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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting edition of The Leader Show with Lou Carter. Today, we are joined by Jake Jacobs, who discusses his book, ‘Leverage Change.’
The conversation centers around organizational transformation, discussing various processes involved. The speakers explore the requirements of leadership in the modern world, with particular attention to the Generation Z and Millennial demographics, humorously termed as ‘ZEOs or Zillennials.’
The discussion also includes the need for deep social change within organizations. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in!
Firstly, Lou and Jake delve into the principles of transformation and change. The latter being the author of ‘Leverage Change,’ emphasizes the importance of beginning with the end in mind. He discusses his concept of eight strategic levers that facilitate faster, easier, and better results.
Additionally, he warns that focusing solely on efficiency could lead to achieving the wrong results, hence the importance of defining the vision, metrics for success, and expected results from all stakeholders’ perspectives.
Lou agrees, likening it to setting sail on a ship without knowing the destination. They both underscore the importance of a clear vision for successful results. Jacobs further adds that the end goals should be aspirational and advantageous for the organization, as successful change can become a great recruitment and retention strategy.
Next, the speakers progress from defining results to addressing the concept of leverage in the context of change. Jacobs highlights the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes and his concept of leverage – the idea of getting more done with less. In the context of change, Jacobs suggests this is about identifying the main challenges in a change effort and applying specific ‘levers’ or strategies to overcome them.
They then dive into the issue of change fatigue; the overwhelm that people and organizations can experience due to continuous change. Instead of recommending less change, which could affect organizational effectiveness, Jacobs advocates for a focus on continuity – acknowledging what has been done well in the past and what will remain constant.
This approach, he explains, brings a balance to the notion of change, reinstates confidence in people, and allows a fuller, more realistic understanding of the process of change. Jake suggests that paying attention to both change and continuity will lead to smarter decisions for individuals and organizations.
Moving on, Lou and Jake delve into the distinction between transactional change and transformational change. They argue that change shouldn’t be seen as a mere sequence of events but rather as a holistic, three-dimensional transformation. They mention the Johari Window concept as a framework for understanding this.
Jacobs introduces his chapter “Change Your Paradigms Transform Your Organization” from a book named Transformulation. He asserts the power of shifting paradigms for organizational change, emphasizing the need for a focus on continuity.
On that note, he shares an example of a European retail CEO who integrated the concept of continuity into every aspect of the company’s change process, resulting in smarter decision-making and successful implementation of change.
Lou then refers to the Change Champions Field Guide, which includes Jacobs’ work, and highlights a process that begins with identifying collective dissatisfactions and progresses to vision and first actions to overcome resistance.
Subsequently, Lou discusses the critical role of knowledge transfer to internal human resources (HR), organizational development (OD), and learning development and talent management (LDTM) teams, which he believes strengthens trust within the organization.
He voices concern over a growing trend of new leaders bringing in external change consultants, potentially sidelining internal teams and neglecting the importance of continuous transformation within the organization.
Jake echoes these sentiments, adding that his book presents immediately applicable strategies that don’t require formal qualifications in organizational development or change management.
As an example, he introduces a lever from the book called “Think and Act as If the Future Were Now,” borrowed from Stan Davis’s “Future Perfect.” This lever encourages leaders to anticipate and act upon their vision for the future in the present, thereby accelerating change and transforming relationships within the organization.
Through the lens of this strategy, Jake recounts the story of a CEO who managed to improve the performance of a new C-suite member by treating them as valuable team players. This helped change the dynamics of the relationship and resulted in a significant shift in the new hire’s confidence and performance. The example highlights how acting ‘as if the future were now’ can drive transformation in an organization.
Next, Jake introduces another lever called “Find Opportunities for People to Make a Meaningful Difference.” He suggests that large-scale changes present unique opportunities to engage as many people as possible. This engagement can call forth their greatness and invites them to be accountable and responsible for the change.
Lou agrees with this approach, emphasizing that people in companies can lead change, and encourages listeners to live the change they want to see in their company, starting with one small action.
After that, Jake shares an example of a client in the virtual reality space who used the “Think and Act As If The Future Were Now” lever. The Chief Technical Officer of the company was inspired to act immediately on several tasks that he felt were crucial to the company’s future. This immediate action is an example of what Jacobs refers to as a “bias for action,” which can pull people along in a positive and productive way.
Moving on, Lou mentions the importance of telling the truth, emphasizing how crucial it is for individuals to feel safe enough to share their truth, even if it’s uncomfortable or leads to conflict. He suggests that it’s necessary to let go of the fear of being ourselves and to be genuine.
Jacobs agrees and highlights the importance of addressing reality, even when it’s uncomfortable. He believes that people have a responsibility to share what they know and to seek out knowledge when they don’t understand something.
Additionally, he argues that this type of personal accountability can contribute to the success of an organization and make it a formidable force in the marketplace. Jacobs concludes by saying, “If it is to be, it’s up to me,” emphasizing the importance of personal accountability.
Lou relates the principle of “if it is to be, it’s up to me” to a personal anecdote about missing an opportunity to play drums for the Allman Brothers because he didn’t speak up. He regrets this missed opportunity and shares it as a lesson about taking action and seizing the day.
Jake affirms Carter’s sentiment and encourages him that it’s never too late to seize an opportunity. He supports the idea of seizing the day, which wraps up their conversation on the importance of personal accountability and truth-telling in organizational change.
Finally, the speakers discuss the availability of Jake’s book, Leverage Change, on various platforms, including Amazon, Indie Publishing, and Jake’s own website, jakejacobsconsulting.com.
Lou and Jake go into much greater detail throughout this conversation.
Thank you for listening!
