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Change
The operator's craft of moving an organization from where it is to where it needs to be.
Change is not an announcement. It is a sequence: acknowledge the current reality, name the destination, remove the obstacles, and give people something specific to do on Monday morning.
The Operating Lens
How exceptional operators approach change.
Questions worth sitting with
- 01Have we been honest, publicly, about why the current state is not sustainable?
- 02What is the smallest observable behavior that would tell us this change is taking hold?
- 03Which two or three people, if they get on board, will bring everyone else with them?
- 04What will we stop doing to make room for what we are starting?
Signals you may be here
- 01Every change initiative is met with quiet resistance.
- 02Employees have seen three plans replace each other in a year.
- 03The leadership team is not aligned on what is actually changing.
- 04Change is announced but nothing on the calendar reflects it.
Practical starting points
- 01Write a one-page memo explaining the change: why now, what stays the same, what changes, and what people should do on Monday.
- 02Identify three people whose buy-in is disproportionately important. Meet with them first, individually.
- 03Kill one existing initiative to make room. Say so publicly.
