Are you a Luddite — #3

Hi there!  Well, I couldn’t truthfully say ‘Day 3′, as it’s been a few days since the last post.  It occurred to me that it might be asking a lot for readers to tune in on a daily basis.   Hopefully you enjoyed a wonderful week-end — did you think about how you see Luddites, change and ‘change chains?’  How did that look to you?

What do we see with The ‘change chain’?  If the energy is positive, then a ‘change chain’ could be a really good source of power.  If we see negative energy, then the chain would certainly need to be broken and re-established with positive energy, as in our ‘Red Rover’ game.    Either way, understanding the source so that it can be replicated, if powerful, or redefined, if negative, is critical.

In working with clients, I’m always curious about discovering the sources of energy — both positive and negative.  Discovering the source of energy often involves several iterations to really get to the source.  When looking at personal energy, ‘Where’, ‘What about’ and ‘What else’ are helpful.  When looking at a process, we often use the ’5 Whys’ of root cause analysis.  When we reach the fifth iteration, we’ve typically hit the root and it is there that we find the source of the positive and/or negative energy. 

Then the question becomes, ‘So what?’   What do we do, now that we’ve made the discovery.  The answer to that, my friends, determines the true success of the process.  …..more to come.   ….and there you have it from StageCoach Leadership, People and Performance Excellence

The Question-Asker: Luddite? – Day 2

Thanks to all of you who provided thought to yesterday’s blog — Are you a Luddite?   So, as promised, here are a couple more questions to ponder in relation to how we approach change.  Again, I’d love to hear your thoughts, quotes, stories, etc.  

1. Let’s say that you have decided to embark on a change, and you discover that this change requires some new skills and/or competencies.  How does that impact your decision?  How do you go about engaging the right person to work with you through your process?  
2. By now you’ve discovered that a change is not singly (is this a word?) focused — it is a ‘change chain’, as I like to call it.  You make a decision to change and that change impacts another thing, which impacts another….. and you have the ‘change chain.’  So, just like the energy that runs through electrical chains, or the energy you had when you played ‘Red Rover’ as a child, how do you keep the energy running through the ‘change chain’?  Where do you get your power to stay on course?

Note:  I’m determined to ask questions and focus on what I hear from you, but I think I like this ‘blogging’ thing.  I’m trying to work on the neo-Luddite part of me.      See you tomorrow for Day 3 of questions on this topic!  ….and there you have it from StageCoach Leadership, your People and Performance Excellence coach!

The Question-Asker: Luddite?

Recently I was attempting to contact someone I’d not seen in decades (yes).  I found a relative on FaceBook who said I could probably find my friend if I went to his home, because he was something of a Luddite.  I had not heard that expression in years, so I decided to check it out and this is what I found:  Lud”dite\, n. one who opposes technology or technological change.  Origin: 1805–15; after Ned Ludd, 18th-century Leicestershire worker who originated the idea related to labor-saving textile equipment.  Given my penchant for word and concept association, I’ve taken the liberty of expanding the real definition (apologies, where necessary) to include opposition to change in general.   

Today we are all at a place that should cause us to think about what we believe about change, ’ it’s enevitable’, ‘ I have no control over change’;  how we approach change, ’ I hate it’, ‘ I love it ‘(really?);  and what would cause us to want change badly enough to create the change.  

As someone who is called ‘the question-asker’, there are questions begging for thoughtful consideration.  Here are a few and I’d love to hear your responses.  Tomorrow I’ll post a couple more, and we’ll see where the week takes us on this topic. 

1. To what extent do you believe you are a Luddite?
2. What do you believe your  ‘Luddite’ scale is to others — low, medium, high?
3. How do the answers to 1 and 2 impact your ability to get to the very best decisions and actions — in all aspects of your life?

A couple of my favorite quotes related to change are listed below.  What are your faves?

• People don’t resist change. They resist being changed!  Peter Senge
• One of the things I learnt when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself I could not change others.  Nelson Mandela