%% [[Changing]] tags:: #note/statement | #on/change | #on/life | #on/risk | people:: # Transitions involve a messy middle Lon Setnik dates:: 2022-10-14 %% *When you're in a liminal state, it's scarier to go forward than back, at least you know what back looks like.* ![[01A0070D-B4E0-4FEF-882C-2F7A3F094778.png]] This reminds me of how when you're afraid you are victim of the [[approach-withdrawal system]] causing often an [[Amygdala Hijacking]], which causes our emotions to get strong. [[emotion changes the world we are in]], making the future look scarier because of the uncertainty. It's kind of like how our imagination for the future is limited by [[Bounded Rationality]], and if we take the view that we can always be [[Learning]] then we can [[climb till you fall]] unless we end up in a moment or position of fragility. We should strive to create moments where all possible paths (within reason) are positive, then we can [[climb till you fall]]. Before a transition starts, go back to [[First Principles Thinking]], perform a [[premortem]] to actively seek for the problems that you could have predicted. Turn your head to confirm you have accounted for your [[Blind Spot]]s, and take [[Extreme Responsibility]] for where you are. You will need a very strong why 🔥 [[start with why]], with a powerful "burning platform." You will need a team, usually an [[ad hoc team]], that is pulled together just for this project. That team will need [[Leading]] from above, and that leader must demonstrate early [[Leader humility]] in order to get others to chip in. As you start, an early question should be what can we remove. [[Eliminate before optimize]] is an important mantra to balance the [[cognitive biases]] towards addition. Start at [[first seek to understand]] the problem with deep empathy. [[begin with the end in mind]] to start to visualize the change with a [[risk & vision]] analysis and to create a strong unified set of shared [[Mental Model]] around the end state, the process, and the team. Start to create [[divergence]] with activities like [[Brainstorm for novelty]] to create as many solutions as possible and prevent early closure. Look for outsized effects on the edges, [[Barbells make you stronger]], as often the edges are where the leverage is. This is how you get into a [[Blue Ocean Strategy]] situation. Design for [[Antifragility]], not just resilience. Often that will focus on people and [[Teaming by Amy Edmondson]] as the outcomes you strive for, instead of artificially narrow measures. The messy middle is the challenge of being in the middle of a transition. They begin when we start opening the door to possible worlds away from how were. We end up in a transition, or liminal state, and [[transitions involve a messy middle]] until we start to narrow the possible outcomes with [[Convergence]]. There is a [[provisional identity]] Finally, [[emergence]] allows a new, often unimagined outcome to occur, ending with [[Future Lon]]. Along the way we should make sure we are asking the [[essential questions]], so we stay directionally true of our [[Developing Values]], even if we don't know where we are going. No change happens alone, because learning happens in the space between people, according to the [[social-cognitive learning theory]]. After a transition we should measure what has actually happened, have we allowed for an [[Intelligent Failure]] and did we [[invest in loss to get new growth]]? Did we have a [[Transformative Learning]] experience? [[learning happens naturally]], so if we are [[Identifying Reality]] along the way and checking with our [[Holistic evaluation process]] for ensuring we are performing the best [[Assessing]] we can. Do a post-mortem to ensure that you have accounted for all the changes, consider asking the "And what else?" from Haji, along with "what was planned, and did it work?" also ask "and what else happened?" ![[CleanShot 2022-10-14 at 14.37.17.jpg]] This matters because managing transitions is difficult. We often want to go back, changes slide back to the previous state of hemostasis until something is big enough to create a transformative change, and those changes are uncontrolled. ### What would the opposite argument be? Change isn't hard, you just need consistent direction! But [[change is the normal state]]! ## Sources: Bridges, W. (2009). _Managing transitions: Making the most of change_ (3rd ed., rev.updated). Da Capo Press. Haji, F., Morin, M.-P., & Parker, K. (2013). Rethinking programme evaluation in health professions education: Beyond ‘did it work?’: Rethinking health professions programme evaluation. _Medical Education_, _47_(4), 342–351. [https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.12091](https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.12091) Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. _Harvard Business Review_, _March-Apri_, 59–67. [https://hbr.org/1995/05/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail-2](https://hbr.org/1995/05/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail-2) Sinek, S. (2011). _Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action_. Portfolio Penguin.