If you don’t know where you’re going, any map will do!

How important is a Change Map Treasure Map?

Wandering in the wilderness, the small group changed directions several times before finally settling down for lunch. They were hunting for treasure and were excited about what they might find.

“I think we’re making real progress. We’ve been walking for four hours and we’ve worked really hard,” said the tall, lanky man on the right.

“I agree.  And we’ve really worked well together – each of us have shared time carrying the heavy bags,” commented the woman on the left. She wanted to compliment the group on their efforts.

“I’m just happy to be part of the group. I really like you guys. I’m sure we’ll get to the treasure in time,” said the man in the back. The rest of the group nodded. Each of them had already mentally started planning what they would do with their part of the treasure.

A couple of them had begun to suspect that they may have backtracked a bit on the trail earlier, but everyone’s mood was still light and they were anticipating success…

What?!?!?!

If these folks were on a TV program, we would probably be rolling our eyes and wondering who was going to get voted off.

Do they even know where they are going? They seem to have a vague goal (find treasure), and they appear to be working together well, but how will they ever get to the treasure if they are not clear on HOW to get there? Do they even have a map?

Actually, what many fail to realize is that if you don’t know where you’re going, any map will do!

Change Leadership

Have you been on a team like this before?  People are “working hard”, but without a clear sense of direction?  Not having a clear goal and a map to get there seems like an obvious problem with a task like a treasure hunt, but shouldn’t you think about your company’s goals and objectives as the treasure – and your strategy and change plans as the map to get there?

As a change leader, your job becomes defining the map, then helping everyone read and understand the map so your business will be ready for a change  (and making sure no one starts making their own maps) …

Are you using your Treasure Map “Change Map” to find treasure get your business ready?

It’s easy for company strategies to get posted on a wall or put into a presentation, but are your employees living it? As a change leader, have you put into place the change management and business readiness strategies to ensure that your company, its employees, its customers, and everyone else you interact with knows where you are going?  Do they all have the map?

Are you:

  1. Clearly Defining Your Treasure Map Change Map.  Developing all the activities that you and your team need to do to find the treasure acheive the change.  You need to have the right map for your goal!
  2. Communicating and Sponsoring the Change Map. And I don’t just mean mentioning it once in a staff meeting. I mean, talking about how current projects fit on the map. Connecting the dots about how all the things your team is doing are getting you closer to the treasure. Are you following the map when motivating your folks?
  3. Checking for Alignment to the Map. Get out your GPS and make sure that people are following the map. If the projects and activities they are working on don’t seem to be getting you closer to the treasure, reevaluate.
  4. Tracking Your Progress on the Map. Is someone marking where you are on the map at any given point? (Some folks might call this metrics.) Either way, are you quantifying how you are making progress towards your treasure?

As the leader of the change, be sure you are keeping your Change Map current and on point. Make sure everyone knows where you are going and that it is clearly illustrated on the Change Map (X marks the spot).

If not, you’re just wandering in the wilderness you don’t know where you’re going and any map will do.

Comments?? What do you think is the most important change activity to help keep a team on track to find treasure acheive a change? What are the biggest downfalls you have seen?

Until next time …wishing you business readiness success.

Kirsten Jordan