Have you ever bought a new piece of equipment, with the expectation that it would solve a problem or deliver an exceptional result, then been disappointed?
If so, you’re not alone, and it’s because you overlooked the critical second dimension of change. The Whitespace..
Watch the video here:
The Two Dimensions of Change
A decision or an event triggers every change.
When it’s a planned change, you or someone else decides to do something differently. For example, implement a new human resource system, hire a new team leader, or exercise regularly.
However, the decision or event that created the need or desire for something different is only one dimension of the change process.
There is another important and often overlooked dimension of the change process.
The Whitespace.
Every aspect of what happens after you decide to change or after an event occurs is impacted by the Whitespace.
And leaders who can comfortably and confidently navigate within the Whitespace have a unique advantage.
Defining the Whitespace
The Whitespace is the space between where you are when an event or decision occurs and where you need to be to achieve a desired new state. William Bridges defined this space as the transition. He described it as the psychological process people must go through to reach the desired outcome.
In this space, you turn your knowledge, perception, and beliefs about the event into action. Actions that will either move you toward a new steady-state or activities that will protect and retain your current state. It’s in this space where new activities are adopted.
If we think of change as an iceberg, the event is the portion above the waterline, and the Whitespace is the large, less visible portion below the waterline.
That’s why recognizing and accounting for the Whitespace in your planning is so important.
Without it, and the comfort and confidence to lead in this space, your change efforts are doomed to fail.
In our Living and Leading Change Leader’s Certificate Course and with our clients, we show and give leaders tools that enable them to see and work within this space. For example, they learn how to create a map of the Whitespace for their change initiative. With an understanding of the boundaries, they can make a realistic adoption plan.
Three Reasons to Navigate the Whitespace
Leading and navigating within the intangible elements of the Whitespace can be challenging. However, it is worth the effort.
Here are three unique advantages you gain when you can comfortably and confidently lead within the Whitespace of change.
1. Each person’s Whitespace determines every reaction and response you see when launching and enabling change in your organization. When you understand the Whitespace and confidently guide people, you prevent resistance to change and build readiness for the new activities. That’s because every reaction you see above the waterline is a result of what’s happening below the waterline, in the Whitespace.
2. You increase your potential for success because almost 80% of your organization’s value comes from its intangible assets. The failure to lead within the Whitespace means that nearly 80% of your change initiative’s potential to deliver a return is lost.
3. You develop higher levels of change capability, which makes future changes easier. Leaders who lead comfortably and confidently in the Whitespace experience less frustration because people in the organization have greater acceptance of change. The result is a greater return on the current change investment and increased capability for future changes.
The Whitespace of change exists whether you navigate it or not.
But when you learn to navigate and guide people through it, you can prevent resistance and create healthy, sustainable change, resulting in a higher return on your change investment.
