Change Whisperer – Gail Severini's Blog


“You’re a little loopy when you’re hungry.” Working at the limits of change capacity

You're a little loopy when you're hungry graphicI always laugh when I see the new Snickers commercials—I admit it, I sometimes even rewind them.

They remind me that “You’re not yourself when you’re under the stress of change.”

Have you seen Robin Williams on your projects lately? This is the “Fourth and loopy” commercial where the usually very intense and focused coach is momentarily an incarnation of Robin Williams.

Very funny…because we can relate. continue reading here



Leading strategy? Vicarious rejuvenation. Post 3 of 3

 “The whales sing, not because they have an answer. They sing because they have a song.” —Andrew Stevenson

Endurance cropped with nameThere is no substitute for getting away from it all.

Displacement is a powerful rejuvenation technique.

For six hours on March 14th we forgot everything. We focused only on finding whales. I hope this story will “take you away” for a few minutes. continue reading here



Leading strategy? The three key ingredients for rejuvenation. Post 2 of 3

You can go to heaven if you want. I’d rather stay in Bermuda.” —Mark Twain

Castle IslandThere are, of course, many compelling reasons to take a vacation, but here is one that reconciles with your business objectives.

Go slow to go fast.

To bring our best selves forward to complex and high-pressure strategy, we need clear minds and fulsome spirits.
continue reading here



Leading strategy? The business case for rejuvenation. Post 1 of 3

“Going faster and faster leads either to immediate lift off or eventually to a grinding halt. Slow down to go faster.”—Gail Severini

whale fluke March 14 with citationExecuting strategy is exhausting―both physically and emotionally.

It requires double-timing at very stressful and often long-term initiatives.

Everyone needs to find ways to re-charge, re-fresh, re-juvenate.

continue reading here



Optimizing internal and external change management (presentation and tip sheet)

At the Association of Change Management Professionals’ annual  conference last week, I participated on and moderated a panel of four great practitioners titled “Perks and Perils -  Optimizing Internal & External Change Management”.

ACMP logoWe developed a condensed 10-minute summary that would quickly convey our perspectives on:

  • 1. The current trend toward building in-house change management capabilities
  • 2. The nature of typical internal change management entities (3 models and 2 break through options)
  • 3. The different roles that external practitioners play
  • 4. Scenarios for optimizing internals and externals
  • continue reading here



“Organ rejection” and other reactions to consultants

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”—Aristotle

yin and yang2.pngA couple of years ago I was working with a great team of consultants (externals) on a major strategic change for a national bank.

It wasn’t going well. Two change management practitioners had tried and failed before me to help the project get traction.

In a team meeting, one of the consultants complained, “It’s like organ rejection: they need us, we can help them, but they keep rejecting us.” continue reading here



Breakthrough innovation is uncomfortable―get through it. Post 2

“Be careful what you ask for cause you just might get it.” Refrain from “When I Grow Up” by The Pussycat Dolls

peppersMany organizations are chasing the “innovation” strategy.

We want all of the benefits, don’t we?

We want the shiny design, the “loyalty” of our clients, the envy of our competitors, and the bountiful revenue.

This is “hot” change. Maybe uncomfortably hot.

What price is the organization willing to pay?

What price are you, the leader, willing to pay? How about you, the employee? continue reading here



Are you tired of cheesy advice about change?

cheesyYou don’t need shallow platitudes. You need deep insight and sober resolve from battle-scarred resources.

Want your kids to grow up? “Stop cooking with cheese!”

There is a fantastic commercial that suggests kids live at home into their forties because the cooking is just too good. Check it out here.

continue reading here



Breakthroughs in strategy

“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.” Albert Einstein

cliffjumpingKids these days have a phrase: “FAIL.”  It means something like “epic failure” and describes scenarios often so common or standard that when someone fails it is all the more astounding.

A huge pop culture industry has evolved around those occurrences that are particularly funny. It started with shows like “America’s Funniest Videos” and now “Ridiculousness” takes it to the next level.

Seems to me that someone could make a show around “FAIL” in organizational strategy.

How can we all get out of this fail loop?

This little rant is inspired by an excellent post from Bill Fox called, “Jump, Rinse, Repeat.  Why do we keep implementing change like this?”

continue reading here



Honk if you love change. Quotes and resources on innovation.

heart innovationI love innovation.

I have spent about half my career immersed in new product development, some in the hyper-change environment of start-ups.

I hope you are inspired, moved, by the following quotes and resources to embrace more innovation.

The world is changing around us. We need to innovate to be better―to be relevant, to be competitive, make a difference. continue reading here




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