| Zen, a school of Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizes | | | | and moving on, nothing replaces emotional |
| experiential Prajna (wisdom and understanding of | | | | awareness. For those golfers out there - you |
| the Buddha nature within). This wisdom and | | | | didn't learn to golf by reading a book. You learn to |
| awareness are realized through meditation and | | | | golf and become a better golfer by practicing. |
| mindfulness of daily experiences. Zen practitioners | | | | The same philosophy holds true for becoming an |
| believe this provides insights which ultimately lead | | | | effective change management practitioner - it |
| to enlightenment. Theoretical knowledge and the | | | | takes practice. |
| study of religious texts are deemphasized in favor | | | | So, back away from your journey and revisit |
| of direct, experiential realization through meditation | | | | your experiences. |
| and practice. | | | | |
| Change management, a discipline that emphasizes | | | | 1. THINK about what worked and didn't work with |
| managing the 'people side of change' has | | | | a recent change. |
| similarities akin to Zen Buddhism. Wisdom and | | | | 2. REFLECT on the objections and resistance you |
| understanding of change takes practice, reflection, | | | | experienced as a result of a change or the |
| observation, and mindfulness. Change | | | | objections and resistance you faced from others |
| management is a skill to be developed. For those | | | | during a change you were trying to implement. |
| of you that have tried to meditate and quiet your | | | | 3. STOP and BE MINDFUL of where people |
| mind, you know that it takes practice and you | | | | struggled, where you struggled. |
| realize your mind is difficult to calm. | | | | 4. REVISIT what you would do differently, what |
| There are plenty of change management texts, | | | | you would do again. |
| models, tools, and best practices, however, | | | | We all get moving so fast in today's world. What |
| assessing change, preparing for change, being | | | | would our world be like if we practiced slowing |
| aware of how you are experiencing change, being | | | | down, if we practiced stopping the empty |
| conscious of how others are perceiving change, | | | | chatter, if we practiced calming our minds? My |
| learning how to influence others to support | | | | bet is that that we would live better lives, more |
| change are ALL aspects of being an effective | | | | peaceful lives. We would notice when compassion |
| change leader that takes practice and experience. | | | | is needed and when a firm decision to move |
| These insights don't come from reading a book | | | | forward is needed. We would recognize why |
| on change management - although change | | | | people are resisting a change and what response |
| management books and research are useful in | | | | is meaningful. We would learn how to affect |
| gaining knowledge from those that have gone | | | | change and be effective change leaders - a skill |
| before you - nothing replaces experience, nothing | | | | that that our organizations, governments, |
| replaces making mistakes and learning from them | | | | communities, and families need more than ever. |