Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
So change is actually happening all the time. When you want to see changes around you, first
search for changes inside of you. Change management starts with the change of
the management because in most projects the management team explains us how their people
should change. Change is here to stay. MDI can definitely help.
Change is the only constant in life.
Just look around. Changes don't happen occasionally.
They happen all the time. Today we welcome our expert Ozan who will
share with us some valuable tools for leaders in change situations.
He says: Successful leaders value and apply the following two principles:
First: Change is natural, so blend with it. Second: Change is powerful, so ride on it.
Is change really nature? Let's see how it is.
Did you notice the difference between human beings and the nature?
How nature accepts the change as it is and evolves into even something more beautiful.
And how human beings are trying to react against it.
They get even more stuck and even more depressed. The definition of change in the dictionary
is to make or to become different. But why then human beings don't like change
though? In fact we do.
We love change when it's initiated by ourselves. But we hate it if somebody else does it for
us. Ah, so you mean it's okay for me if I change
the date for my holiday -- for my vacation -- by myself, but I would hate it if my boss
would tell me to cancel it due to work reasons. Absolutely.
But Ozan, what to do if there is no balance between the urgency and the willingness to
change? Oh then, that's a problem, Masha.
Let's suppose it is a very urgent case, but your people are not willing or not capable
to change. This is what we call the crisis.
And that resistance will be very emotional because when people feel that they're not
adequate, they're not capable, they show very strong resistance in an emotional way.
I mean that sounds like a challenge. What do you recommend?
We have another tool for that. So?
When you announce the change the first response from your people: they're shocked.
And they deny their change is coming. And the second response will be: they're going
to feel very angry and they will try to move against it.
Once they understand that the change is inevitable and they don't have the power to control it
-- what do you think they do? They just ignore it.
They just move aside and they'll say "You do your change and I will be here."
Honestly speaking, Ozan, at the moment this doesn't sound very motivating.
The tool is not working right. But as a leader, if you're able to understand
emotions and if you let your people get in the picture -- ask about their ideas.
Just make them comfortable so that they can taste a little bit from the change.
And they become successful. As a leader you need to support them so that
they become successful. There comes the buy-in.
What if the buy-in comes, as a leader you need to be able to execute the change applying
the system. Do you think it's enough?
You're done with the change? I mean this is what some companies already
do. What we hear from our clients and our leaders
in the trainings is that sometimes you reach the change goals, but after that -- after
a while -- everything falls back. Yes, and the reason is mostly the leadership.
Because the leadership thinks it's over. In order that change becomes a culture the
leadership support should be very persistent. And you know what?
I could show this to you physically. Yes, we're going to do some Aikido element.
I'm curious, let's do that!
What do you think, Masha? Wow, I mean it looks really impressive! Frankly speaking, it also looks a little bit
like the guy just fell on purpose. Something like pre-rehearsed.
And you know what? He falls on purpose.
Cause he's an Aikidoka, so he knows how to do that.
What if he didn't fall on purpose? What if he tried to react against it?
Okay, I mean, then he probably could be injured seriously.
Would you like to try it? To be injured?
No, not at all, but would you like to feel it?
Of course, I mean if we can try it out? Okay, hold on.
Can I do that? And do it strong.
Okay. Strong, strong strong.
Doesn't work. So, first thing I do: I just go down.
Okay? Like my ego.
And move gently around it. Wow, wow, okay.
I got it, I think I got it. Wow, that's powerful!
It is very powerful. But it doesn't look so powerful when you see
it. How does it look like?
Maybe more like dancing or something like that.
It's beautiful. Absolutely, it's beautiful and it's powerful.
Let me explain what Aikido is. Ai is the harmony.
Ki is the universal energy. And Do is the path.
So Aikido is the way of harmony with the universal energy.
And this is how we Aikidokas can blend with the attack and can lead very powerful attacks
in the way we want them to go. Oh wow. That sounds a little bit like a strategy
also for change management. Absolutely.
And we're going to do one thing for the first time in history right now.
Tell me! We have another tool that we explain 8 steps
how to manage the emotional care we talked about and we're going to explain it with Aikido
steps. Wow, now I'm really curious!
Let's do that! You remember how people react when change
is announced? Shock, denial, anger.
It is the same thing when you're physically attacked in Aikido as well!
We feel shocked, we feel denial and we feel loss.
That's why our instructors teach us how to be ready anytime for any kind of attack.
And how to have a 360 degree awareness when you're being attacked.
Okay, so here we could find a connection when it comes to change leadership, right?
Absolutely. So one task could be for a leader to create
something like a sense of urgency and also create a team to develop an effective strategy.
And the awareness! Absolutely, that makes sense.
So you see when I can overcome my fear, in other words shock and denial part, I'm not
judging the attack anymore. And when I don't judge the attack, I just
become one with it. I blend with the attack.
And when I blend with the attack I can move in circles.
And moving in circles in Aikido means you have infinite options of techniques.
So that means if me as a leader -- if it's possible for me to create an environment where
not judging, but understanding and acceptance of the change is possible, that this will
lead the whole organization also to the capability to deal with obstacles in a more constructive
way. Absolutely.
Did you notice how I finish my technique? Yes, somehow you stayed in this Aikido position,
right? Absolutely.
In Japanese language we call it Zanshin. And how would you know there wouldn't be another
attack? So that is why we keep the Aikido position
all the way long. Okay, so that is maybe also why the leader
should stay persistent, so that the change can become a culture.
Absolutely. You are the first person in history that explained
change management with Aikido. Oh, wow, I didn't know that, but thank you
for helping me do that! You're very welcome.