The Change Formula

Did you know there is a simple formula for change that we can use to plan and manage our change efforts? The formula is very straight forward, easy to understand and has been tested over many years of use. It can be useful in both our professional and personal lives and used everyday.

We are surrounded by change. Even if we try to stand still and resist the change, it keeps moving forward. Everything about our work and personal lives is in a continual state of change. The way we communicate is changing, every year there are technology changes, the weather changes, there are new breakthroughs in medicine and treatments, the way we work is changing, everything continues to change. “Resistance is futile”, to quote a popular science fiction series.

Sometimes we want to create or manage change as we envision a better way of doing something or in response to changes in our circumstances. There are other times when we are involved in a change of some type that needs a boost or adjustment in direction or energy. These are times we can apply the Change Formula to help to move the change along.

The Change Formula has been through several evolutions since its inception in the 1960s by David Gleicher. It was initially popularized by Richard Beckhard in his widely read book Organizational Transitions and re-popularized in the 1990s by Kathleen Dannemiller who simplified it [1].

(for those of you not mathematically inclined, just humor me on this, I will explain it in the following material)

The formula is this:

C = (ABD) > X
A = Level of dissatisfaction with the status quo (dissatisfied with present state)
B = Desirability of the proposed change or end state (eager to achieve the end state)
C = Change
D = Practicality of the change (minimal risk and disruption)
X = ’Cost’ of changing (perceived cost)

In other terms, it means that the power of the motivation for change is the combination of:
A) not being happy with the way things are,
B) the strength of the vision of the future and,
D) having practical first steps.

These things combined need to be more powerful than the resistance to the change.

So let’s look at these in more details so that we can understand how to apply it in our everyday lives.

Level of Dissatisfaction (A)
The first element is not being happy with the current situation also known as dissatisfaction with the status quo. This represents a measure of the current state of things. Are people unhappy with the way things are? Is there a general sense of dissatisfaction with the current situation?

Vision (B)
Is there a strong vision of the future state? Is there a clear picture of how good things will be when we get to the new place? If not, then this can be a real limiting factor for progress. A strong vision helps people focus on where we are going and the benefits of getting there. Also, if there is not a sufficient level of dissatisfaction with the current state, this can help elevate that component by comparing and contrasting the present with the future.

Practical First Steps (D)
Has anyone identified a few next steps to get us on our way? Without a practical plan we just have high frustration because we are unhappy with the present, see a great future but cannot get started on our journey there.

All of these elements need to be present and represent a lever to help move the change forward. If any of these are missing, the change will not take place. If any of these are weak, they represent an opportunity to add more energy to the process.

Let’s look at a practical example:

So let’s make this really practical. How can we use this everyday? Take a look at a change project at work and see if you can identify and rate these three items.

1) Are people unhappy with the current situation? If not, why not. Perhaps from their perspective, this change is not needed.

2) Do people see the benefit of the change? Is the result of the change a better place than where we are now? If not, then there is clear work to be done here. I think it is apparent that if we are happy where we are and the future is not a compelling place to be, nothing is going to change.

3) Lastly, if everyone is unhappy and anxious to move to a better future, then a plan needs to be in place. It does not even need to be a complete plan, but at least a clear articulation of how we get started. Is there a plan in place? If not, identify the next steps that we can take now to get in motion (or increase our forward motion).

It has been my experience that these things work. Examining and adjusting to these simple elements has provided an effective map for creating change. I have used it extensively in both my personal and professional life and it has always made a difference. There is much, much more to this formula than we have discussed here and if there is sufficient interest we can explore this in more detail in the future.

I hope you have found this to be helpful. It was a great revelation for me when I received it. I look forward to our next discussion. Please feel free to share your thoughts and examples in the comments below.

Thanks,

Skip Gilbert