In episode 118 of the Harmonious Workplaces podcast, organizational development consultant Rich Cruz and certified change management professional Ben Kleinman tackle a critical yet often misunderstood concept in the business world: co-creating change. The episode dives deep into an essential question for leaders: are we just giving people a chance to vent, or are we actually soliciting ways to do things differently?. More importantly, what does it really mean to co-create change in a way that avoids devolving into workplace anarchy?.
The Two Sides of Co-Creation
When organizations think about involving employees in change, they often focus entirely on the technical or project management side. As Ben points out, it is incredibly common to see co-creation in software development or process design. Teams will quickly gather subject matter experts to debate whether a system button should be red or blue, or how a new piece of equipment should be installed. This resembles classic agile development, where people collaboratively test, iterate, and design a new product or feature.
However, co-creation on the change management side is surprisingly rare. This side involves inviting stakeholders to help design the rollout and adoption strategy itself. Rarely do organizations ask subject matter experts how the training should be designed, what the communication cadence should look like, or how to assess the organization’s readiness for a cultural shift. Yet, inviting people to co-create the rollout process is a powerful way to secure better buy-in faster.
Moving from “Push” to “Pull” Motivation
To make change sustainable, leaders must tap into intrinsic motivation rather than relying endlessly on “sticks and carrots”. Rich compares effective change management to inbound marketing: people like to buy, but they hate being sold to. Instead of pushing a mandate down from the top, true co-creation draws people in by addressing their pain points and highlighting “what’s in it for me?”. When employees organically seek out information and ask how they can plug into a new initiative, you’ve successfully fostered a genuine desire to participate.
This buy-in is critical because an official corporate culture will always be shadowed by “secret cultures” or clandestine behaviors. If change is simply dictated, employees will find workarounds that allow them to exist within the unwritten rules of the organization. To prevent a new initiative from becoming just a “blip in time” before reverting to the old ways, the implementation must be co-created and sustainable.
Real-World Co-Creation in Action
Rich shares two powerful examples of how to effectively co-create a change rollout to combat these secret workarounds:
- Legal Software Rollout: After providing baseline training, Rich held workshops to discover the ongoing friction points for the front-office staff. By identifying gaps between the new system and their actual workflows, they co-created new forms and modified behaviors together.
- CRM (Salesforce) Implementation: Instead of shaming employees for using external, unauthorized tools (which pose regulatory risks), Rich advocates for observing these behaviors without judgment, much like a continuous improvement “Gemba walk”. By asking why users are relying on workarounds, leaders can co-create new training that addresses those specific needs, ultimately closing the gap and bringing everyone into the intended software.
How to Co-Create Without Anarchy
If you want to bring these practices into your own organization, keep a few guiding principles in mind. First, align involvement with impact. You cannot involve everyone deeply without causing chaos, so prioritize stakeholder mapping to identify the individuals whose daily work will be most impacted by the new initiative.
Second, stay locked in on the “why.” Leaders should serve as the “North Star” by firmly establishing the reasons behind the change and the necessary guardrails—such as safety, security, and regulatory compliance. But when it comes to the nuanced details of how that change is implemented, leave room for the experts and front-line workers to guide the way.
Ready to Make Change Your Friend?
As the hosts of Harmonious Workplaces emphasize, making change effective and efficient requires intentionality and an openness to observe without judging. If your organization is struggling to gain traction on a new initiative, it might be time to stop pushing and start co-creating.
Contact Harmonious Workplaces today to help your organization co-create change better! Visit www.harmoniousworkplaces.com to book a free thirty-minute information session with one of their expert consultants. Let them help you navigate the complexities of organizational behavior, so you can finally make change your friend.
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