How to maintain a high pace of change — and why this is vital

Author Elizabeth Gilbert recently articulated a central paradox of human existence: we are blessed with the ability to adapt fast and well to almost any circumstances, yet cursed with high levels of anxiety about change. In theory, she explained, adaptability should negate anxiety, but often doesn’t. It is only when we come face-to-face with crises that our worries drop away and our innate resourcefulness kicks in.

Across the world there are countless examples of individuals and organisations adapting with astonishing speed to current events. In the UK, for example, the National Health Service has taken “two-and-a-bit weeks to achieve more than we have achieved in 20 years in adopting new technology,” according to Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners. Hotels worldwide have found a new social role in supporting their communities. Remarkable responsiveness is also being demonstrated across industries such as telecommunications, food and events.

Regardless of how sustainable some of the changes turn out to be, there are two lessons to be learned from all this. The first is that we are all capable of moving faster and further than we imagine when we are forced to do so by circumstances. In one sense, the anxiety that Gilbert highlights is a luxury — one that is effectively afforded to us by an excess of time or other resources.

The second — perhaps less obvious — lesson is that the ability to be responsive is a competitive advantage. Those who take fast, meaningful action can assert (or reassert) their authority over circumstances and position themselves to capitalise on emerging needs and trends.

The implicit leadership challenge here is that, in many organisations, “high speed” work is regarded as a temporary requirement to those being asked to embrace it. In the absence of signals to the contrary, people will believe that reversion to the previous, slower speed is inevitable sooner or later. Leaders therefore need to normalise a high pace of change within their organisations — which often means changing the culture.

On the road to this type of high-performance culture there are two major pitfalls. The first is a failure to contain individuals. People will burn out if they work at too fast a pace for too long — passionate people in particular can fall prey to this. The second is a failure to manage team dynamics. This can end up turning workplaces into sweatshops. They might look wonderfully productive at first glance but actually undermine both morale and creativity — which ultimately undermines performance.

With those watch-outs in place, here are some ways that leaders can create a culture where high-speed work is the profitable and enjoyable norm.

Focus on energy (not time) management

For businesses wanting to be innovative and adaptive, the unit of productivity is not time but energy. How well you manage energy — its peaks, troughs and all the stages in between — with individuals and teams impacts both the quantity and quality of their work.

So, make energy management your priority. Consider doing away with timesheets. Abandon presenteeism as a proxy for commitment. Openly discuss energy levels with your people. And remember, we live our lives in language — so think carefully about the way you frame your messages about your ways of working and their outcomes.

Work in cycles

Sustainable high performance requires people to move through cycles characterised by peaks and troughs. Periods of high-energy work need to be followed by periods of recovery. Periods of deep work need to be followed by time in the shallows. And so on.

So, consider how well the systems and structures of your organisation enable cyclical working. Could you rotate teams (or individuals) in and out of projects? What do you already know about the cycles of your business (for example, NPD or product launch) that helps you plan how to do this? And could you ask your people what cycles they themselves prefer to work in?

Write the legends

Culture is built on stories — the narratives and legends that people tell to each other about what they and their colleagues achieved (or didn’t), and why.

So, consider what impact high-speed change has already helped you achieve in your business. Make heroes of those involved. Embed the insights and lessons from the processes involved. And keep reaffirming the legends through retelling. Building a collection of such stories makes them feel both remarkable and everyday. And if achieving the remarkable every day isn’t the very definition of a high-performance culture, what is?

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