The ChangeCraft™ Primer By Doug Wesley and Kaye Whitefeather
These five chapters will give you an idea of what it means for your company to go through a transformation. They were written for people who are considering playing a formal role in a transformation project. By reading these -- along with the chapters about the role you are considering -- you can make an intelligent, informed decision about whether to volunteer. Please feel free to print these pages for your personal use, but our copyright prohibits you from distributing the information (electronically or otherwise). The Nature of Transformation (About 2,500 words) The patterns of change are universal. Transformation leaves a distinctive footprint. Some changes last and some go away. Change comes from the outside. Companies are a mixture of procedures and people combined into a predictable routine. People must change to make change last. Leaders lose their answers in new territory. Old maps don't work; compasses do. The pattern of transformation: Awakening, Transforming, Integrating. Working with People Who Must Change (About 4,300 words) Support others as they do the work of changing their work. Recognize fear in yourself and others. Recognize anger in yourself and others. Recognize grief in yourself and others. Recognize optimistic overconfidence in yourself and others. Work with the casualties of change. Surviving the Transformation (About 3,000 words) Build a special personal support network. Maintain careful accounting of your transformation activities. Nobody will make you a hero in these roles. Don't be surprised if you run out of steam. There are career risks. Keep a clear perspective on the excitement of your work. Change can be an addictive stimulant. Don't be "hoist by your own petard." Watch for a soft place to land. Look beyond your old job. Bring your personal vision and your ethics to work with you. Leave the door open to opt out on principle. The Changing Change (About 2,700 words) The change will change and change again. Your transformation may seem dead, but it can rise from the ashes. Brace yourself for the replacement of executives, bosses and others. New and different outside pressures create the need for immediate adaptation. Stay in the game through political upheaval. Carefully manage your personal politics. Your company may abandon the change. Declare a loss if you must; declare a win if you can. Completing a Change
Process (About 1,100 words) The transformation runs out of gas when the
organization has exhausted its capacity to change. Organizations stabilize on their own;
they don't need help. Stay awake!
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