Did you ever end up in a situation where you thought: Guys, we made it so easy for you to switch to his new system or process, but you’re not even moving an inch! Your initiative may have become the victim of a phenomenon that in psychology is described as Yerkes-Dodson Law… The Yerkes-Dodson Law… Read More »
In the quest to drive transformative changes within organizations, many fall into a common pitfall: overengineering the change. Many change initiatives end up like a remote control with a hundred different buttons—they could do a lot, but the user can’t even figure out how to change the channel anymore. Drawing on this analogy, let’s explore… Read More »
In change management, effective communication is pivotal. Yet most of the projects that I have seen found themselves unwittingly caught in the trap of the “curse of knowledge.” This psychological phenomenon, vividly demonstrated in Elizabeth Newton’s 1990 “tappers and listeners” experiment at Stanford University, highlights a common disconnect: change leaders, intimately familiar with the details… Read More »
Many organizational changes originate from the ideas of senior leaders. So far, so good. But let’s be honest: more often than not, these leaders tend to be senior men with visions of greater efficiency and innovation. With this particular group comes a particular trap for change initiatives — ‘mansplaining.’ Falling into this trap not only… Read More »
One frequent observation from the projects I support is that project teams and their sponsors often adopt an insular approach. They decide against involving their target groups in the change process. They usually do this consciously to “not burden” the business or avoid interference with the project’s target product. But that’s short-sighted. While it may… Read More »
Observing numerous change projects, I’ve noted a common phenomenon: as practitioners we often present change as one-directional and absolute. I have for example accompanied a few global restructurings as well as launches of new admin organizations including Global Business Services (GBS). This thinking leads us to see the world black and white – an impacted… Read More »
Netflix engaged its viewers better than any other media offer—be it traditional television broadcasters or other streaming services. But Netflix’s success isn’t just rooted in its offering interesting content. Netflix excels at captivating global audiences. As change managers, we can draw valuable lessons from Netflix’s narrative techniques, but we must also be cautious to avoid… Read More »
Simon Sinek‘s concept of the “infinite game” challenges us to rethink our approach to many things – including key concepts in business and leadership. Unlike finite games, where the rules are fixed, and the endpoint is clear, infinite games are fluid, with no definitive finish line. In my own experience leading change initiatives, I’ve often… Read More »
A recent post by the inspiring team behind Corporate Rebels emphasized a common challenge in today’s workplaces: the cognitive overload from all that happens around you and what it does to your productivity. While it made me think about myself (and my browser, just to stay with the metaphor…), I also found it to pose… Read More »
Recently, a sponsor approached me, suggesting that as a change manager, I should be the face of the latest organizational change initiative. While I’m no stranger to the spotlight and enjoy time on stage I found this a prime opportunity to clarify a common misconception: the role of a change manager is not to be… Read More »