7 Levels Of Change (Part 2 of 9) - Level 1: Effectiveness

September 22, 2007 · Filed Under Business, Business Model, Creative Thinking Techniques, Creativity, Innovation, Myers-Briggs, Personality

Table of contents for 7 Levels Of Change

The second in a nine-part series on Rolf Smith’s 7 Levels of Change, I introduce the first level of change - Effectiveness (Doing The Right Things).

Part 1 - Introduction

Change is a continuous process. Picture the 7LoC as a circle, each level increasing in degree and difficulty of change. Level 1 is the most basic, Level 7 is the most extreme, and is then connected back to Level 1. Our discussion begins with Level 1, in transition from Level 7.

Imagine that your organization is embarking on a totally new business venture, with a brand new set of team members and customers. You’re a pioneer, exploring an area that no one has explored. In order to be effective, you need to establish new processes, forge new relationships, and perhaps even implement a new business model. You have to determine ‘what is right.’ This is the definition of a Level 1 change - doing things right. You are literally creating a new status quo.

Thinking

To get effective results, you have to do the right things. To do the right things, you have to practice focused thinking. Focus on determining the right things to do in a step by step fashion. Think about a new definition for what is “right.”

This isn’t “out of the box” thinking - to the contrary, it’s thinking that will prototype a new box for the new business. This type of thinking will produce immediate results - you’ll quickly know whether or not your new processes are effective. The prototype model is tweaked until things settle into a state of equilibrium.

Who

Certain people gravitate towards Level 1 change. Refer to my first article on KAI - people who do well in Level 1 situations are strong adapters with a need for rules and structure. They painstakingly gather facts and details and can easily focus on the matter at hand. Creating the box is attractive for them, because they need the box to create the rules.

Ideas

The types of ideas produced at Level 1 are basic, based on what you know from your previous experience. Smith recommends that now is a good time to start thinking about where you produce your best ideas - while driving, exercising, showering, going to the bathroom, etc. Determine what seems to be the catalyst for your best ideas, and start producing more of them.

Tools

Embarking on Level 1 change provides an opportunity to establish new habits. Smith recommends that writing things down is probably the most effective skill to master at Level 1. This can take several forms:

Blue Slips - Blue slips are created by having Kinkos or another local copying store cut a ream of 8.5×11 paper into eighths. The resultant rectangle is a bit smaller than a 3×5 card. They are the perfect size to record one idea - a 7-9 word ‘headline’ and maybe a title. Blue slips are more effective than notebooks because the ideas can be physically rearranged, sorted, and grouped.
Post-It Notes - Unfortunately these are no longer made in blue, but Post-It notes can be used the same as blue slips, with the advantage that your ideas can be sorted and grouped on a chalkboard, white board, or even a plain wall. This can be used effectively in meetings and groups that are brainstorming ideas.
Journaling - A way to take the ideas you’ve recorded on blue slips/Post-Its to the next level is to journal on them. After grouping the ideas and considering the relationships, reflect on how they have changed your thinking. What new insights do you have, what has become clear to you.

Once you’ve mastered the skills at Level 1 you’ll be prepared for Level 2 - Efficiency.

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