SET MILESTONES, BUT LIVE IT TODAY

Traditionally, transformation programmes had two- to three-year lifespans and the business typically would not feel the need to repeat the process for another ten years. There has been a fundamental change in that transformation is being seen as a new mindset that will be continuous. Rick Boven, director of Stakeholder Strategies who works with many leading New Zealand businesses to enable them to implement change describes a process whereby “we’re moving from one transformation straight into another”.

Yet, many companies do believe that they need specific goals attached to a timeline in order to maintain focus and a sense of urgency. However, these evolve into milestones as they come to realise that the transformation process won’t reach an end because it has to become an embedded and continuous way of being, not a one-off event. So celebrating milestones is important but so is living the future version of the company from day one. It may take years to get to where you want to be but you have to start right now to live your future culture.