Don't read on if you are looking for Earth-shattering revelations. This is all stuff you already know. It just happens to be true. As a Change Management professional, who is into both the psychology and science of change, there are three basic facts that you need to know about why change is universal. Things are changing all the time This includes, but is not limited to people, places, circumstances, physical conditions, psychological triggers. If you think that things will always stay the same, you are mistaken. – Your kids, your pets and your family members will grow older and their needs will change – Your perspectives will shift and your priorities will change – The staff in your offic

As a writer I am not pedantic about how I write or what I write, but I do try to be disciplined about when I write. In my work calendar, I have cordoned off time slots for writing. I allow myself to move these slots around, as needed, but I don't like to give-up on the writing time. It keeps me disciplined. These slots appear daily. It may be a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I have labelled these slots "Writer's Block," because this time is blocked for me to write. So here I am, with three hours to kill, my laptop is locked and loaded, my fingers are poised, my phone on silent. Time to put all distractions aside (as much as possible) and just forge ahead. One problem: my writer’s block is blo

As a change management consultant and novelist, I use storytelling techniques all the time. In terms of the latter, the use of storytelling is a no-brainer: storytelling serves as the portal, the platform and the whole entire purpose for saying what I would like to say. I have a story to share. The story provides an insight, idea or incident that I would like to relay. I need a way to deliver it . . . As for the former, there are numerous reasons to engage in storytelling in a business capacity. Storytelling enables organisations to engage inwardly and outwardly. It provides a personal, personable and authentic approach for developing and growing organisations, and driving them towards succ

The corporate world is alluring. Give or take regular economic upheavals and standard fluctuations in the industry, it is reassuring to 'belong' to an organisation and to identify with the strategy and goals thereof. Of course, any regular employment that you are bound to, also comes with financial security, social benefits and a built-in circle of colleagues, who will hopefully become friends. Not all that glitters is gold, but all-in-all corporate employment is not a consolation prize, it is first prize. Being an independent writer is also first prize, but in a different way. Comparing corporate employment to being an independent writer is a bit like comparing apples and oranges: about al

From the minute after the Big Bang to your most recent walk in the neighbourhood park, our minds are filled with stories that we tell ourselves. These stories are about the creation, our reasons for being here, who we are and why we do things. Storytelling is an essential way for us to process, find meaning and to pass this meaning on to others. Storytelling requires an essential ingredient: memory. This memory is not necessarily objective, but it is long and deep. Consider the stories about your family and your ancestors. – My grandmother used to tell us that she was so small that she used to sleep in a shoebox. I am pretty sure that this wasn't true, but it really makes for a wonderful im

Change Management is generally considered to be a multi-disciplinary approach to handle the shifting reality in a workplace. This approach is backed with formal methodologies, models and often by academic and field research as well. The change that needs to be managed may be something that is planned. For instance, consider: — the shift to an Agile approach to development, — the decision to move to a new technological platform, — the move to a new premises, for that matter Or the change may be unplanned. For instance, consider: — the sudden departure of a key leader in the company, — an unpredictable shift in the economy, — a sudden change in target demographics The change may affect indivi

Things are in flux always. Everyone knows that. We are like the strings on a wind instrument that is continuously being tuned. The more the instrument is played, the more the string stretches. Sometimes the strings are too slack, and sometimes they are too tight. But, regardless, in order to get them to play in tune, you got to keep winding them up, or down. The optimal sound, the perfect pitch can't be obtained all the time, because wear and tear is normal. But we always want to keep trying. Change is in the tuning up of the instrument. To the most delicate ear, change needs to happen regularly and with infinitesimal precision – it needs to be delicately and finely configured. But to most o

We are all multi-dimensional. We are the sum of our personal and professional circles and experiences, our socialisation, upbringing, demographics, inherent nature and nurture. We bring this multi-platform perspective and experience to everything we do, for better or for worse. For instance – on the downside – trust issues experienced in a our childhood, will likely manifest in our professional attitudes. Or, poor leadership in early business experiences, may influence the way we develop as leaders as we grow through our career. It works both ways of course, a collaborative and close-knit family unit is likely to prepare us to be a team player. Or, a significant teacher in school could re