Constellation of Change

Have you been trying to dig a new path in a different direction, asking people to come with you, and struggling to maintain your motivation and energy?

Bringing about change takes time, so if you finding yourself getting caught up in the detail, losing yourself and your enthusiasm, it’s time to take a step back.

And sometimes break through can come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways, being able to see those opportunities can bring all that toil to fruition.

So here are some tips to help reflect on where you've got to and where you're going.

1. Focus on individuals

How well do you know the people you’re working with? How about the people you lead?

Understanding what motivates a person, what they value and what their strengths are and how this links them into the changes will help you both see the contribution they can make in the new direction you’re all taking.

Are there new opportunities for individuals?

When you’re leading change, it can create opportunities for people to move into roles that are a better fit for their skills and strengths.

It may also create a desire to retain people you know and trust to help you deliver the changes across the group, department, organisation. Yet there are times when the changes may not necessarily work for them, which can cause tension and a dilemma – to help someone seek other opportunities, when you are relying on them to support you through the changes. By supporting individuals to identify and follow their path, you’ll be working to bring out the best in them and the opportunity to work with new people who will be able to offer different perspectives on how you move forward.

2. Keeping a view on the wider system

It can be easy to get lost in the detail.

It can also feel like the goal posts keep moving. That the place you thought you were heading to suddenly disappears from view.

And simply keeping the whole thing going in the right direction feels overwhelming.

Are you a visual person? Or perhaps it’s words and phrases you’re drawn to?

Find a way to illustrate where you’re aiming for, that is quick and easy to relate to, a simple reminder for yourself and others.

Make time for regular reviews on progress.

-      What’s changed since the last review?

-      What’s changed externally to us?

-      How do we integrate the external changes to the internal changes we’re making?

-      Are we still heading in the right direction?

Are you connected to the right people?

Changes happen across a system, an interconnected web. As you lead change

-      How strong are your connections across that web?

-      Have you lost connections?

-      What new connections can or should you build?

Making sense of the whole

A focus on individuals, a view on the wider system, keeping everything going can feel simply too much to contain and maintain.

-      Who are you working with who also has a vested interest in making this a success?

-      Who can help you see things from different perspectives?

-      Who can help you step outside, re-charge and re-energise?

3. Gratitude and Celebration

Don’t forget to celebrate! Whatever steps you’ve taken, they’re steps forward. And marking movement forward can help everyone recognise the changes that have happened, and keep momentum.

And if individuals have moved on to new roles, thanking them and acknowledging their contribution will help people feel valued and respected whether they remain or pursue other opportunities.

Seek to enjoy the journey, the challenges you overcome and the progress you make. Destinations may change with time, it’s the path you make that you’ll remember and learn from.