"Maybe you are just not ready for change..."

While consulting for the UK government around 2015, I championed the merits of Business Agility, particularly Kanban, and it was a good fit for their unique needs.

My enthusiasm often clashed with skepticism, met by every conceivable objection.

As I was not going to force this change on people, I stated that "perhaps they were simply not ready for Agility". This casual statement was met with an unexpected reaction. Suddenly, the room was set alight with questions and a hint of indignation. The idea of not being ready for something hurt people's professional pride.

Sensing a shift in attitude, I repeated this "we are not ready" statement over the following weeks. Remarkably, the narrative began to change. Those same individuals now claimed their readiness for Agility. They were not just open to it but insistent on exploring practices they had previously resisted and rejected.

So, we started working on our Business Agility and had a good run at it.

This experience was a turning point, leading me to first formulate three dimensions of change: being Ready, Willing, and Able.

• Ready: The environment must be prepared for change to happen.

• Willing: There must be a genuine demand for change among the people involved.

• Able: The necessary skills and knowledge must be available.

When these elements converge, change occurs almost like magic.

The skill for any leader or change agent lies in noticing those fleeting moments of alignment that enable meaningful and lasting change.