Embark on a journey through the labyrinth of philosophical thought, exploring the complex nature of messy transformations. Uncover the wisdom of great thinkers as they grapple with the chaos of change, and find enlightenment in the disorder of transformation.
The messy middle
The unknown, uncertain space between past and future, between theory and practice, that characterizes organizations in the process of becoming something new.
- To navigate the messy middle of transformation, leaders must understand how the different knowledge domains contribute to the transformation-and help their employees find a way to be part of the same conversation.
Wisdom
To find wisdom in something that is new to everyone, like digital transformation, leaders sometimes look for inspiration among thought leaders who are discovering new ways of thinking and talking about transformation rather than teaching existing theories
- Typically, people representing the domain of wisdom use and combine terms from professional areas that are foreign to the organization
Prudence
In prudence (good judgment), people depend on neither theoretical frameworks nor translation of basic principles to make sense of complexity
- They use the inspiration they get from everyday practice, consultants, and thought leaders to talk about the transformation in a language everyone understands
- Leaders should help their employees share their already existing knowledge and collaborate on turning it into new ways of working
Expertise
People base their understanding of transformation on practical insight into the history and culture of the company.
- Too often leaders forget about the how. Unless the message is aligned with how employees already think and talk about the transformation, they will ignore it or even try to undermine it.
Author Profile: Pia Lauritzen
Co-founder of Qvest
Science
People agree on what problems to solve, not on how to talk about them
- To help people co-create a shared language, leaders must bridge the gap between the employees who know theoretical frameworks and those who don’t
- One way to do this is to adjust their communication to the people they are talking to
- Another is to use words that everyone understands
