You Cannot Plan Your Way Through a Transformation

It used to be that to bring about any significant structural change in a company one would develop a ‘master plan’ or ‘detailed project plan’ of how to get from A to B. This approach might have worked well in a world of pliant competition and moderate growth, but today such an approach to corporate renewal is inadequate at best and wholly ‘off the mark’ at worst. Now, to be fair, there are certain ‘classes’ of work (i.e., complicated work) that still align better with creating a master project plan complete with all the steps, key milestone dates, etc. But, the majority of white-collar work today is highly creative (i.e., complex) in nature and, therefore, lends itself more to creating ‘lightly-held’ plans and then experimenting your way forward.

You see, here is the crux of the matter, all creative (complex) work is emergent, by default, and so in a way you cannot see more than 20 feet ahead of you. You might have a good sense of where you want to go, but the how-to details are unclear. So, if you are leading an enterprise or departmental transformation that involves reengineering several aspects of a company's Operating Model (for example), it is best to adopt the following deployment mindset:

• With all creative (complex) work, we cannot see more than 20 ft ahead of us, therefore we must rely on conducting experiments and leveraging rapid learning cycles to inform next steps

• Abandon the need to develop the ‘master plan’ or a ‘detailed project plan’. The moment you begin your transformation, your plan will require updating. And your updates will never relent; it will become more an administrative burden than a compass informing where to go

• Adopt a ‘beginners mindset’ whereby we try, fail, try, fail, and try again. This is the winning mindset today. Be ok with failure. Accept the fact that things are emerging; that you cannot see more than 20 ft ahead of you; that a great deal of uncertainty exists. The sooner you accept this reality the less stress you will cause yourself

• ‘Let go…to let come’; the world in which we live and operate moves too quickly and is too disruptive to hold a tight grip on reality or to rely on your previous ways of doing things; therefore, be open to trying the new; be open to being influenced by others; be open to feeling anxious about not knowing everything - we are ALL in the same boat; swimming in the same stream (so to speak).

Summary

In summary, you cannot plan your way through a transformation (at least not in today’s world). While there is still value in constructing a light plan complete with an informational roadmap of key milestones, remain open to HOW you actually bring forth the transformation.

Related Reading

• Experimentation: An Orientation to Transform Your Company

• Experiment Your Way Forward

• Cultural Transformation: 4 Levers for an Industry of One

Facing a complex change challenge in your organization? Book an OD consultation with Henosis Partners.