A Coaching Power Tool By Rony Elklayany, Executive Coach, LEBANON
Close Relation Between Change vs. Transformation
Life is never stagnation. It is constant movement, un-rhythmic movement, as we as constant change. Things live by moving and gain strength as they go~ Bruce Lee
We live in an era where everything is moving fast; we live in a time of change, transformation, and disruption. Despite the close relation between Change and Transformation, I believe there is a vast difference between these two. Both are good and necessary for us to succeed in this fast-moving world. It is vital to know that each has a different goal and process to achieve the desired outcome.
Change vs. Transformation Understanding
You don’t need to be better than anyone else, you just need to be better than you used to be ~ Wayne Dyer
To understand the difference between the two, it is vital to understand each.
CHANGE requires a better understanding of who we are now and working to improve or change things. It involves finite initiatives, with the past as the central reference point, and actions are intended to reconstruct what happened. When we choose CHANGE, our future is an upgraded version of our past.
TRANSFORMATION, on the other hand, is a larger concept. It’s a process of reinventing the way we do things. Transformation asserts that the actions we decide to take today will create our future tomorrow. When we choose TRANSFORMATION, we free ourselves from the constraints of the past. We design an entirely new future and invent creative ways to bring it about.
Transformation Creates the Future
Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly.– Barbara Haines Howett
When in change mode, the desire to improve the past directs what we do. In Transformation mode, the future will administer our actions, where the possibilities are limited to our imagination and dare to dream. To increase our chances of getting what we want, we need to set a clearer vision of what we want to achieve. Are we looking for a better version of what we are now, or are we seeking something new?
Taking a caterpillar as an example, what if the caterpillar has the chance to choose between CHANGE and TRANSFORMATION?
What if the Caterpillar Chooses CHANGE?
Becoming familiar with the current situation, Caterpillars crawl in the dirt. They eat leaves and probably don’t move more than a few hundred square feet from where they were born. With a constant evaluation of the past and present, there is a fact that they are constantly in danger of getting squashed, eaten by predators, and moving slow.
The result of the change is that the caterpillar will become a better version, not a different version. The caterpillar will stay a caterpillar, but it may be faster in another state.
What if the Caterpillar Chooses TRANSFORMATION?
I wonder if the caterpillar realizes that someday they will not look anything like before and have incredible powers and abilities beyond what they have now?
I wonder if the caterpillar knows about the transformation process it must go through to become a butterfly, will it still go through it? Would it prefer to stay crawling in the dirt, subject to nature and predators?
If the caterpillar never went through this transformation process, it would never achieve its greatest reward and become its most glorious self.
Change vs. Transformation Beliefs and Values
The butterfly said to the sun: They can’t stop talking about my transformation. I can only do it once in my lifetime. If only they knew, they can do it at any time and in countless ways.– Dodinsky
The change initially modifies how we behave and respond, while Transformation modifies our beliefs and values. Transformation unleashes our potential to dream big and unleashes the giant inside us.
We tend to be afraid of leaping outside our comfort zone. We crave comfort and fight the process of becoming substantially free and colorful, as we prefer things we know over our fear of new skills and competencies.
We have to choose how to continue our lives. Shall we crawl on like a caterpillar or unleash our colorful, beautiful butterfly that lives within and live our passions, making our dreams come true?
Discover the Authentic Voice
When clients focus on the past, sometimes they get stuck there and find it hard to find their way back towards their desired objectives. Sometimes, the result of the change they applied does not serve the goals they set for themselves. I noticed that fear from the future and sometimes the past constraints deprive them of fighting for their dreams and what they indeed are.
Coaches support their clients to discover their authentic voice and help them extend their comfort zone to overcome transformation resistance. One way to help the client realize this is by inviting them to explore whether or not their actions are serving their goals or vision through the following steps:
Setting the Purpose
- What is the client’s vision for the future?
- What does he want to accomplish?
- How does the future he is looking for differs from the past?
Assessing the Present
- What is the client’s reality compared with the future he aims to?
- What enhancements are needed to fulfill his vision?
- What are his current values and beliefs?
- How flexible he is to do things differently?
- How open he is to new challenges?
Evaluating Practices
- What is needed to become who you want to become in the future?
- What support is required to help in the adaptation?
- What would the slightest step help in getting close to the goal?
- What is the necessary shift in values, beliefs, and or practices needed to get him closer to the goal?
- What helps keep the client accountable to stay on the right track?
References
https://hbr.org/
https://www.intelivate.com
https://qualityandinnovation.com
https://www.cioinsight.com
https://www.integrify.com
https://theprimes.com
https://leanchange.org
https://careynieuwhof.com