 'on' on themes such as love, attention and happiness.
Too much persuasion makes people passive
There is another drawback to the route of rational persuasion. Commonly known is the impact of repetition, but this can also have the opposite effect. Then it becomes a "hobbyhorse" of the director or the message is perceived as "dramming. Often the visionary leaders are the only ones who see the larger perspective or longer-term importance of plans and necessary changes. With the danger that people mentally drop out, or: become passive in the face of the plans. A much easier and often smarter way to get people on board and moving is dialogue, participation and invitation; then they start thinking and talking to each other about how they can connect with the goals and what is needed to do so.
Transparency and showing vulnerability also play an increasingly important role in the engagen of people. A leader who shows genuine vulnerability and shares his concerns is more credible than one who knows all the solutions in advance.
Good mix of fear and lust
Our brain determines almost instantly and automatically whether something is a pain (danger) or pleasure stimulus. This happens in our limbic system (mammalian brain). Only then can our ratio give more meaning to it. It is good to know that both sensations (fear and pleasure) can set people in motion. The fear, for example, is about losing something familiar (the change is detrimental) or avoiding pain (if we do not change, disaster threatens). Pleasure is about the prospect of the (new) situation becoming better, more promising, more successful.
This requires careful direction of the message and plans for change. Good leaders name both the pain (risks) and the positive perspective. The result is that people begin to feel the need (where the concern is) and at the same time try to find energy, courage and hope to turn the situation around for the better.
When this mix is missing, you get the unwanted extremes and no one gets moving. On the one hand, there can be a sense of panic, a sense of crisis, or the feeling that you no longer have any influence or control. On the other hand, a kind of resignation or indifference may arise; "it won't be that bad," "it will take a long time before it gets there," or "things are still going pretty well.
A good urgency mix, on the other hand, leads to more conscious thought and quicker and more decisive action.
Breaking existing patterns
In many cases, turning the urgency knob is a unique opportunity to shake up the patterns present in the organization. In this sense, an (impending) crisis or loss can be a stimulus for (accelerated) change and help change the familiar helm. After all, as human beings we are naturally oriented to avoid pain and danger and to embrace pleasure and comfort. Important here is that the new situation is therefore also achievable and has something to look forward to (see key "perspective"). I sometimes compare it to buying new shoes. The old pair is often not discarded until the new shoes have been broken in and one is convinced that they fit well.
Change, therefore, as an opportunity to also change the culture (mentality and behavior) of the organization. And thus to determine together what the desired values, behavior and agreements will be in the new reality to be created. Here again, there are great opportunities to determine what you want to say goodbye to as an organization: certain habits or patterns, certain behaviors ('say yes, do no', 'talk about instead of talk to'). Including making these steps special through rituals or creating a memorable experience. Consider the ritual: burning old patterns and assumptions, or going together to experience the new values or vision.
Urgency and leadership
For leaders, it comes down to careful steering, where trust in the leader is crucial. Many studies and books have been published on this topic. In order not to repeat myself, I will limit myself to practical observations. In them, the following characteristics of helmsmanship emerge:
Empathic ability
Perhaps an open door, but many leaders confuse empathy with being knowledgeable (knowledge, facts). Being able to empathize with how people in the operation really feel or how they view change or urgency is truly an art. And essential to get the message across credibly. And how simple it can sometimes be: just having regular good, open conversations with the people in the operation and on the shop floor is a healthy habit. And not as a "boss," but as a curious and interested in people.
Authenticity
Telling clever and beautiful stories, covering up self-interest, presenting things differently ... it all happens. But people catch on quickly and mercilessly when a leader is not sincere or withholds things. And so we come to the thinking of Brené Brown: the power of vulnerability. The leader's ability to also express his or her feelings. That they find something exciting or they also feel awake about it, that they feel touched by a certain incident, and so on.
Exemplary behavior: excite and inspire
We sometimes forget that leadership is actually human behavior, something evidenced by people's behavior. That's why it is so important for your credibility that, what you communicate and what you do are in alignment. It is so common for leaders to fail to live out the values or vision of the organization. Often these are values such as connecting, agile, curious, vitality or innovativeness. Things that in themselves resonate well or are desirable, but are negated if leaders do not live it and encourage it. A simple example from our own organization. One of our values is "curiosity. Every year all employees are given an invitation - and a budget - to undertake their own things to stimulate their curiosity. They are free to do so with their family, partner, friends or alone and then share the stories with colleagues. Such an invitation, by the way, also contributes to a sense of urgency. If you don't, it will still remain - curiosity in this case - a kind of nice to have.
