At JAOO 2008 I was in a tutorial by Linda Rising called Fearless Change. It was a great workshop about how you could use certain patterns to introduce changes into your organisation. It was also the one tutorial I could almost literally recite to my boss over dinner that night. It was so good, that we decided to buy the book about those patterns. It’s been on my shelf for a while, but I finally made some time to read it and summarize it. And the book was every bit as good as the workshop was. If you ever think of changing anything, you’ll want to read this book. It won’t completely change the way you think about the world, most of what is in it is actually common sense. But as they say in the book under pressure you often leave your common sense behind and that’s why they wrote this book, to remind you of your common sense. Below is a summary of the book. (As is my wont I’ve tried to mainly use the authors’ own words.)

Part One – Overview

In part one it is explained what patterns for change are and a possible roadmap through all the patterns is offered.

Chapter one: Organizations and Change

There are three factors that speed up or slow down the innovation-decision process: The Change Agent, The Culture and The People. The change agent is, most likely, you. You need three things to successfully share your idea: your belief in it, the drive to bring it into your environment and some information on how to do it. It’s obvious that culture will have a significant impact on the speed of the innovation-decision process for your colleagues. The process will be easier and faster if the culture support and nurtures new ideas, allows time for people to learn and do new things, is patient enough to support innovations that have benefits on the long term, accepts that a learning curve can be long, and does not consider failure to be a death sentence. But even in the most conservative cultures, small changes can happen. You will simply need a lot more patience because change will be slower. As you set off on your journey, you might want to remind yourself that the entity you want to change is not a thing, but a collection of individuals. Even when a culture is open to change, the people within it will accept the change at different rates. In a normal organization the people are divided into five groups: the innovator – who love change, the early adopters – who are open to change after some serious consideration, the early majority – who tend to follow their peers and accept change after it has been proven succesful, the late majority – who approach new ideas with skepticism and caution, and the laggards – who are the last to adopt new ideas, if they adopt them at all.

Chapter two: Strategies or Patterns

When you give a strategie a good name, it will stick in your mind easier. All these names together give you a language to speak about the strategies. The book uses a specific format to describe the patterns. It starts with the Name, followed by the Opening Story and a Summary of the pattern. Then comes the Context in which the pattern fits, followed by the Problem it solves. Then come the Forces that are in play, followed by the Essence of the solution, and some more information about that solution. Then comes a Resulting Context with positive and negative consequences. And finally some stories with known uses of the pattern.

Chapter three: Where Do I start?

The first few patterns to try are Evangelist, Test the Waters, Time for Reflection, Small Successes and Step by Step. Every change agent begins as an Evangelist, because unless you are really passionate about the new idea, others will not be convinced to leave the tried and true ways and follow you. Only a true and abiding belief can carry you through all the turmoil of the successes and failures you’ll encounter. Trying to change an organization by throwing out the old and wholesale bringing in the new is not advisable. Instead Testing the Wates with a gradual, experimental strategy that begins with a little investigating and experimenting to see if your idea has a chance in your environment has much more chance of succeeding. Time for Reflection suggest taking time out to learn from your experiments so that you can decide what patterns to apply next. This may seem trivial, but is of the greatest importance, as you don’t learn unless you think about what you’ve learned. Small Successes remind us to celebrate even the small things along the way, to keep us energized enough to overcome the inevitable failures we’ll encounter. Finally Step by Step cautions against doing too much and expecting results quickly. Innovations are best spread slowly and quietly, so you can learn from your failures and build on your successes.

Chapter four: What Do I Do Next?

The next step is to spark some influential support for the new idea with Connector, Guru on Your Side and Innovator. You should also recognize the power of Ask for Help and Just Say Thanks. The risk with introducing anything is that you can get caught up in the passion you feel for your vision and pretty soon others see this as “all about you”. Right from the beginning you should enlist others to help you avoid this trap. The Connector pattern describes those people who are valuable assets because they know “everybody”. Once you have a Guru on Your Side (a trusted expert), many who might have been skeptics up to that point will at least show interest in the approach and will be move open to what you have to say. The Innovator pattern tells us that a small percentage of the population likes new ideas and, therefore, is likely to take up the cause and eagerly do what they can to help you. Never forget the help you get from Connectors, Gurus, Innovators, or anyone else who joing your team. When people do something they consider quite ordinary or part of their job and you take time and thank them, they seem quite pleased.

Chapter five: Meetings and More

Some effective meeting patterns are Piggyback, Brown Bag, Do Food, The Right Time, Plant the Seeds, External Validation, Next Steps, Stay in Touch, e-Forum, and Group Identity. The Piggyback pattern recommends that you don’t do any work that you don’t have to. Instead, give your presentation as part of a regularly scheduled activity. If you do decide to schedule your own meeting, try the pattern Brown Bag and have your gathering over lunch time, when most people are free. Attendees bring their lunch and eat during the meeting. The pattern Do Food recommends using food because it is a powerful influencer. The Right Time is another pattern to keep in mind. For example, there are always better times than hitting a team right before a deadline. At the end of every event, consider the pattern Next Steps. Give people something to hang on to. If you have some interesting books or articles about your new idea, use the pattern Plant the Seeds and bring these materials to the meeting. The pattern External Validation is about lookingfor evidence that your suggested change will work from outside of your own organization. As you collect a list of interested people, think of good ways to use the pattern Stay in Touch. One way to stay in touch is the pattern e-Forum, an electronic forum that will allow you to communicate with a large group of people on a regular basis. If there is sufficient interest, at an appropriate point use the pattern Group Identity. Assigning an identity to your change initiative helps people become aware that it exists and what it is trying to do.

Chapter six: Take Action!

The patterns for the next bold step are Just Do It, Study Group and Mentor. The difference between perfection and excellence is that people striving for perfection are trying not to make any errors. People striving for excellence know that it’s impossible to avoid mistakes. So what should you do to learn? The answer is in the pattern Just Do It. Take a step on the path to your goal and learn as you go. Another way to learn more is to find a small group of like-minded folks who are willing to help you use the pattern Study Group. Each member of the group takes turns leading a session and preapring a “lesson”. While you are learning, you can begin to help others using the Mentor pattern. When teams are just beginning to apply an innovation, it can be invaluable to have someone around that knows more than they do, even if it is only a
little more.

Chapter seven: It’s All About People

Changing means interaction with people, the patterns for this are Personal Touch, Tailor Made and Shoulder to Cry On. When you use the pattern Personal Touch, you help each individual understand how the innovation can be useful in his own environment to solve his problems. The pattern Tailor Made adresses the same concern but at a different level. It is about how the innovation can meet the business needs of the organization. Sometimes you will need the pattern Shoulder to Cry On, as the road towards your goal will not always be an easy one. Like-minded people can help, not only to listen, but also to help thrash out possible
solutions to your problems.

Chapter eight: A New Role: Now You’re Dedicated!

In order to make the change effort part of your job we have the patterns Dedicated Champion, Local Sponsor, Corporate Angel, Early Adopter and Early Majority. To make real headway, you will have to have to be able to apply the pattern Dedicated Champion, that is, the change initiative must become part of your job description. The recognition that the change initiative is deserving of this attention will probably come from your boss, this is the pattern Local Sponsor. At some point you will also need the pattern Corporate Angel, so look for opportunities to capture the interest of a high-level executive, who can ensure that your work is aligned with business needs. Early Adopters need to be convince that the idea is useful to the organization, while those in the Early Majority need to be see that others have been successful before they are influenced to try the innovation.

Chapter nine: Convince the Masses

To convince others that change is good you can use the patterns Trial Run, Guru Review, Big Jolt and Royal Audience. The Trial Run is a powerful pattern, because most of the time, for most of us, change is difficult. The magic is in seeing the change as “temporary”. Suddenly, the new approach becomes a smaller threat. Sometimes resistors want data. To show that your idea has benefit for the organization, you can ask some respected individuals or gurus to evaluate it. This is the Guru Review pattern. When you have resources, you can apply the Big Jolt pattern and bring in an outside speaker. This allows you to take advantage of the considerable influence of well-known people. When you combine a Big Jolt visit with the pattern Royal Audience, you provide the opportunity for people to personally interact with the famous visitor.

Chapter ten: More Influence Strategies

Further influence strategies are Hometown Story, Smell of Success, Just Enough, In Your Space, Token, and Location, Location, Location. Take advantage of the experiences of the early adopters and use the Hometown Story pattern. Ask people to share their story in an informal forum where they can just talk about their experience and then interact in a question and answer session. The Smell of Success pattern recognizes that people will be drawn to the innovation when they hear about positive results. When people are asking questions and things are happening, it’s a good idea to keep the work-in-progress visible using the pattern In Your Space. Making sure the new idea is seen throughout your organization will have a positive impact on the rate at which people adopt it. Another way to keep something alive in people’s minds is to use the Token pattern. This simple influence strategy suggests that you hand out something for participants to take with them when they attend an event related to the new idea. As you schedule meetings related to the innovation, consider the important pattern Location, Location, Location. Having a meeting at another location can be a powerful motivator.

Chapter eleven: Keep it Going

It’s important to keep going, so use the patterns Involve Everyone and Sustained Momentum. Use the pattern Involve Everyone to bring in even those who might not have been a part of your original target population. The second equally important pattern advises that you’ll need to keep a Sustained Momentum. Our natural tendency is to stop and rest once things are underway, but we run the risk of losing everything if we don’t keep it going.

Chapter twelve: Dealing with Resistance

The patterns Fear Less, Bridge-Builder, Champion Skeptic, Corridor Politics, and Whisper in the General’s Ear
will help you overcome resistance. The pattern Fear Less urges you to use the skeptics as resources. Listen with an open mind to hear the other side and take the message to heart. No idea is perfect. We need to learn as we go and what better way than by hearing from everyone around us. Using the pattern Bridge-Builder to find the right person to “adopt” a skeptic can allow you to reach those who don’t find you credible. To make sure you have the objections of the skeptics before you, use the pattern Champion Skeptic. Recognize the contribution of a person who is good at looking at the negative side by officially giving him that duty. When there are important decisions to make, consider the pattern Corridor Politics. Politics are here to stay, and experienced change agents know that before a big vote is taken they should contact each individual who is voting to address any concerns or questions. Use the pattern Whisper in the General’s Ear to convince reluctant managers. The primary reason for using this approach is to begin to build a relationship with a high-level manager. While he may never become an enthusiastic supporter, at least he is less likely to block your efforts.

Part Two – Experiences

To illustrate how patterns can be used to introduce something new, this part of the book presents some actual user experiences.

Multiple Sclerosis Society Experience Report

One woman’s effort to build an international organization involved in research and support for patients with MS.

UNCA Experience Report

A medium-sized university introducing a new general education curriculum.

Sun Core J2EE Patterns Experience Report

Sun Microsystems, provider of hardware, software and services, introducing a specialized collection of design patterns.

Customer Training Experience Report

Introduction of a new approach at a large avionics company.

Part Three – The Patterns

This part of the book contains the patterns. In the book the patterns are described in the format as described in chapter two. For the summary I’ll use the list as used in the appendix of the book. (And as can be downloaded from www.lindarising.org.)

Ask for Help

Since the task of introducing a new idea into an organization is a big job, look for people and resources to help your efforts.

Big Jolt

To provide more visibility for the change effort, invite a high profile person into your organization to talk about the new idea.

Bridge-Builder

Pair those who have accepted the new idea with those who have not.

Brown Bag

Use the time when people normally eat lunch to provide a convenient and relaxed setting for hearing about the new idea.

Champion Skeptic

Ask for Help from strong opinion leaders, who are skeptical of your new idea, to play the role of “official skeptic.” Use their comments to improve your effort, even if you don’t change their minds.

Connector

To help you spread the word about the innovation, Ask for Help from people who have connections with many others in the organization.

Corporate Angel

To help align the innovation with the goals of the organization, get support from a high-level executive.

Corridor Politics

Informally work on decision makers and key influencers before an important vote to make sure they fully understand the consequences of the decision.

Dedicated Champion

To increase your effectiveness in introducing your new idea, make a case for having the work part of your job description.

Do Food

Make an ordinary gathering a special event by including food.

e-Forum

Set up an electronic bulletin board, distribution list, listserve, or writeable Web site for those who want to hear more.

Early Adopter

Win the support of the people who can be opinion leaders for the new idea.

Early Majority

To create commitment to the new idea in the organization, you must convince the majority.

Evangelist

To begin to introduce the new idea into your organization, do everything you can to share your passion for it.

External Validation

To increase the credibility of the new idea, bring in information from sources external to the organization.

Fear Less

Turn resistance to the new idea to your advantage.

Group Identity

Give the change effort an identity to help people recognize that it exists.

Guru on Your Side

Enlist the support of senior-level people who are esteemed by members of the organization.

Guru Review

Gather anyone who is a Guru on Your Side and other interested colleagues to evaluate the new idea for managers and other developers.

Hometown Story

To help people see the usefulness of the new idea, encourage those who have had success with it to share their stories.

In Your Space

Keep the new idea visible by placing reminders throughout your organization.

Innovator

When you begin the change initiative, Ask for Help from colleagues who like new ideas.

Involve Everyone

For a new idea to be successful across an organization, everyone should have an opportunity to support the innovation and make his own unique contribution.

Just Do It

To prepare to spread the word about the new idea, use it in your own work to discover its benefits and limitations.

Just Enough

To ease learners into the more difficult concepts of a new idea, give a brief introduction and then make more information available when they are ready.

Just Say Thanks

To show your appreciation, say “Thanks” in the most sincere way you can to everyone who helps you.

Local Sponsor

Ask for Help from first-line management. When your boss supports the tasks you are doing to introduce the new idea, you can be even more effective.

Location, Location, Location

To avoid interruptions that disrupt the flow of an event, try to hold significant events off site.

Mentor

When a project wants to get started with the new idea, have someone around who understands it and can help the team.

Next Steps

Take time near the end of an event about the new idea to identify what participants can do next.

Personal Touch

To convince people of the value in a new idea, show how it can be personally useful and valuable to them.

Piggyback

When faced with several obstacles in your strategy to introduce something new, look for a way to piggyback on a practice in your organization.

Plant the Seeds

To spark interest, carry materials (seeds) and display (plant) them when the opportunity arises.

The Right Time

Consider the timing when you schedule events or when you ask others for help.

Royal Audience

Arrange for management and members of the organization to spend time with a Big Jolt visitor.

Shoulder to Cry On

To avoid becoming too discouraged when the going gets tough, find opportunities to talk with others who are also struggling to introduce a new idea.

Small Successes

To avoid becoming overwhelmed by the challenges and all the things you have to do when you’re involved in an organizational change effort, celebrate even small successes.

Smell of Success

When your efforts result in some visible positive result, people will come out of the woodwork to talk to you. Treat this opportunity as a teaching moment.

Stay in Touch

Once you’ve enlisted the support of key persons, don’t forget about them and make sure they don’t forget about you.

Step by Step

Relieve your frustration at the enormous task of changing an organization by taking one small step at a time toward your goal.

Study Group

Form a small group of colleagues who are interested in exploring or continuing to learn about a specific topic.

Sustained Momentum

Take a pro-active approach to the ongoing work of sustaining the interest in the new idea in your organization.

Tailor Made

To convince people in the organization of the value they can gain from the new idea, tailor your message to the needs of the organization.

Test the Waters

When a new opportunity presents itself, see if there is any interest by using some of the patterns in this language and then evaluating the result.

Time For Reflection

To learn from the past, take time at regular intervals to evaluate what is working well and what should be done differently.

Token

To keep a new idea alive in a person’s memory, hand out tokens that can be identified with the topic being introduced.

Trial Run

When the organization is not willing to commit to the new idea, suggest that they experiment with it for a short period and study the results.

Whisper in the General’s Ear

Managers are sometimes hard to convince in a group setting, so meet privately to address any concerns.