Jennifer Selby Long

And so it was extremely enlightening to me because until my client made that decision and that commitment, we struggled. We really struggled. That team had been brought together through two acquisitions. That team was so far behind Vince. They actually had worked very hard on two software releases.

And so it was extremely enlightening to me because until my client made that decision and that commitment, we struggled. We really struggled. That team had been brought together through two acquisitions. That team was so far behind Vince. They actually had worked very hard on two software releases.

that they had to literally cast aside because they fell so far behind because they did not move as one that the other technology leapfrogged it and it no longer was appropriate, right? It no longer fit with the company's other technology. So this was an organization that was in crisis. And it was when he was able to just recognize, hey, this is a failed exercise, right?

that they had to literally cast aside because they fell so far behind because they did not move as one that the other technology leapfrogged it and it no longer was appropriate, right? It no longer fit with the company's other technology. So this was an organization that was in crisis. And it was when he was able to just recognize, hey, this is a failed exercise, right?

We cannot bring this guy along to where we need to. And I'm going to stop trying. It was this was, by the way, about 20 years ago. And so I found myself really admiring and recognizing the joy of learning something about change from one of my own clients. Whereas usually I'm the one in the teacher's seat.

We cannot bring this guy along to where we need to. And I'm going to stop trying. It was this was, by the way, about 20 years ago. And so I found myself really admiring and recognizing the joy of learning something about change from one of my own clients. Whereas usually I'm the one in the teacher's seat.

And I really learned deeply from that experience because me on that idealist, I never want to give up on anybody. And so it was so helpful for me to see someone willing to say, I think we need to give up on this. This is not succeeding. And we need to not judge the efforts that we made to make it succeed. We need to find a totally different path here. Totally and completely different.

And I really learned deeply from that experience because me on that idealist, I never want to give up on anybody. And so it was so helpful for me to see someone willing to say, I think we need to give up on this. This is not succeeding. And we need to not judge the efforts that we made to make it succeed. We need to find a totally different path here. Totally and completely different.

It was fantastic and so eye-opening for me. So eye-opening.

It was fantastic and so eye-opening for me. So eye-opening.

Yes, I think that there are a lot of parallels to Bill Bridge's model, but something that you said there about his third, his unfreeze again, his third and final stage is that you emerge with a new identity. And I think that this is so vital for us as leaders to understand that when we are asking our people to make a significant change,

Yes, I think that there are a lot of parallels to Bill Bridge's model, but something that you said there about his third, his unfreeze again, his third and final stage is that you emerge with a new identity. And I think that this is so vital for us as leaders to understand that when we are asking our people to make a significant change,

they often do have a change in their fundamental identity or how they see themselves. And it can be hard to recognize because often in the leadership role, we already see them in that way. If we didn't see that they had the potential collectively and individually

they often do have a change in their fundamental identity or how they see themselves. And it can be hard to recognize because often in the leadership role, we already see them in that way. If we didn't see that they had the potential collectively and individually

to make this change successful, we probably wouldn't have started down that path, or we wouldn't have brought in some different people to lead them. So it is so vital to understand that you're not, change management is about hitting the target, right?

to make this change successful, we probably wouldn't have started down that path, or we wouldn't have brought in some different people to lead them. So it is so vital to understand that you're not, change management is about hitting the target, right?

Implementing the change on time, within budget, to a set standard, but this can actually be much more profound for others than we recognize because they can come out of it with a new identity. Think of, for example, my clients who are financial analysts. Today, even just as recently as three years ago, the technology didn't really exist for them to spend the bulk of their time

Implementing the change on time, within budget, to a set standard, but this can actually be much more profound for others than we recognize because they can come out of it with a new identity. Think of, for example, my clients who are financial analysts. Today, even just as recently as three years ago, the technology didn't really exist for them to spend the bulk of their time

Truly advising senior business leaders on what they should be doing in the business. They had very little time to say things like, hey, here's a market force that I see going on in Japan. And I think we need to focus 40% more of our sales effort there on this product line. No way. They were too busy being Excel jockeys, right? Today, that technology has come a very long way.

Truly advising senior business leaders on what they should be doing in the business. They had very little time to say things like, hey, here's a market force that I see going on in Japan. And I think we need to focus 40% more of our sales effort there on this product line. No way. They were too busy being Excel jockeys, right? Today, that technology has come a very long way.