Change is first and foremost a change of direction, not a radical transformation that happens by waving a magic wand. The path towards this new direction is not necessarily the smoothest. Staying on our chosen course when we run into obstacles and can’t immediately see the outcome shows us the true extent of our commitment, which stems from a clear and stated intention.
Intention leads us to action. It is thanks to it that the way forward lights up and stands out clearly among the multitude of options available to us, and that we find the strength to follow it to the end despite the difficulties that will inevitably appear along the way. It’s also this same intention that enables us to start new ventures, change the status quo, experience things beyond what we think we know…
This is just as true for individuals as it is for teams and companies. As Winston Churchill said “There is nothing wrong with change, as long as it is in the right direction.” What is the right direction?
To persevere in this process, we need a high level of engagement, enthusiasm and discipline. Individually and collectively, we need to find meaning in what we are doing. “Why am I doing this? Which direction do I want to head in?”: We come to grips with our fears and emotions… we learn to live with them, but we never truly get rid of them.
Initiating change for ourselves and for groups of people is therefore above all a question of intention, of direction. Involvement is a consequence.
When managing change projects, the first step consists in clarifying the intention and the understanding of which direction to take. During the Expedition course I created in 2017, managers, executives and entrepreneurs experiment, via a 7-stage process, with how to shift from intention to action, by creating or starting a new venture differently based on their own alignment. Gaining a clear vision of the project to better embrace the changes and put them into action more rapidly gives the company and its director a major competitive edge.
The Expedition programme follows the key processes for change: intention, trust, meaning, authenticity, interconnection, doubt and action. Each participant implements their own change project, by experimenting with it over seven 5-hour sessions during which some motivational speakers are invited to give talks. Each session takes place in an unusual, convivial location and is followed by drinks and finger food in the evening. The mind training bolsters each stage of the exploration, the project is constantly monitored, and time to work in pairs is maintained over the course of the Expedition in between sessions.
If you’d like to embark on an upcoming expedition, contact me!
