Navigating Business Transformation: The Power of Saying What Isn't

With the holiday season upon us – including the seasonal crush that pushes us to finish our work and personal to-do lists before the new year – it’s a great time to reflect on how we might work not just smarter rather than harder…but also more clearly rather than vaguely.

Even Holiday Assumptions Wreak Havoc on Project Scope

I was reminded of this opportunity while preparing to host my family for Thanksgiving last week. Thankfully my family isn’t enormous, but I was planning for about fifteen people to gather at our home as well as help contribute to the meal prep “potluck” style, as that is mercifully how we always roll. As the host, I knew that I was on turkey duty (sigh…not my favorite cooking endeavor), and would likely be whipping up a few other items to fill in for what others wouldn’t bring.

I solicited responses from my family and listed the planned menu for the big day: turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, roasted vegetables, salad, cranberry sauce, pie and caramel pumpkin cheesecake (BTW - shout out to my sister for this yummy dessert!). Warily, I noted the conspicuous absence of someone volunteering to make stuffing. This didn’t disappoint me as I’m not a stuffing fan; however, I recalled that one of my siblings and others in the family especially liked it.

So, despite it not being on the stated menu (aka the “deliverables list”), I hemmed and hawed about whether others would have an inherent expectation that I would magically make it anyway. I assumed that their combined memory and societal expectations for “what makes up a traditional Thanksgiving dinner” would fuel their own assumptions about what showed up on their plates.

Ultimately, and without any comments from my family, I caved and proactively made stuffing…though I at least tried what turned out to be a delightful apple cranberry cornbread stuffing to liven things up a bit. It turns out that almost all of it was eaten, but the opportunity cost of that was my unplanned effort and extra time…classic Thanksgiving dinner scope creep! If only I had been more clear about what wasn’t on the menu from the beginning…

Transparency for Do’s AND Don'ts

At the risk of making your mouth water with the holiday menu exclusion list, do you now also see how we might alleviate some of the pressure of change management initiatives by not just stating the intended project outcomes, but ALSO the key elements that won’t be touched, included or impacted?

In fact, in the spirit of transparency, there's immense power in explicitly stating what a change initiative doesn't include. This approach not only dispels assumptions but also aligns expectations, preventing potential pitfalls down the road.

After all, the old idiom “the devil is in the details” rings true in change management work, and in this case…that adage can expand to include the details about what is excluded as well!

“Clear is Kind” in the Game of Business

Brene Brown said it best: “Clear is KIND. Unclear is UNKIND.” Ambiguity is the breeding ground for misunderstandings and challenges during change initiatives. It's like navigating through fog; you may know your destination, but a lack of clarity can lead project stakeholders and end-user employee consumers off course.

This reminded me of a time years ago, while I was working at a previous employer, and the organization’s employees read Jack Stack's book The Great Game of Business. We were adopting an open book management approach to educating employees about cash flow, budgeting and expense management. While it was nerve-wracking for the organization’s leadership team to commit to that level of financial transparency, the book shared a significant truth that encouraged us to do so anyway [which I’ve paraphrased here]:

In the absence of information, employees will fill the void with opinions and assumptions…most of which are worse than the actual reality of the situation.

However, when you commit to sharing at least a short “no'' list amid your change management efforts, you reduce the size of that information void. Otherwise, unspoken expectations in projects are like dominoes waiting to fall. When certain details aren't explicitly addressed, it creates a ripple effect that impacts team dynamics and, ultimately, the success of the project. To avoid this cascade of misunderstandings, it's crucial to be clear about what's not included from the outset.

Expectations About What Not to Expect

While every change initiative is different, and you won’t necessarily require as exhaustive a list of elements as stated below, it’s important to consider common project elements that might be natural starting points for exclusion details. Here’s a list to provide some inspiration:

• Note which stakeholders will NOT be involved: Clearly define which “usual suspect” organizational stakeholders will not be involved so that project milestones don’t stall due to uninformed individuals waiting on approvals from people who shouldn’t actually have a say.

• State which software applications will NOT be integrated: Because so many change management efforts these days involve significant digital transformation, it’s critical to dispel any assumptions employees may have about assumed integrations between specific business applications.

• Identify UNaffected departments: Clearly outline the company departments that will remain unaffected by the change, ensuring that employees in those areas don't anticipate alterations to their workflows.

• Call out key, NON-impacted business processes: Highlight specific business processes that will not undergo changes, providing clarity on areas where the status quo will be maintained.

• Share a preview of NON-modified job roles: State which job roles and responsibilities will remain unchanged, dispelling any misconceptions about potential alterations to individual roles within the organization.

• Outline UNaffected customer touchpoints: Identify key customer touchpoints or interactions that will not be affected by the change, ensuring consistency in customer experience and managing expectations.

• Specify UNchanged reporting relationships: Share which reporting structures and hierarchies will remain unchanged, avoiding any speculation or anxiety about potential shifts in supervisor and direct report relationships.

Of course there’s an especially clear natural benefit to being explicit about your change management initiative “no” list…it offers an excellent opportunity for stakeholders to question your planned exclusions and revisit required project deliverables before you actually get too deep into the work of the project to easily change course.

The power of saying what isn't part of a business transformation initiative cannot be overstated. It's a tool for transparency that fosters a shared understanding, preventing assumptions and ensuring everyone is on the same path towards success. As you reflect on your past projects, consider how explicitly stating what's NOT included might have improved clarity and set the stage for smoother implementation.