I was five when I learned to drive, sitting on my grandpa Lee‘s lap. He let me steer his old Ford pickup down dirt roads on his farm, while he worked the pedals.
Because I was five and felt really safe, this was pure joy! I loved the play in the wheel. An unexpected bounce would make me giggle, and then I would simply adjust after we passed the bounce-inducing spot in the road.
As an adult driver, I would find this a much more anxiety-producing situation. I’ve had some scares on the road, and I know more about mass and momentum. But if I address this by gripping really tightly, fighting all the bumps can leave me exhausted. Change fatigue is real.
Someone told me the other day that “a well-planned change process creates cognitive freedom.” That works -- but only as long as everything goes to plan. Honestly, when was the last time your workplace was predictable?
If you're attached to the plan and something unexpected emerges -- new information, a faulty assumption, resistance, a failure -- it's harder to respond. You have to overcome all the inertia of the plan's complexity, people's expectations, promises made, and more.
It's about finding the right balance...and about planning how you're going to respond to the inevitable unknowns that emerge. We call this Kinetic Change™. With the right balance of structure, skills, and responsiveness, you might even find joy in the journey.
This is something that is always good to hear, and a relatable experience at both ends, thanks!