‘The Power To Change’ - Campbell Macpherson

 

‘The Power To Change’ by Campbell Macpherson; an interesting talk on embracing change in the world of uncertainty.  Was a pilot in Australia and a bad one at it, so he say. The only thing was change. And then worked for Insurance as HR - had 14 different careers in 30 to 40 years.  His Bio reads:

"Campbell Macpherson is an international business advisor, keynote speaker, Executive Fellow of Henley Business School and award-winning author. His first book, ‘The Change Catalyst’ (Wiley 2017)is about leading change and was the UK's 2018 Business Book of the Year’. His second ‘The Power to Change’ (how to embrace change and make it work for you) has recently been published by Kogan Page. Campbell runs workshops and webinars worldwide for leaders on 'leading change' and on 'embracing change' based on the content of his books. Campbell has been leading strategic change and enabling strategic change for more than 25 years; enabling organisations across UK, Europe, US, Asia, Australia & the Middle East to clarify their strategy, build cultures that embrace change and align their people to deliver – as CEO, Strategy Director, HR Director, Marketing Director, eBusiness Director, board member, change leader, business adviser and NED. He was a multimedia entrepreneur and started his career flying jets (badly) in the Air Force." It was amazing listening to him speak. 

This was 12th of 2021.

PART I 

Change is inevitable, but successful change isn't.

'Change happens' as Forrest Gump should have said.

Those of us who can cope with change will survive. 

Those of us who are able to embrace change and look for the opportunities will thrive.

And the power to change lies within each single one of us. 

Things are not as bad as they appear and things are also not as good as they appear. The key topics covered where:

1. Our learning during last 12 months
2. 5 Key truths about change
3. The secret to successful change
4. How to react to change
5. Overcoming our personal barriers to change
6. Be your own leader of change

1. Our learning during last 12 months: 

• Some change we can do nothing about - we have no choice but to accept it. 
• We can cope with big, sudden change - if we have a strong emotional reason for doing so
• Everyone's response to change is different.
• Our response to change will differ depending upon the circumstances.
• The importance of genuine hope/confidence in the outcomes
• The importance of trust
• Mental health matters

Work from home tips:

• Work from home requires a routine. 
• Set yourself goals, 
• Think outcomes.
• Take breaks with time limit
• Actively reach out to others to help them and you
• Eat well
• Exercise
• Get outdoors
• Hide your phone
• Look for positives
• Be kind to yourself

 2. 5 Key truths about change

• Change is inevitable   
• All change is personal
• We all erect our own personal barrier to change
• All change is emotional - and emotions are normal
• We only change if we want to            

Leadership is about helping people to want to change, we can be our own leader of change. 

We have to help ourselves to change. Emotions is 4 times more powerful, when it comes to change. 

We are very adaptable (when there is no other choice)

3. The secret to successful change

Have clarity of what you are trying to achieve - and why. Clarify the business outcomes and never lose sight of them. "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else" - Yogi Berra.

Remember:

Sacred cows: what are things we don’t question, is it system or process or ways of working?

Elephant: what are the questions which no one dares to ask.

Put all of them onto the table.

We need to understand what the implications of changes are. 

Ensure implications are fully understood. " There are downsides to everything; there are unintended consequences to everything" - Steve Jobs. 

Understand implication of every change. Tell - It's okay. Have genuine communications and engagements. 

Genuine communicaiton and Engagement:

" It's simply as this: When people don't unload their opinions and feel like they've been listened to, they won't really get on board. " - Patrick Lencioni.

He has this amazing book:

4. How to react to change - Covered after point 5 below - PART II : EMBRACING CHANGE 

5. Overcoming our personal barriers to change

Overcome Inertia:

Create a change ready and enabling culture:

"The central issue is never strategy, structure or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people" - John P. Kotter

Is your team's culture ready for change? 

Are your people.....

• Encouraged to question the status quo?
• Continually looking to improve the way things are done - and enhance the customer experience they deliver?
• Open to new ways of working?
• Encourage to learn from failure?
• Is their behavior aligned to deliver the strategy?
• Is yours?

Don't say failure, its glitch. Be ready, willing and able to change. 

6. Be your own leader of change

Characteristics of a great leaders:

PART II : EMBRACING CHANGE

The key message from the embracing change workshop was:

The Change Matrix:

Bottom two small changes. You get on with it. Adapt is something on which you have no control. 

Important are Burning Platform and Quantum Leap; they are the big changes.

Like really a platform burning, divorce, etc. It also means are people willing?

Quantum Leap is big thing that you instigate,  migrate, marry. 

The Burning Platform change curve:

When we are in Trough, say, this is normal. Ask yourself : What I am going to do about it now?

You need to move upward from here. 

Remember emotions are normal. This curve is normal, get used to it. All these are normal. 

When heart kicks in its acceptance. 

How do we help people to get out of Trough?

Empathy, communication, help people to recognize that you are with them. Show them the curve. We need to be kind to ourselves, and absorb without judgement.

It’s not bad, it’s normal. The model may look like different stages of grief .

The quantum leap change curve:

Overcoming barriers to change:

• Admitting denial
• Observing our emotions
• Detaching from negative thoughts
• Confronting our fears
• Reframing our identity and status
• Voicing our doubts and concerns

Write about them, everything you are worried about. Split them into three group. 

1) Something you can do nothing about

2) Something you can do by yourself

3) Something you need help.

Rip off the first. Then ask what are your instinctive barriers to change. Look at it and reframe it. Voice your doubts and concerns  and it will give you acceptance. 

When you come across negative thoughts: Detach and Observe.

"We are, each of us, a product of the stories we tell ourselves"

M I R A C L E

S. T. O. P

Stop. Take a breath, Observe. Proceed. 

Confronting our fears:

False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear of Failure

Fear of rejection or humiliation

Fear of the Unknown

Fear of blame

Don’t use the word failure, you can say glitches. Opportunities to learn.

Be part of the solutions, and not part of the problem. 

Acceptance is important:

We can express our concerns, but we need to accept them.

Resilience

What does Resilience mean to you?

Resilience is your ability to accept change. 

GRIT. Rising when down. Flexible strength! Stoic endurance!

"Do not judge me by my success. Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." - Nelson Mandela.

Falling is not failing. How do we build resilience? Do not set your bar too high, be realistic. 

Strategy to enhance our Resilience (Courtesy of the APA and Mayo Clinic)

1. Remain hopeful
2. Make connections
3. Choose how you react
4. Accept that change is a part of life
5. Keep things in perspective
6. Forward momentum in small steps
7. Take decisive actions
8. Make every day meaningful
9. Learn from experience
10. Look for opportunities for self-discovery
11. Nurture a positive view of yourself.
12. Take care of yourself
13. Be proactive

Don’t expect success at every turn. Aim high, don’t be too high and stupid. 

Accept that change is a part of life. 

Thank You!

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change".

This was beyond amazing - so much to learn. Blessed to hear Campbell take us through these himself. Am emotional - overwhelmed. The burning platform change curve and quantum leap change curve was thought provoking. Just wondering When we adapt and grow, do we not have much emotions? This is what I needed today. The Serenity prayer, I just love. 

Thank you! Thank you! Thanks from the bottom of my heart.