It took a puncture to appreciate the change.
There is an old joke that the only thing worse than finding a worm in the apple is finding half a worm, presumably after you have taken that first bite. For the cyclist the reverse equivalent might be that if you are going to get a puncture then it is better that you find it before setting off than at the furthest point from home.
Until recently two bikes sat in our shed — one belonging to me and the other to my wife. Both bikes had been bought at the same time, were the same model but just a slightly different size. It worked well. When I broke my bike (which I did far too often) then I would ride my wife’s and it was “good enough”.
Eventually my bike broke too much, and it was replaced by a new one. I must admit there was a hint of buyer’s remorse the first time I rode the new bike. It was more expensive than its predecessor, should have been a better experience, and yet somehow it just did not feel like I had made the right decision.
Frustratingly (as fixing punctures is the worse part of bike riding and I am still to be convinced by tubeless) finding the new bike punctured as I went to take it out for a ride, I reverted to borrowing my wife’s. I asked for permission retrospectively!
It was only in going back to the old model that I realised how much I had come to appreciate the new one. The buyer’s remorse had been short lived yet I had not mentally recognised this. Such is my dislike of fixing punctures I had to borrow my wife’s bike again today.
As I put up with the experience, I began to reflect on how similar this is to delivering change in an organisation. The expectations and hope for change are so high but when it happens it is hard to appreciate what has been achieved. That combination of a rose-tinted perspective on the past and a longing for what we thought was familiar is a barrier to us embracing the new.
Many changes do not lend themselves to going back to experience the old as I can do with bikes. However, it should be something we consider. Just as we need to be clear about the need to change at the start of the process, we should ensure that there is connection back to those reasons at the transition points as well. Change may be constant but there will still be phases where recognition of progress made is important.
My buyer’s remorse has only been dealt with by going back to the old. Change remorse can become a barrier to future progress. The benefit of change may become more obvious looking backwards than looking forwards. Building the opportunity into your change programme to reflect could be more important than celebrating the delivery completion.
Has this prompted you to think about a change you are leading and how looking backwards may help you to move forwards? I would love to hear about your own experiences and ways of recognising progress.
