Process thinking – take the right steps in the right order

Welcome to the next installment of the thinking styles for success series. Today, we are looking at process thinking – this is all about making transformations: essential in today’s hectic world. We often hear about transformational leadership and transformational change but what does this mean and how well equipped are we to deal with it.

Process thinking is based on understanding the steps in any change activity, the ingredients required and the skills needed to effect that change. It’s a bit like cooking: you need to know what you are trying to produce, have the best ingredients and the skills to pull it all together. It is critical that you provide the right conditions for each step in the process and do them in the right order.

You need process thinking to understand the sequence of activities and the methods used for each transformation. Doing the right steps at the wrong stage, using the wrong ingredients or the wrong conditions will not produce the right result. You need to get the conditions for transformation right as well, if the oven temperature is not right, you may under cook or over cook your meal – with potentially disastrous results.

In change processes this implies picking the right actions in the right sequence, involving the right people and creating the right conditions for success. Consider:

1. If you make your mind up about the approach you are going to adopt before consulting with those involved, then you are sowing the seeds of discontent, opening the risk of resistance and potentially thwarting new ideas.
2. If you introduce a critical issue in a light hearted manner – you may lose support.
3. Responding to a query in the wrong way at the wrong time may stifle debate and reduce co‑operation.
4. If you don’t build a supporting network before starting the process, you may never gain the momentum you need to drive things through.
5. If you don’t think about the possible sources of resistance in advance, you are likely to be blindsided. Whatever the positive aspects of your proposal, there will be some people who will oppose your ideas because they:
   1. Don’t see the need
   2. Don’t agree with your proposed approach
   3. Don’t see what’s in it for them and
   4. Increasingly these days, they are bored, frustrated or overwhelmed by change

Thinking things through in a logical manner, identifying the necessary steps and the right conditions for change will help. You might find producing a flow diagram will help.

Ask yourself “If I do that, what will happen? … then what? … then what?”

Problems normally arise from the issues you’ve not thought about rather than those that you have given some attention to. A few minutes of carefully directed thought can save you a lot of time, effort and heartache!

So the next time you need to set a change process in action, think about it from a process perspective:

• What are the steps you need to take
• Does the sequence matter
• Who needs to be involved?
• What are the right conditions for success?
• Do you have the skills to make it happen?

If you don’t it might make sense to call in some help – don’t cook for an important dinner party if you don’t know what to serve or know how to make it. Call in the experts!