Rapid Transformation

Introduction

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.

—Lao Tzu

Many of us are afraid of change. We establish our daily routines and, over time, become comfortable with our patterns of behavior. To change is to take a risk—to give up a current state in an attempt to reach a potentially more desirable one. We tend to resist change. We may fear failure or be uncomfortable with the uncertainty surrounding change.

Corporations are no different. Over time, employees become comfortable with their daily work schedules. Processes become embedded in the inner workings of the organization. Gradually, the energy and competitive temperature of the business settles down to room temperature. As Alan Lafley, CEO of Procter & Gamble, ...