Upside Down Thinking: How To Systemize Audacious Change In 5 StepsPatricia CottonPC_7f4a354c-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdPatricia Cotton is a Corporate Marketing & Business Transformation Consultant with ten years of experience in Strategic Marketing, Corporate Branding and Change Management, distributed in several different industries, including Real Estate, Cosmetics and TV. Patricia holds an MBA in Creative Leadership from the Berlin School and Marketing from ESPM, Rio de Janeiro. She also holds a B.A in Communications from PUC-Rio, Brazil, and University of Leeds, England._7f4a36aa-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdTo systemize audacious change._7f4a36ab-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdEmotionThe most sensitive aspect ... is that between a change intention and a desired future state are people. Within this premise, any new strategy should be followed by an emotional link and reward for employees, investors, suppliers and other stakeholders. The structure of the organization is unimportant as is whether decisions are taken top down or bottom up, horizontally or vertically. In any of these cases, people have to be in an emotional state of mind to enable change to happen in an effective and sustainable way. Considering that employees specifically are emotionally motivated for higher order goals, it’s important to be precise and act accordingly, showing through actions what’s important to the company.RewardEffectivenessSustainabilityPublicityAnother important aspect that I looked at is the 'make it public' part of change strategy. Leaders must be ready to deal with the high price of doubt, which eventually comes together with fear of failure and also, ironically, fear of success.Self-ConfidenceIn this sensitive moment, it is important to stick to the initial plan by restoring self-confidence, finding comfort within uncertainty and having patience and perseverance to pursue change.PatiencePerseveranceOptimismOne of my findings is that optimism, risk-taking and self-confidence are extremely beneficial as change drivers. These qualities are predominant among CEOs, who are more ambitious, focused and competitive than the average person. Another interesting aspect that was clearly present in my interviewees' speeches is what modern psychology calls "ego-resiliency". This might be described as a high capacity to overcome, steer through, or bounce back from adversity, through an ongoing learning process.AmbitionFocusCompetitionLaborIn a nutshell, managing change is not sexy, it is laborious, since it is hardly a painless process. Those who will truly be successful are the ones who take a chance, potentially fail, but dust themselves off and try again. They do not forget the experiences they gain in getting there. As the French philosopher Henri-Louis Bergson said, “to exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly”. So don’t believe too many of your own headlines and stay open.OpennessDoubts & EmotionsDeal with doubts and manage emotions._7f4a36ac-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd1Telling is not selling: To change business, it is vital to change people first, by dealing with doubts and managing emotions._7f4a36ad-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdPlanningPlan more and better._7f4a36ae-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd2No brain, no gain: The more and the better you plan, the faster and more efficient the execution will be._7f4a395c-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdPrioritizationPrioritize the change topics._7f4a395d-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd3Don't be too greedy: Prioritize the change topics but don't over-do them._7f4a3af6-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdFocusBe persistent and consistent._7f4a3af7-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd4Focus, focus and focus: Discipline is the basis for audacious moves, since changing requires persistence and consistency over time._7f4a3af8-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bdResistance & ConstraintsEngage with internal resistance and with external formal and informal institutional and structural constraints._7f4a3af9-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd5People are always key: In order to be really effective, change management must engage with internal resistance and with external formal and informal institutional and structural constraints._7f4a3afa-da12-11e4-8324-1b14558cc3bd2015-04-03http://www.forbes.com/sites/berlinschoolofcreativeleadership/2013/10/02/upside-down-thinking-how-to-systemize-audacious-change-in-5-steps/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net