Steps before actions

Nowadays, you can everywhere run into presentations, speeches and texts urging the actions to take place. "Enough for talking - time to take actions", "more actions, less talk" - is spreading fast. But why the process is so slow, although everyone knowns in principle, that changes are needed?

A true fact is that changes will only happen if the driving forces are strong enough or the organization culture enables visionary work. The force can be for example, a financial situation or a disaster that needs radical changes in previous manners. In any cases, nothing will happen unless there is a passionate person to create the demand or to push others to join him/her.This is vital. Sometimes a new combination of people will start something bigger than ever before or a person that has high enough status will trigger the process to start.

From the driving force, it is still some way towards real actions. A joint vision on the future is needed. This needs to be explicitly written, so that all are truly sharing it. Then one fact of success is based on how the organization works together and values the small steps taken. In many cases, the process itself results in bigger change then the real measurable outcome. This should not be forgotten.

During the planning process of Solutions2011 conference one encounters the process very vividly. It is fascinating to see how the different actors suddenly pull themselves together and start to jointly plan actions that just waited to be fulfilled. What kind of change would you like to see taking place?