On Deep Change

We are often faced with the crisis between deep change and slow death. The problem is that we rarely realize we are in the crisis. For several years I have been teaching that before one reaches the apex of an “S” curve one must start a new “S” curve to replace the old one. The tendency however is to keep riding the old curve until it is too late and has slipped on its downward side eventually leading to slow death. Much like the frog in a kettle, if you turn up the temperature slowly the frog will not notice and will eventually die from the heat. Take the same frog and throw it into hot water and it will immediately leap out. We need to keep the perspective of the frog being tossed into hot water, constantly asking questions, reinventing ourselves, and creating new “S” curves.

When someone makes the initial decision to avoid a difficult situation, a negative process is triggered. The person becomes deeply frustrated and eventually stops trying. Often without realizing it the person has taken on the victim’s role. Instead of initiating deep change the person consciously chooses a destructive path that eventually leads towards slow death. Remember the teaching of M. Scott Peck who said that our goal is to move from:
• Pseudo Community – to
• Chaos (confronting situations) – to
• Emptiness – to
• Real community

Most of us however never realize real community because we take the destructive path and avoid the difficult situation. Many assume the death path and shake their heads at the organization and say that the organization is dying without recognizing they as part of the organization are also dying along with it.

Deep change requires, discipline, courage and motivation. For many, it seems easier to experience slow death than the threat of changing one’s self. As leaders we need to give people what they need. Our challenge is to give the people under us enough encouragement, help and support they might dare to try deep change.

These thoughts come from a number of readings over the years…not necessarily my own deep thinking, more like a declining memory.

Just a few thoughts to consider.
Gary

Comments

Michael Morris of PFMC on Jul 13, 2009 @ 06:25 PM

I enjoyed your blog post and found it quite timely and thought provoking. Thank you for your leadership of the conference.

Here are a few links for those who may not be familiar with the S-Curve terminology that you refer to.

Example of an S-Curve as it refers to technology
http://www.chiefmartec.com/2008/04/a-new-s-curve-f.html

More generic S curve definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmoid_function

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Lorianne on Jul 13, 2010 @ 09:43 PM

I heard something like this in an essay written paper work.

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