Ancient Spiritual Wisdom for Today’s Business Needs
On December 26, 2024, the Harmonious Workplaces team, including co-founders Sharyl Volpe, Ben Kleinman, and me (Rich Cruz), appeared in the Breakfast Show Podcast of the Voice of Islam in the UK. Our interviewer, Imam Jalees Ahmad, asked the HW crew about corporate culture, psychological safety, change management, and organizational development. One question, however, stood out in my mind, “What do you see as the most common barriers to successful organizational change?” If you listen to the Harmonious Workplaces Podcast, you know we often discuss issues of change resistance or other barriers to successful organizational change, so I found this one both familiar and challenging.
Listen to the Podcast
To listen to our interview, visit the link below. Our interview begins at 33 minutes and 30 seconds:
Inspiration from Our Shared Deep Past
I recently received an email from cartoonist Butch Hartman (creator of Nickelodeon’s Fairly Odd Parents) about his new book, and he referenced a scripture reading from the Prophet Habukkuk. This is the passage:
Habakkuk 2:2: And the LORD answered me, and said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.”
Habakkuk, writing around the mid-to-late 7th century BC, referenced writing down your goals and vision so that others could quickly understand and act upon it. Clearly, vision statements and change management goals are not new phenomena!
These ancient artifacts of wisdom transcends the spiritual makeup of multiple religious traditions and business philosophies. Theyprovide the answer to making organizational change happen and developing a core positive and supportive organizational culture. The Harmonious Workplaces Podcast has espoused this approach since our first episode, and we continue making the case for it throughout each and every one of our 43 current podcasts.
Write The Vision and Share It
Whatever change management framework you use, creating a vision stands as the foundation for success. John Kotter’s (1996) 8-Step Process, espoused in his book Leading Change, states that the organization must form a strategic vision clarifying how the future will differ from the past. That vision must be written and shared through a “guiding coalition” to “enlist a volunteer army” of advocates for this change. Prosci’s 3-Phase Methodology states that the first phase includes defining success, impact, and approach – another vision statement.
Ben has consistently stated that the vision must be “crystal clear,” and Sharyl, throughout our discussions, always ties back organizational change success to the effectiveness of communication. Indeed, none of what we discuss is new; as you can see, the scribes and prophets of the past have heralded this from the very early days of society. However, this concept remains a challenge within organizations.
Clarifying that vision, documenting it, and sharing it isn’t easy. In fact, this begins to make change happen, which can often cause feelings of fear and regret, even among change leaders. That common fear stems from the unknown future and the challenges each individual and workgroup may face (Bridges, 1988). However, leaders can begin to align the company with a new and better state with bravery, tenacity, and humility anchored by a clear and powerful vision. Unsurprisingly, setting the tone for psychological safety is a huge part of this.
Gain Clarity
Habakkuk knew that he wasn’t acting alone. He wrote his vision down to enlist the help of others. Similarly, Harmonious Workplaces offers a powerful way for you to plan the future and align your leadership team. Our Visioning Sessions will help you develop and communicate that crystal-clear vision and give you a roadmap to success. Learn more by clicking the link below.
Learn About Visioning Sessions
References
Bridges, W. (1988). Bridges Transition Model. https://wmbridges.com/about/what-is-transition/
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.
Prosci (n.d.). Procsi 3-Phase Process. https://www.prosci.com/methodology/3-phase-process
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