When “Change” Is Not Enough, Reinvent
Do you like change? When someone says, “this needs to change,” are you motivated? Does change get you out of bed in the morning?
Some things are definitely change-worthy. Yet change can be hard, even with the best intentions and under the best circumstances. I’m reminded of the Change Acceleration Program a previous employer initiated. We may just as well have said, “We are going to disrupt your world – really fast.” The tools and thought processes behind the program were valid, but it wasn’t at all stirring or encouraging – or effective.
I find “change” to be more like a “fight or flight” word than one of positivity or calm. The concept of change does not spark imagination or inspiration for me. And maybe it does not inspire you, either.
Getting on the flying bus
Every organization finds itself in situations where change is needed. But implementing that change is a lot like replacing the tires on a bus while it is flying. Our daily work can be overwhelming, and the thought of another “strategy” session does not make many of us hop out of bed in the morning.
So, what can we do to inspire ourselves in lieu of asking for – or demanding – a change?
Reinvention
In a word, reinvent.
I recently came across Reinvention Academy, a fabulous organization helping people to develop strong resilience and reinvention skills. Nadya Zhexembayev, Ph.D., founder and chief reinvention officer, educates companies and employees on the process of building futures.
Significantly, that process does not begin with or focus on “change.” Instead, it’s all about reinvention.
In her highlight video, “Change is Not a Punishment,” she keys in on how we perceive change. When faced with change, do we try to defend the past, or can we view it as taking the past into a better future? Reinvention means making the decision to choose the future for yourself and your business – versus waiting for someone else (a trend, a competitor, a new technology, a regulator) to make the choice.
Taking the past into the future
While use of the word “change” tends to put people on the defensive, “reinvention” is a term that sparks the imagination and places people on the offensive. It honors the best of the past while upgrading it into the future. It speaks to the need to avoid being prisoners of past decisions that have become irrelevant.
The tools that Zhexembayeva espouses keep people focused on building a better future. Rather than dealing with a one-time event – which is often what we do with change – reinvention is a continuous process designed to safeguard companies operating in today’s world. “When we move from running an occasional project to building a systematic process, reinvention becomes the competitive strategy to survive and thrive in today’s volatile, uncertain and constantly disrupted world,” explains Zhexembayeva.
Core reinvention competencies
Three core competencies stand at the core of this reinvention process:
- Ability to anticipate change: investing in regular and proactive trend-watching to notice potential risks and opportunities in time to take effective action.
- Ability to design change: building and managing a diverse portfolio of reinvention initiatives, including product, process and business models.
- Ability to implement change: developing a company-wide capability to execute change quickly on a regular basis, with minimum resistance and maximum efficiency.
Reinvention in practice
The most recent reinvention effort in our commercial finance company centered around customer experience. We took the time to review our processes and procedures with the goal to provide a best-in-class offering. To make sure that the offering resonated with our customers’ needs, we conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups, ran tests and evaluated customers’ understanding of our proposed offering. As a result, we delivered a capability that was relevant, needed and accepted in the market. Marking the first phase of reinvention, we keep moving forward, with full acknowledgment that it is a continuous process that never ends.
In our company’s bistro, we have a word board creatively painted on a prominent wall. Its purpose is to offer employees a forum to describe the company (in one word), and to understand better how employees are embracing our organization’s values in their daily actions. In time, we hope the word “reinvention” will start to appear on the board as we strive to create future states that are relevant and sustainable for those who are coming behind us.
The role of trust
In an economy where many organizations are downsizing, it’s easy to let fear take over and keep us from starting the reinvention process. Yet the reinvention you embrace now may bring about a new product, capability or approach to the organization you currently serve. Perhaps more importantly, it may bring about a reinvention of your own career and growth opportunities.
When you’re ready to make the reinvention process work, move forward with trust. Trust the organization. Trust your colleagues. Trust yourself.
If you need your organization to change, reinvent!