In the midst of change and transition comes the opportunity for innovation, new ideas and new ways of seeing the world. Join us as we continue to explore how to manage personal change and how to harness the opportunities that transition can offer.
SHOW NOTES
In this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts take on Part II of Change and Transitions – Innovation. After we get through the hard stuff of change – acknowledging endings and getting ourselves ready for what is to come, we get to the good stuff, innovation. As a reminder, Crina and Kirsten put this two-part conversation in the context of William Bridges’ Change and Transition Model.
Last week they discussed endings – letting go, mourning loss, identifying what is being left behind. And your response to change is often driven by how much notice you have. Sudden change can be more traumatic and take more work and time to deal with. When you know change is coming, it can sometimes be easier. Think about how much easier it is to get kids off of n the playground when they have a 10-minute warning of leaving versus the kids who do not have any warning.
Once you let go, you find yourself in the neutral zone. Bridges describes this as the in-between time when the old is gone, but the new is not fully functional. It can be uncomfortable. Folks can have low-energy and can get stuck. You may have a sense of what to come, but you are not actually quite there.
The next step is new beginnings and Bridges describes those as:
- Feeling different
- Forming new identities
- Forming new ideas
- More energy
- Openness to learning
The light at the end of the tunnel is innovation. And out hosts take a dive into history to articulate that hard stuff can lead to good stuff. History tells us that good things can come out of this pandemic.
For example, the Black Plague led to workers earning a wage for their labors and the Enlightenment.
Pandemics in the in the early 20th century led to the concept of modern altruism, led in Philadelphia by the African Free Society
And look what is happening now . . . we are all doing things that not long ago would seem impossible. We are moving workers home, establishing new ways of doing things and new processes – in record speed.
Crina and Kirsten get all “fortune-teller” about what will happen as a result of this COVID-19 pandemic. Crina thinks sweatpants will be the new little black dress. There will be new DIY with at home wax and dye kits. But in all seriousness, this will be a time where we revamp our workplaces and our homes to accomodate long term changes in how we work. We will rethink how we make money. And hopefully we will use this opportunity to think how we create more of what we want – more meaning, ease and joy – in our lives. Don’t miss the opportunity.
And please enjoy this goodness:
Five Predictions For What Coronavirus Means For Innovation Leaders
“Coronavirus Capitalism”: Naomi Klein’s Case for Transformative Change Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
The Number One Key to Innovation: Scarcity
COVID-19 Will Fuel the Next Wave of Innovation