Mapping the Dynamics of Change: Is Time on Your Side?

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

I am going to pick up on an earlier posting of mine about mapping out all the many dynamics of organizational change. This posting will look at how time orientation is part of the dynamics of change. As with the earlier posting, I welcome your additions to this list.

Past

- The myths and stories that surround the founding of the company.
- The degree to which these myths/stories compare to the real story of the company’s founding.
- Who are considered the heroes of the founding story.
- The degree to which the company’s founding is characterized as the result of one person’s effort vs. a team effort.
- The common understanding of why the company was successful in the past.
- The degree to which the past is considered the “good old days” or “the golden age.”
- How failure in the past is characterized.
- The degree to which failure in the past was attributed to external vs. internal circumstances.
- The degree to which the Board of Directors is seen as contributing to events in the past.
- The degree to which employees still hold a grudge over decisions made in the past.
- The degree to which middle managers still hold a grudge over decisions made in the past.
- The degree to which senior leadership still hold a grudge over decisions made in the past.
- The degree to which the unspoken opinion is “our best days are in the past.”
- The degree to which previous change was managed well.
- The degree to which employees believe “the past is prologue.”
- The degree to which middle managers believe “the past is prologue.”
- The degree to which senior leadership believe “the past is prologue.”
- What are considered “skeletons,” where are they “buried,” and who knows the answers to both?

Present

- The degree to which employees see themselves as victims of the changing external environment.
- The degree to which middle managers see themselves as victims of the changing external environment.
- The degree to which senior leadership see themselves as victims of the changing external environment.
- The degree to which employees acknowledge the current change.
- The degree to which middle managers acknowledge the current change.
- The degree to which senior leadership acknowledge the current change.

Future

- The timeframe in which employees expect the current change to slow down or go away.
- The timeframe in which employees want the current change to slow down or go away.
- The degree to which employees believe more change is in the foreseeable future.
- The timeframe in which middle managers expect the current change to slow down or go away.
- The timeframe in which middle managers want the current change to slow down or go away.
- The degree to which middle managers believe more change is in the foreseeable future.
- The timeframe in which senior leadership expect the current change to slow down or go away.
- The timeframe in which senior leadership want the current change to slow down or go away.
- The degree to which senior leadership believe more change is in the foreseeable future.

There are too many variables to think about. I need to take a break.