Change is messy. We cling onto our habits like those pants that are now too tight, or a favourite jersey still in the cupboard, enjoyed by moths. Different ways don’t quite fit at first, old certainties become new doubts; fear of loss threatens hope of gain. It is chaos. Embrace it, for a time.
Chaos, in Greek mythology and modern enterprise, is the disordered and formless mass from which new worlds are made. And re-made. In the middle of a change, expect a muddle of questions, confusion, hesitation, dissent, and support. It is all grist to the mill.
It helps to define the need to change, the process, timing, stakeholder involvement, and ongoing progress. And to co-create a compelling vision of what can be. A vision so compelling that the muddle in the middle becomes a journey to clarity.We’ve gone through the muddle in the middle many times.
