Our beliefs & assumptions about change are often the biggest barrier to leading & enabling effective change. @DigitalTonto describes “change management beliefs that consistently sabotage genuine transformation”. The first such belief is that large scale change is persuasion at

Three different strategies for leading change in organisations: data-based, high engagement & generative: 1) Data-based change: Leaders or experts diagnose the problem using data to decide the “right” solution & roll it out. Fits best when there’s one clear answer, stable

Let’s talk about “emergence” in organisational change initiatives. Emergence is when new ways of working & new forms of order grow out of the interactions of people, practices & structures, rather than through implementation of a fixed, top-down change plan. Top‑down,

Reciprocity: part two In my last post, I wrote about why reciprocity is one of the most important principles for leaders of change. Reciprocal relationships are ones built on mutual giving & receiving, with an expectation that everyone benefits, rather than one-way transactions.

Reciprocity is one of the most important principles for leaders of change. At a simple level, reciprocity means a mutual exchange between people where each party gives & receives value, creating a balance that benefits everyone involved. But it's deeper than that. It's about

Today I spoke at the Drucker Global Forum about “Trojan mice” vs. “Trojan horses.” Organisational change programmes often struggle to get results despite investment, careful planning & leadership commitment. Traditional "Trojan horse" initiatives (large scale pilot projects

Newly published research shows that taking calls & answering emails during “non-work” time can have negative consequences for people. When people use work-related technology in the evening (even by choice) they struggle to mentally switch off from work, which negatively affects

As leaders of change & learning, we should seek out & welcome feedback continuously as it gives us an opportunity to improve. At the same time, we should try not to “over-focus” on negative comments or criticism, rather than positive comments. There have been many occasions

I do not like the term “empowerment”. “Empowerment” is everywhere in the world of change leadership. It’s in the top three of the most commonly used leadership terms globally according to @DigitalDefynd. Personally, I never use “empowerment” unless I’m working with someone who

“The 45 degree zone” is an important principle for organisational & system change. It represents the balance point in large-scale change efforts between two vital types of progress: achieving tangible short-term results AND building long-term capacity for further change.

A new resource on how to build an effective approach for change from @theQCommunity, based on best evidence & experience. It aims to condense & consolidate what we know already rather than be exhaustive or create new resources. It's designed for a healthcare audience but it is

If we want sustainable organisational change, which group is more important? (a) People who are active in response to the change (even if they are resistant); or (b) People who accept the change? Newly published research suggests (a); it is more important to get people active in

“It’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission” is among the most overused sayings amongst people who try to make change happen. It’s understandable that so many change leaders follow this mantra. When we’re wading through layers of “rules” & bureaucracy, trying to create

“Leverage points” is an important principle in implementing change. By identifying the leverage points within a system where small changes can have a large impact, change leaders can target those points & make changes that can have a cascading effect throughout the entire system.