The Essence of Revolution: Insights from Fareed Zakaria
Listening to Fareed Zakaria’s “Age of Revolutions” has been fascinating when considering change and what actually produces a revolution. He explores the origin of revolution and contrasts the upheaval of the revolutionary with the predictability associated with revolutions of a clock, a planet around the sun, or similar phenomena. One of the ideas he unpacks is that, to allow space for significant changes and for them to evolve without bloodshed, it is crucial to be clear about what is being conserved or retained. In other words, to be confident in making giant steps toward change, there must be some solid ground of things that stay the same, which builds confidence.
When we discuss this concept with clients and customers, we focus on what won’t change. This idea is often practised in agile methodology, especially during retrospectives. One of the first questions in a retrospective is, “What should we keep doing?” This forces us to examine our current practices and identify where they are succeeding. It’s not easy for humans, as we are hardwired to notice threats and changes in our environment that might be detrimental. However, rarely do we pause to notice what is working. Indigenous cultures seem to excel at this better than Western thinkers.
Reflecting on the projects we’ve worked on; I recall a client who knew what they wanted to preserve. When discussing success, one of their key priorities was maintaining their relationships with their customers. They were adamant that the customer relationship should continue to be valued, friendly, and helpful. They shared stories about customer experiences and why this was an important part of their identity.
People are capable of extraordinary change, but typically they resist when it’s forced upon them from above. Zakaria made the same observation, noting several political and social revolutions where the top-down imposition of new structures or ways of being was ineffective. These changes appeared to work for a time, but for the majority of people, their hearts were still elsewhere, preventing them from embracing the change appropriately.
Balancing Change: Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches
Just as a merchandise plan needs both a top-down and a bottom-up view, so does change. The bottom-up view asks, “What are we grounding ourselves in? What do we know won’t change?” The top-down view asks, “What are we aspiring for? What do we want to stretch for, evolve for, and improve?”
At one client, the top-down perspective was entirely missing, leading to failure. The executive team had delegated the project without properly engaging in the decision-making process or ensuring that teams had the time and space to make improvements. At another client, the bottom-up efforts were actively undermined, creating division in the project and distracting leadership from elevating and inspiring the team. At yet another client, (yes, the goldilocks one) there was a happy balance between top-down and bottom-up. The action level in the business was articulating the need for change, and senior leaders were engaged, focused on enabling and supporting that change.
This balance is crucial for effective change management.
At 6R Retail, we specialise in driving technological and transformational change for retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Our experienced project managers help organisations improve business processes, implement new systems, and navigate the challenges of leading change. Whether you need to upgrade your ERP system, launch a new e-commerce platform, or streamline internal communication, 6R Retail has the expertise to support you every step of the way. Get in contact with us here.