Tackle the scariest thing on your to-do list

Hey Reader,

Are you a list person? I am. I have my business operations Tasks in Notion, my iPhone Notes for grocery shopping and recipes I want to try, my journal for creative projects, my post-its for reminders that defy category, and more. I love my lists, but on each one, there tends to be an item that overstays its welcome.

You know. That THING that just won't budge, that you can't check off, that seems too heavy or insurmountable or both.

The leaders I work with are inspiring, compassionate, and driven. When we work together, it's not because they're bad at navigating organizational change; it's usually that there's this THING holding their organization back. They're stuck. They're confused. They're overwhelmed. And they can't move forward.

And, regardless of my clients' industry or organizational structure, I typically find that the THINGS fall into one of two categories: a ball and chain or a brick wall.

A ball and chain keeps us in the past.

It’s that thing on the to-do list that just never gets done, but the longer it stays there, the heavier it gets. It’s clunky or hairy or just too messy to touch. It exhausts employees, draws out project timelines, and makes strategizing a slog.

A brick wall keeps us from moving into the future.

It’s too big, unwieldy, or exhausting to tackle. It annoys and impedes employees; it keeps folks running in place. Worst of all, it feels like we'll never reach, or even see, what's possible on the other side.

The result?

Teams try to do their best, even as they drag their ball and chain or slam into a brick wall. But that's demoralizing, exhausting, and a waste of resources and energy.

This is why, when it comes to organizational change, Uncover — step one in Restorative Change — is so important.

Other methodologies might refer to this stage as “prepare” or “plan,” but Uncover is more than that. In this phase, we dig into the who, what, when, where, how, and — most importantly — why of the change. We identify actions, barriers, stakeholders, goals, and milestones. We determine if we have adequate resources in place to support the change and if proposed changes align with the organization’s vision and values. We also explore who might resist the change (which is a completely normal and valid response to change), why, and how we can support them. We peel back the layers of the onion to lay out all of the info we might need to move into the next phase, Create.

Most importantly, we do this no matter the size or subject of the change. Like all of our phases, Uncover easily scales to meet the needs, goals, and resources of our client organizations.

Other methodologies often combine their versions of Uncover and Create as a single planning or preparation step before they “execute” or “manage” a change, but we expand Uncover and Create into two distinct phases because it’s far more effective and people-focused to spend more time digging before you dive into taking action.

At first, it can seem counter-intuitive; if an organization needs to change and has been so stuck, why would we spend any more time exactly where we are? Because (and leaders already know this deep down) you’ll never move forward if you can't get rid of your ball and chain or your brick wall for good.

So what happens when we take time in the Uncover stage?

A door starts to materialize in the wall.

A lock appears on the ball and chain.

Great! Leaders think. Let’s go! But instead of breaking down the door or smashing the lock, we dig a little deeper.

And find…the key.

Getting the courage to tackle the scariest thing on your to-do list can be exciting, but don’t channel that excitement into smashing locks or breaking down doors. That’s exhausting and potentially harmful to your business, your people, and your culture. When you spend a little more time to find the key, a simple click will free your teams to navigate the future state and leave the worst part of your to-do list behind.

In our next Organizational Change Office Hours, we’ll look at how your organization tackles its Uncover stage during times of change. You’ll be able to see whether your strategy is leaving you perpetually stuck, banging on a door, or on your way to finding your key. Plus I’ll leave time to answer any questions during the Q&A. Register for free here. And bring a friend! The more, the merrier.

Talk soon,

Caitlin

Founder, Commcoterie

P.S. — We help purpose-driven companies and nonprofits navigate organizational change. Our scaleable offerings have helped dozens of leaders with teams of 2-250 create people-centered change strategies and change-ready cultures.

Have a change on the horizon and want to ensure its success? Reply here and tell us a little about your team. If it sounds like we’d be a good fit, we can set up time to hear more and let you know how we can help.