Views in verse on renewal (facing the future ...as in the past)

We get comfortable with our daily habits, whether they are efficient or not. Nobody likes change...but it is necessary in order to take ourselves  (and our businesses) to the next level of performance. Because, in this fast moving world, nothing stays the same for very long.

Aristotle knew a lot about change. He began his work seeing change as a scientific process. He was soon to realise that change is not at all predictable and is really more akin to dealing with a multi headed serpent.


 He came to see over time that the solution can only be founded in 'people' using highly persuasive communication techniques and steady reinforcement. A bespoke/human relations focussed solution. A methodology based approach does not create lasting change (he would also find).

He realised that people are multi dimensional when it comes to change - a three dimensional 'threat' that we have to somehow deal with 'as one' so as to produce desired behaviours. He also recognised that a dictatorial approach would not work for a much desired new culture to thrive and be 'productive'. Persuasion is the key word when it comes to change as it relates to people (especially when working in teams).

He recognised a single communication process with three components. This process demanded that the overall message be tailored from a point of view of the message itself (logos), the sender (ethos) and also the receiver (pathos). That the 'message' must make sense in its own discrete way; that the 'deliverer' be a person of integrity (so as to encourage belief in the content) and that the 'receiver' be a suitable candidate so as to absorb such a message positively. 

A three headed snake indeed! But the nature of successful change meant that these must all be addressed 'as one' so...

...he saw that there was a need for a plotted approach (as in a story or play); where the conclusion (the desired change) would 'fall out' from a preplanned series of exchanges and events - the interim impact of which could be good or bad - based on the nature of the trigger designed and the desired (longer term) outcome. 

To put that in today's terms: a communications strategy would be required in order to bring about a new culture that features the wanted behaviour and the 'norms' that reflect clear values and articulated policies.

Once the 'new state' in in place, Aristotle observed that continuous improvement would then be possible given that:

       "we are what we repeatedly do ...excellence is not an act, but a habit".

so eventually we can put a process to what the people are doing at work but it takes carefully designed 'one off' strategies (within our change programmes) to deliver the end result that can then be methodically improved upon. 

An oxymoron? Not really...

Behavioural change management is undeniably about people and not process (methodology).

Change management really acts on three levels in our transformative endeavours - as the change programme itself - within the project portfolio - and in working with people to embed new behaviours.

True success will only be found if and when of our managers (especially change programme managers) should become real leaders. Their success will be judged by how well they strategize their intent and by how well they communicate with their peers and their surrounding teams.

Change is mandatory in all our lives ...but change is hard. It requires well structured governance so as to get the maximum result, ...the first time.

The alternative though of sticking to well worn paths to success, has a very limited 'use by' date. So when you go and take the leap of faith Remember that...

transformation + governance = value return

There are NO short cuts.This is most apparent when the 'heart' of the transformation is an enterprise IT application integration for example. A big, complex, expensive, long lasting job and one of a technical nature.

It is very easy to be distracted away from the embedding of the new assets into the business units (where the real payback awaits). To be anything but technically myopic on such a mammoth task is ingrained into the soul of an IT Project Office. I speak from thirty years experience when I say this.

This is where Governance must be seen as separate layer and be instituted as the engine of the Change Programme (separate and distinct from the 'opus maximus'). A P(g)MO helps to overtly show this clear distinction both in the planning phase and over time into phased delivery of the committed benefits.

Change is hard...

It's all fun just the same

Cheers

Grahame J Flynn MBA FAICD CGEIT (ISACA)

Renewal

Release
the past
It's spent
and gone
Accept
my friend
it's done!

Embrace
tomorrow
as a child
plays in rain
The future
holds promise
for some

For those
who open
their hearts
and trust in
themselves
Good things will come
to them
as if by chance.

To lovers
who caste aside fear
the odd
chortled jeer
and boldly
march up to the floor
and dance

And to those who
take a
selfless route
in fulfilling
their pursuit
Reward will come
to them
with seeming grace...

Live to love 

the day
before wishing it away

on the past
...spent
but never
out of place!

From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn

views in verse on behavioural change

What type of trees do you see?

No it is not a trick question...

they are of course trees typical to Australia :

eucalyptus or gum trees, but ...





In sketches still kept to this day, in colonial times in Sydney Town and in the extended penal colony of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), the English scribes continually drew their impressions of the forests they saw before them as oak, elm or larch trees. Or indeed any other tree that reminded them of the way things were back home. A case of mind over matter.

So remember when faced with behavioural change issues: never underestimate the human mind's urge to return to what it was comfortable with yesterday despite being faced with a new 'modus operandi' being demanded today. Beware a convenient myopia that may resurface for some time.

Confidence in 'the new' requires coaching, documentation, reinforcement and reassurance in order to ensure complete adoption of the required standard.




Renewal

Release
the past
It's spent
and gone
Accept
my friend
it's done!

Embrace
tomorrow
as a child
plays in rain
The future
holds promise
for some

For those
who open up
their hearts
and trust in
themselves
Good things will come
to them
as if by chance.

To lovers
who caste aside fear
the odd
chortled jeer
and boldly
march up to the floor
and dance

And to those who
take a
selfless route
in fulfilling
their pursuit
Reward will come
to them
with seeming grace...

Live to love 

the day
before wishing it away

on the past
...spent
but never

out of place!

From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn

Views in Verse on business transformation

It seems these days that everyone is transforming...or are they?

Transformation is a high level management initiative designed to deliver benefits within the business by the implementation of a mix of process, people and system. Always overseen by the planned and astute management of the desired change of related behaviours. It is always a serious challenge. 

Yet 'transformation' will soon become another of the dreaded management 'weasel words' and there is little that can be done to stop this happening as once 'everyone wants it' ...'everyone sells it!!!' Thereby... everyone is now transforming!!! But they're not.

I saw an advertisement last week for an IT switch capable of yes ...'transforming your business'. How many commodity products are we seeing today (enterprise or otherwise) that are being promoted as just this ...well? 

In recent years I have worked in several new CRM environments where in each case the transforming software product was effectively configured and rolled out in less than two months. Promoted as such over that period with assumed benefits flowing immediately thereafter.

The sponsors in each case saw the 'proof of the pudding' payback was to be in the 'all singing, all dancing' dashboards that would 'thumbnail sketch' everything important going on in the sales & marketing businesses. Each project I joined just after the perceived transformation (each IT implementation complete with basic app training).

We were able to deliver generalised yet meaningful dashboards (the best kind) in about twelve months in each case. The major stumbling block - the behaviours of marketing and sales people - which are not conducive to being simply 'changed' at the push of a button. They already believed themselves to be working 'at the top of their game'. Therein your behavioural challenges.

The real transformation period was indeed a year. But when there is so much hype going around about a new piece of 'transforming' software - in this case: Salesforce.com - who wants to talk about reality? 

Each of these projects began without even a basic understanding of the reporting required by key managers - thereby there was no 'user engagement' even requested. Only a packaged solution served up. Thereby, immediate (but often unstated) resistance.

Many splendid management philosophies and methodologies lie within the 'transformation paradigm' yet (much to my regret) within a year or two all this this work will be condemned to the 'weasel words' lexicon like many other splendid management tools & techniques. And why...? Because of us!

We are quite simply not ever willing to stand up to these quick fix merchants. The same merchants who will by that elapsed time be firmly attached to whatever they see is 'the next big thing' with all the right pedigrees of integrity to which they believe this can complement their next campaign release of commodity X product.

Or indeed we are so willing to embrace the rose coloured glasses approach proposed, we fall into thinking we can pay less than we really n e e d  to. 

Somebody throw open a window and start screaming or something ...p l e a s e! 

There is no substitute for originality, research, investment, hard work and governance. But there is 'sweep real change under the carpet' if we let industry mavens and quick fix internal merchants get away with it. 

The Troubadour

He came to us
as one of us
With a want to try to sing
His songs
were not 'the usual'
but long complex things

He spoke out
on looking out
from beyond your own back door
His call was to lead
not follow ...as before

With no concession
to class or place
as our fathers readily bore
But as an uncompromising
bringer of change...
revolution at the door

Using words
Powerful words
That spoke of freedom and truth
Thoughts he shared
with a growing army
of anxious wide-eyed youth

Enter the Troubadour
Let him sing
for he has something to say
We yearn for change
we're pained by war
He's brooding there back-stage
A tidal surge
of youthful thought
We need this better way
The guards are sleeping
The tower rests
We'll leave this very day
As we go
we won't look back
There's little good we see
When they awaken
The only clue given
Will be one hand waving free

Luther King
The Kennedy's
All praised in their own way
For their part
in social change
the heroes of their day

Yet no engine starts
without a key
The facts are plain to see
A new dialogue
was required
for open thought to breed

Dylan surfaced
He provided that spark
in his shrill compelling voice
Truth spoken out
again and again...
it served enlightened choice

Establishment frowned
...in time gave way
leaving Richard Nixon alone
We all answered
in the western world
J Edgar took a long walk home

Enter the Troubadour
Let him sing
for he has something to say
We yearn for change
we're pained by war
He's brooding there back-stage
A tidal surge
of youthful thought
We need this better way
The guards are sleeping
The tower rests
We'll leave this very day
As we go
we won't look back
There's little good we see
When they awaken
The only clue given
Will be one hand waving free


From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn

Views in Verse on change thru renewal (Bledisloe cup - rugby)

The Wallabies came close to beating the all conquering All Blacks in Sydney last night; but by trying to beat them at their own game only came up with an energy sapping draw (12-12 all). The result was as perennial as the rain that fell for the entire duration of the match.





In order to regain the beloved Bledisloe trophy, the Australian team now need to win twice in New Zealand cities over the coming months - a mountain too far one would think. Last nights game was a must win for the Wallabies.

The Australian Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie could have taken a leaf out of the Michael Cheka book. Cheka, only a few weeks back, ended the domination of the NZ Crusaders in the Super XV competition by adopting to play an open rugby 'at all costs' mantra - to have lost last night was in effect no different to the resulting draw. It was worth the risk even in the rain. Paradigm shifts require courage not conservatism!

Kurtley Beale (#10) was a secondary player in the Waratahs make-up behind Bernard Foley; while the choice of the three Brumbies backs was rooted in the 'war of attrition style' the Brumbies play week in week out. They were not going to beat the All Blacks this way. All water under the bridge now.

McKenzie needed to look to major change in his fumbling Wallaby team - he got more of the same - sorry, the draw wasn't good enough! The best players languished on the bench. Wishful thinking only from here.

Renewal

Release
the past
It's spent
and gone
Accept
my friend
it's done!

Embrace
tomorrow
as a child
plays in rain
The future
holds promise
for some

For those
who open up
their hearts
and trust in
themselves
Good things will come
to them
as if by chance.

To lovers
who caste aside fear
the odd
chortled jeer
and boldly
march up to the floor
and dance

And to those who
take a
selfless route
in fulfilling
their pursuit
Reward will come
to them
with seeming grace...

Live to love 

the day
before wishing it away

on the past
...spent
but never
out of place!

From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn

Every cloud has a silver lining!

Views in verse on change and renewal

There was an article by Martin Wolf mid week that caught my eye...'Is technology creating a Downton Abbey economy'?

He was espousing the great fear of technological advancement and how it is eliminating jobs in quantum leaps at present. He used the imagery of the Downton Abbey servants and how the Lord of the Manor could not continue to keep the Estate 'to the manor born' given that he had not kept up with latest available methods in running his 'business'.

Wolf added that, by real life example, the US Army will be able to release half of its supply chain staff by 2020 given the productivity gains made possible in the field. But where do the people go afterwards and what will they do? Well is this really new? We have been hearing these arguments for half a century.

We are seeing a lot of factory closures in Australia at present and the media is of course always first to spin the tag line for all it's worth. However for every door that closes ...another opens. As the viability of one industry fades thereby others arise in better times to suit them and this has been a constant theme over the decades here in this country.

At present, given the ready availability of baby-boomer stashes, there is dramatic expansion coming on in preventative health services and also in luxury construction to cater to the desiring dollar of this cashed up sector. Already many workers are being re-channelled into these opportunities. And of course, with the lowering dollar, tourism and education are rebounding too; as will 'niche manufacturing' to come in the mid term. Labour reform is of course still a 'work in progress'.

I will postulate a litter further on the displaced Downton staff. Their lifestyles would have been greatly impacted by leaving the estate ...a massive change; but how long would our make believe 'downstairs' workers really have been out of work with their well honed skills - not for long one would think. Uptown 'things to have' indeed!

Except for the wife murderer of course, he would have had his work cut out!

Renewal

Release
the past
It's spent
and gone
Accept
my friend
it's done!

Embrace
tomorrow
as a child
plays in rain
The future
holds promise
for some

For those
who open up
their hearts
and trust in
themselves
Good things will come
to them
as if by chance.

To lovers
who caste aside fear
the odd
chortled jeer
and boldly
march up to the floor
and dance

And to those who
take a
selfless route
in fulfilling
their pursuit
Reward will come
to them
with seeming grace...

Live to love 

the day
before wishing it away

on the past
...spent
but never

out of place!



From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn

Grahame J Flynn -  Sent from my iPhone