Move

1. The Middle is where transformations succeed or fail

It's easy to get excited at the beginning and define long-term goals at the end. It's the "Middle" that's the problem!

The long, challenging Middle. Transformations often stall after the initial excitement wears off. The Middle is where real change happens, but it's also where people lose focus and motivation. Leaders must maintain momentum through this extended period by:

• Clearly defining what needs to happen in the Middle
• Setting concrete milestones and control points
• Consistently reinforcing the importance of the change
• Addressing obstacles and setbacks quickly

Overcoming inertia. The pull to return to old ways of working is strong. Combat this by:

• Regularly communicating progress and small wins
• Celebrating milestones to maintain enthusiasm
• Addressing doubts and concerns openly
• Demonstrating unwavering commitment to the change

2. Create concrete outcomes and control points to drive action

A good strategy describes what you will do during the Middle.

From vague to specific. Avoid high-level, ambiguous goals. Instead, define concrete outcomes that clearly describe what success looks like. This makes the path forward obvious and actionable. For example:

Vague: "Improve customer satisfaction"
Concrete: "Reduce customer support response time to under 2 hours by Q3"

Measure what matters. Identify key control points – critical metrics that indicate progress toward your goals. Focus on outcomes, not just activities. Examples:

• Number of successful customer pilots (vs. number of sales calls made)
• Percentage of employees trained on new process (vs. training hours delivered)
• Revenue from new product line (vs. number of products launched)

Resource allocation. Your strategy is where you put your resources. Ensure concrete outcomes are adequately funded and staffed to drive real progress.

3. Build the right team and develop their capacity

There is no effective antidote for the wrong team.

Assess and align. Evaluate your current team against the needs of your transformation. Be honest about gaps in skills, mindset, or motivation. Key questions:

• Are all team members facing forward and aligned on the goal?
• Can each person pull their weight and contribute effectively?
• Is everyone motivated to go where you need to go?

Make tough decisions. Don't hesitate to make necessary changes. This may involve:

• Reassigning team members to roles that better fit their strengths
• Providing additional training and development
• Bringing in new talent with needed skills or experience
• Removing individuals who aren't aligned or capable

Develop capacity. Continuously build your team's capabilities:

• Delegate stretching assignments
• Provide regular feedback and coaching
• Encourage calculated risk-taking and learning from failures
• Invest in training and mentorship programs

4. Use Valor to face obstacles and maintain momentum

If you are going through hell—keep going!

Expect resistance. Transformation is hard. Prepare for:

• Skepticism and doubt from team members
• Unexpected obstacles and setbacks
• Pressure to abandon the change and return to old ways

Maintain resolve. Leaders must demonstrate unwavering commitment:

• Address concerns openly and honestly
• Make tough decisions, even when unpopular
• Stay focused on the long-term vision, despite short-term pressures

Ruthless prioritization. You can't do everything. Choose 1-3 ruthless priorities that are non-negotiable. Communicate these clearly and consistently.

Embrace productive conflict. Don't avoid necessary disagreements. Create clarity by working through conflicting viewpoints and trade-offs openly.

5. Foster organization-wide conversation about the change

You have communicated successfully when the people in your organization are talking about it amongst themselves.

Beyond top-down communication. Transformation requires active engagement from everyone. Create opportunities for dialogue at all levels:

• Host regular town halls and Q&A sessions
• Encourage team discussions about the change
• Use internal social platforms to facilitate conversation

Make it personal. Help individuals understand how the change impacts them and why it matters. Address the "What's in it for me?" question directly.

Amplify bright spots. Identify and celebrate early adopters and success stories. Use these examples to inspire others and demonstrate progress.

Create safe spaces. Encourage open, honest dialogue about challenges and concerns. Address issues transparently to build trust and maintain momentum.

6. Decorate the change to make it visible and tangible

Decorating the change went a long way towards calming everyone who was weary from too many re-orgs in the past.

Make it real. Use physical and virtual artifacts to reinforce the change:

• Update office spaces to reflect new ways of working
• Create visual representations of goals and progress
• Design branded materials (e.g., t-shirts, posters) to build identity

Rituals and ceremonies. Establish new routines that embody the change:

• Launch events to kick off key initiatives
• Regular check-ins or stand-ups focused on transformation goals
• Celebrations to mark milestones and recognize contributions

Leverage existing culture. Find ways to connect the change to positive aspects of your current culture. This helps make the transition feel more natural and less jarring.

7. Communicate consistently and listen purposefully

Only when you are mind-numbingly bored with talking about your strategy will your organization begin to feel confident about acting on it.

Repetition is key. People need to hear messages multiple times before internalizing them. Aim for the "Rule of 21":

• Communicate your key messages at least 21 times
• Use various channels and formats to reach different audiences
• Maintain consistency in core messages while adapting to specific contexts

Show alignment. Ensure your entire leadership team is visibly on board:

• Have leaders regularly reinforce key messages
• Address any perceived disagreements or mixed signals quickly

Listen actively. Create channels for ongoing feedback:

• Hold regular listening sessions with employees at all levels
• Use surveys and anonymous feedback tools
• Act on insights gained to demonstrate responsiveness

Stay connected to reality. Don't rely solely on filtered information from direct reports. Make time to talk directly with people doing the work to understand real challenges and opportunities.

Last updated: April 16, 2025