My clients often ask me how to develop a winning change strategy.
So many of them are locked into multi-year strategic plans, recurring stakeholder meetings, or a grant that has already prescribed a timeline of what they should do.
And a majority of them feel that their current strategy isn’t working – but they’re locked in.
Curiously, instead of trying to change course, they say things like:
“At least we’re doing something.”
or
“This isn’t working, but it’s still an opportunity. We have to look on the bright side.”
They’re wasting years, and foregoing a positive impact in favor of supporting the status quo.
Don’t make the same mistake.
It’s not worth going with the flow.
Doing something worthless isn’t worth doing.
In this week’s issue, I show you how to stop a losing strategy and take a different, more successful course.
Beyond a winning plan
Let’s get back to the ubiquitous question: How do you develop a winning strategy?
My response always surprises them:
Focus less on finding the best strategy and more on making informed choices based on the changing environment.
You see, strategy isn’t about coming up with a silver bullet approach that will work in every situation.
That’s impossible.
It’s about being able to adapt and pivot as the situation changes.
And that requires a willingness to be flexible and open-minded.
The oldest trick in the book
The idea of situational adaptation is nothing new.
In fact, it has its roots in ancient military strategy.
Sun Tzu, the legendary Chinese military strategist, emphasized the importance of situational adaptation in his book “The Art of War.”
In Sun Tzu’s subtly deep words,
“Leaders who have mastered the advantages of comprehensive adaptation to changes are those who know how to command militias.”
He believed that in order to win, you must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and take advantage of your enemy’s weaknesses.
As Sun Tzu’s modern translator Thomas Clearly has cogently summarized:
“The essence of strategic thinking, the pivot on which tactical action revolves, is situational adaptation.”
This same principle applies to any situation where you want to succeed, including combating social problems like crime and poverty.
Can changemakers embrace situational adaptation?
Changemakers face unique challenges when it comes to embracing situational adaptation.
One of the biggest obstacles is the pressure to adhere to long-term strategies, often established through grant agreements.
This can make it difficult to pivot or change course when circumstances change, as doing so may require admitting that the original approach was flawed.
Additionally, changemakers may feel pressure to remain consistent in their approach in order to maintain credibility and demonstrate progress to funders and stakeholders.
However, this rigid approach can be counterproductive in the face of complex and evolving social problems.
It’s better to look stupid – by changing course as the situation requires – than to appear disciplined by adhering to pre-made plans that won’t work.
Sure, you may have to re-negotiate grant agreements.
Usually it’s a total pain.
And funders dislike it.
But by being transparent with funders and stakeholders about why you’re changing course, you can prioritize impact over the appearance of consistency.
Openness to changing course begins in the mind
But it’s not just outside funders and others that headlessly follow dead-end strategies even in the fact of changing conditions.
Sometimes, it’s our own mindset that gets in the way.
Openness to situational adaptation begins in the mind, with a willingness to embrace psychological flexibility.
Steven Hayes, a leading expert in the field of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), has said:
“Psychological flexibility is the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being and to change or persist in behavior when doing so serves valued ends.”
I love this strategic insight.
Just be present now, even in the face of discomfort or uncertainty.
It’s OK to admit things like:
“We didn’t achieve the grant objectives.”
Or, to take risks, like publicly saying:
“Our approach didn’t work.”
You can experiment with new approaches, even in the face of setbacks or failure, because it’s enough to make choices – today – that align your values and goals.
Perhaps easier said than done.
But essential to becoming a more effective problemsolver.
5 ways to win (strategically)
I want to end by giving you five practical tips to become a strategic master who embodies situational adaptation and psychological flexibility:
- Practice mindfulness meditation to develop self-awareness and acceptance of your thoughts and feelings.
- Challenge your assumptions and beliefs by seeking out diverse perspectives and being open to new ideas.
- Build your resilience by developing coping skills and strategies for dealing with stress and adversity.
- Embrace uncertainty by focusing on the present moment and being open to the possibilities that arise.
- Learn from your mistakes and failures by reflecting on what went wrong and how you can improve next time.
By applying these five tips, you can develop the superpower of psychological flexibility and stay adaptable, creative, and resilient.
And that’s the key to developing a winning change strategy that never loses.
See you again next week.
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Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:
→ I’m a strategic advisor for the toughest societal problems like poverty, crime and homelessness. People come to me when they want to stop spinning their wheels and get transformative, systems-level change.
→ I’m a coach for emerging and executive leaders in the social and public sectors who want to make progress on their biggest goals and challenges.
Let’s find out how I can help you become transformational.
