On every project I work on, I recommend communicating the transition date as soon as it is known. Clear timelines are important: They bring structure to an uncertain future: “I know on this date these things will happen.” They enable planning: “I can figure out what needs to be completed before that...
Bad Butts: A Case Study for Challenging Change
Many cities have a problem with litter, and cigarette butts present a particularly nasty problem because the materials break down so slowly. No one wants to be looking at your butt for the next ten years, so how do we get people to stop dropping them on the ground? Let’s...
The Missing Link in Change: Owner Readiness
My daughter and I cheerily rolled up to the check-in desk at the airport and proclaimed our destination: Tokyo! Five minutes later our glee turned to gloom as we learned that three COVID vaccinations were required. Alexia had just two.“Does the airport still offer on-site shots?” I asked, hopefully.“I’m sorry,...
Check in before they check out – How to sustain a change
The switch has been flipped. The project you’ve been working on for months is finally nearing the end. Everyone’s on board…until they aren’t. Three months later there is little evidence that the change ever took place. It happens more often than you think.Many of my clients complain about initiatives that...
Change: People will do it wrong!
QR codes are quite simple to understand. You scan it like a barcode and are typically directed to a website. You might consider them foolproof. I was recently in Portugal on a river cruise where we were required to scan our QR code ID badge every time we left or returned...
Impact Assessment Made Simple: Skill and Will
You want to take a drive out to the mountains. Good choice! But two basic problems could happen: You don’t know how to drive You have no fuel No skill and no will mean no motion. I love simple ways of determining the impact of change. Some of you will be...
Purpose Still Propels Change
"Why." It's the favorite word for children, constantly seeking one goal: Purpose.What’s In It For Me (WIIFM) is a fancy phrase for “Why.” It, too, seeks purpose. If you want me to do something new, I need to know why: Why me Why now Why would I want to do...
Is anyone getting the message? How to send the right signals
When there are multi-million-dollar aircraft moving about on a carrier with hundreds of personnel circulating and carrying out myriad tasks, how do you get one pilot’s attention? Color and motion are key, and the exaggerated crew signals stand out in a noisy, busy background.I’m constantly working with clients launching big...
From WIIFM to WAMI – Acknowledge what’s outside their interests
Every day I read news from around the world to ensure I’m ready to have relevant and insightful conversations with my clients. It doesn’t look good when you have no idea that a new disaster is threatening your employee’s lives or livelihood. One of the sources I consult is The Guardian....
Need Credibility? Clean up your Trash
If you live in a home, you know that there always seems to be that one neighbor who doesn’t take good care of their property. You look down the row and see nice lawns, and then one that needs to be weeded and mowed, and a hedge desperate for a...
