Results2Match

The two main strategies for change are traveling and wandering. Traveling tries to reach an upfront defined destination, while wandering implies adaptation during the journey. Thus wandering has no fixed destination.

Traveling
The metaphor for the classical change strategy is "traveling". The goal of the journey is the destination. This destination is fixed and clearly defined. Because of this it is possible to plan the journey in detail, and to define a precise road and timetable. The journey itself is not a goal, but a means to arrive at the destination. The journey is necessary, cannot be avoided, and should be as short as possible. After arrival, we can go back to normal, the way it was before. And we hope of course that everything is even better, because we have changed!

Wandering
A metaphor for a 2nd change strategy is "wandering": The learning change. With wandering there is no goal like a fixed destination. Per part of the journey, that is for each track, the travelers discuss the direction for now, and decide where to go, how, and under which conditions. And when the track is finished, because the time has elapsed or otherwise, the discussion and decision moment is continued.

A main requirement for being able to wander is that people are sufficiently sharing their ambition, and trust each other sufficiently. Only then they can start 'wandering'. Which brings us to a new observation: A real change process is only the beginning of something completely new, and should be considered a first step.

The Change Program Enabling New Initiatives
The people who started the Enabling New Initiatives program at the Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC) were those kind of people! They started wandering, and their reward is the sharing great results! Which is only the beginning! For me that is the value of the Enabling New Initiatives program! And that is why wandering is my favorite change methodology approach.

About the Author
This guest blog is written by Olga Warffemius on a personal title. Olga is program manager of the large, institution wide change program Enabling New Initiatives (Ruimte voor Nieuw) at Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC), Rotterdam (Netherlands).

The change methodology 'Wandering' is proposed by Swieringa & Elmers.

Contact Olga Warffemius at http://www.olgawarffemius.nl.