Interview published by Ariba Exchange

1. Link to global publication:
http://exchange.ariba.com/community/solutions/blog/2011/02/22/interview-with-maureen-
kelsey-change-transformation
I am a certified global strategy consultant, program manager and international development
consultant in the private and public sectors and have an extensive background in US, European,
Russian and Central Asian markets.
Core competencies:
 Alliance with board and C level
 Strategic and tactical planning through implementation—business, organization, process and
technology
 Complex transformation, transition and performance optimization projects with cross
functional, regional and country teams
Ariba introduces theme of Change and Transformation
Several months ago I was asked by McKinsey to participate in a global survey on the topic of
change and transformation of organizations. The results were published on 27 December 2010
under the heading:
“Though a majority of respondents at publicly traded companies say their redesigns increased
shareholder value, only a very small group of respondents—8 percent of those who have been
through a redesign—say their efforts added value, were completed on time, and fully met their
business objectives.”
https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Organization/Change_Management/Taking_organizational_redesigns
_from_plan_to_practice_McKinsey_Global_Survey_results_2721
As we are focused on change and transformation and have already extensive, widely published
evidence that the vast majority of these initiatives are unsuccessful, one can wonder why
organizations continue to do the same thing over and over expecting different results, a
commonly held expression of insanity.
And let’s consider too why so many hold on so tight to the mechanistic approach in light of the
fact that humans are part of Nature, also widely published and surely no secret that
organizations are systems comprised of living organisms—people.
Let’s do some grounding looking at some recently published articles, like the article published
26 December 2010 by various online sources, such as yahoo and CNN: “According to a recent
survey by job-placement firm Manpower, 84% of employees plan to look for a new position in
2011. That's up from just 60% last year shows that 84% of American workers want to leave
their jobs.”
http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/23/pf/workers_want_new_jobs/index.htm

2. In this article Lauren says: "I'm currently in an environment where I'm not learning anything
and am not challenged by any of my work," she said. "It just makes me feel like I'm wasting my
time." One needs to ask the question, if 84% seek work elsewhere, where will they go, from
one meaningless organization to another?
A final example that shows just how “out of tune” organizations / systems are, is a recently
published “I'm Bored - The Significance Manifesto”, a part of which follows:
“I'm bored (when I'm not horrified) by the fact that most boardrooms seem to be on a quest to
win the gold medal in this year's Sociopathy Olympics. And I'm bored of excuses that are
instantly, constantly cooked up about it. "The market demands it." "Our investors made us do
it." What is this, first grade?”
http://www.managementexchange.com/blog/im-bored-significance-manifesto
Ariba Q: How can we understand what all this could mean?
An observation made by Carl G Jung:
“Unfortunately there can be no doubt that man is, on the whole, less good than he imagines
himself or wants to be. Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the
individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always
has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly in contact with other interests, so that
it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is repressed and isolated from
consciousness, it never gets corrected.”
Consider too Deming’s Profound Knowledge Model which shows psychology is one of the 4
points underlying system, knowledge and variation.
In systems thinking, knowledge is the product of science which occurs within the system or
organization, while understanding is the product of why (and often whys) which occurs outside
the system.
Both are equally important although it is a common mistake that an imbalance exits between
the two as understanding is so often considered unimportant, like the necessity of head and
heart.
It is advantageous to learn the dynamics, in particular typology, or how your own individual
psyche works and how psychic energies function in humanity.
Deming’s Profound Knowledge Model
System Knowledge Variation
Psychology

3. Certainly, focusing in the McKinsey Report on the “How the best organizations do it” provides
truly beneficial information. An issue of particular interest, as one of the root causes, is:
“However, among respondents at the most successful organizations, the challenge most
frequently cited as the most harmful is company leadership undermining the change. In our
experience, this tends to happen when leaders wait too long to make difficult talent-
management changes.”
The above represents a personal observation that I have made for years—most companies have
been and continue profiling out diversity and talent who have the needed skills to bring about
successful change and transformation.
Here, I would like to restate a part of Jung’s observation:
If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly
in contact with other interests, so that it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is
repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected.”
In Eugene Pascal’s book, “Jung to Live By” he mentions that the process of alchemy shows that
there is opportunity for 80% of lead to be transformed to gold. In this regard, may the light
shine upon us all and may we consider:
“Man's task is to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the unconscious.
We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”
C G Jung
Let’s consider too some wise words by Albert Einstein: “Look deep into nature, and then you
will understand everything better. No problem can be solved from the same level of
consciousness that created it.”
Ariba Q: How can we look at change differently?
We can look at Change and Transformation as a process, adaptable, agile, flexible….. to living
organisms, like orgs that are comprised of people).
Process summarized: See + Do + Finish
First barrier: Failure to see the need and overcoming resistance.

4. Overcoming first barrier and creating the See –create a powerful contrast (see, hear, taste,
smell, touch) between what people have thought and what needs to be and engage with them
in an experiential way to breakthrough this initial barrier.
This function is the same way we physically see something. We need contrast and we see
things best that are directly in front of us. Creating the contrast or difference and then
experientially engaging the people.
Second barrier: Failure to get people capable to do something new that they have never done
before; overcoming the “I don’t know how and/ or I’m not good at it.
I’d rather be good at the wrong thing than bad at the new thing.”
Overcoming the second barrier: Think through capabilities of people’s ability to actually make
the move (change) becoming capable so that they good do it. To make individuals capable, it is
necessary to pay attention to the active development of the individuals, helping them by giving
them knowledge, training, technology, encouragement and support. Give people confidence
through new skills.
Third barrier: Failure to finish because it takes time, one can get tired; lot’s of energy at the
outset with no results to show. It’s like when a child always asks on a trip, Are we there yet?
Overcoming the third barrier: Someone close to the individuals because when one is tired and
just wants to give up, because it’s just exhausting, someone tells them it’s worth it. Champions
are needed not only at the top but also close by where the work gets done continuing to
encourage because there’s so much energy at the beginning without any result. People need to
feel that someone cares about their success. Help them know where we are at, all the feedback
about this and lots of encouragement in a real, authentic way.
Key elements of the process: Personalized introspection, using intrinsic motivation, keeping it
simple or practical and at the same time powerful with integrity, dignity and sincerity with and
for the individual(s).
For an opportunity to learn together with us and participate in a global innovation initiative we
invite you to visit Call to Change—we are innovators from 25 countries reaching every continent
and include a researcher at Euro Institute for cultural evolution and management innovation
who is also a key rep for the global organization Management Innovation Exchange
headquartered in Silicon Valley.
Call to Change has a page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Call-to-
Change/159881987362799