What's Needed to Initiate Change?

In “Reluctance or Resistance – not the same”, I offered an mathematical inequality shared with me many years ago representing a theory of action to initiative change and increase the opportunity for success.  On one side of the inequality are three variables and on the other side is one - the variable of reluctance often interpreted as resistance.

As you recall, inequalities are represented by symbols translated as “less than, less than or equal to, greater than, or greater than or equal to” as compared to equalities where the “equal to” symbol is used.   Utilizing similar understandings and practices employed with solving equalities, solving inequalities never yield a definitive number or value.  Rather, inequalities are always expressed in terms of a range hence the “less than or equal to” language for example.  When applied to the theory of action for change, this makes perfect sense especially in interpreting variables like reluctance or resistance.  There is always a range of reluctance as there is with resistance to any thing new or different.

Last week I committed to discussing the variable dissatisfaction. I realized, however, that it would be unfair and to a certain degree impractical not to include the second of three variables, vision, to assist with context.  If you don’t have an “ideal state” or a “picture of the future”, dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs is futile.

Dissatisfaction in and of it self is problematic for two reasons.  

First – As the first step towards making a change, dissatisfaction is more than a state of frustration or discontent with the status quo; and

Second – Dissatisfaction with the status quo requires data - authentic, relevant data.  

The most misunderstood use of data is the degree to which there is perceived and real ownership of the data used to illuminate dissatisfaction.  Too often data points are summarily dismissed and labeled as inauthentic or invalid.  This occurs chiefly because there is perceived little or no influence and therefore control of what the data represents.  An additional reason data is dismissed is that not all data is of equal worth or value.  Simply, “weighing the pig doesn’t make the pig fatter”.

In education, for example, this was true – note past tense.  We know more now than ever the “cause and effect” relationship between teaching and learning.  We also know the oft-cited and historical reasons for poor student performance or failure to learn was attributed to influences or factors outside educators’ control.  This has and continues to be readily accepted.  What research has proven (see Correlates of Effective Schools research) is that educators do, in fact, control enough of the factors to ensure effective or successful learning for each learner irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language, or etc.

The key is focusing on those factors that are within the control of educators.  To that end, the data used to bring to light dissatisfaction must be perceived within an individual, group, or organization's control.

Dissatisfaction needs a vision.  If you have a high degree of dissatisfaction but a lackluster vision, staff become disillusioned, dishearten, and possibly cynical or skeptical about committing to change.  Conversely, low dissatisfaction accompanied by a powerful vision will generate much the same but with leadership.  

Teetering on being political, a present example is the Affordable Health Care Act.  The vision of universal health care is powerful.  The level of dissatisfaction with the present system, however, is not to a level that the vision requires especially with those most needed to participate.  Hence, there is significant reluctance and resistance to accepting and embracing the vision irrespective of the legitimacy of the vision.  Finding balance between dissatisfaction and vision to successfully initiate change requires a third variable – First Steps.

First Steps may be the most significant of the variables in proving our inequality as true.  In this case, we want to prove that Dissatisfaction (D) multiplied by Vision (V) multiplied by First Steps (FS) is greater than Reluctance (R) or Resistance (D x V x FS > R).

Dissatisfaction must be informed by data.  Data must have ownership. Thus, the range of dissatisfaction is informed by the range of ownership each person has with the data.  The range of vision is defined by how compelling the “ideal state” is with each individual as well as the organizational. The vision, if forced or mandated, will create a state of compliance not commitment increasing the range of reluctance and resistance.  

Change to be successful requires commitment.  Again, the alignment of core values and guiding principles to the vision is critical and is what generates and sustains commitment.

Next week, an explanation of First Steps will provide both awareness and understanding as to why the range of dissatisfaction and vision has not by themselves balanced reluctance or resistance to begin about enduring change.  We will look at the important role capacity, competence, constraints, and courage play in defining the variable First Steps range.