Our educational system and experience in the classroom has trained us to do many things, such as learn about processes, the scientific method, logic, and mathematical truths, as well as understand poetry, inferences, social commentary as displayed through artistic representation and gain understanding through empathetic sharing.

As people who want to make things easier, better and faster, we sometimes look to new processes, services, products and other innovations to improve productivity, produce a more effective return on investment, or provide us with more leisure time.  Combining our capacity for understanding with our desire for improvement, we can make the case for change.

But sometimes, there are situations and circumstances we have no control over, and simply can’t change.

When we realize that there are some things that we can’t change, however, an interesting thing takes place.  Change happens…except we are the ones that are changed.

Many times, we change our mindsets or our actions to offer accommodation for those unchangeable things or situations that impinge upon our lives, thereby further reinforcing the adage, “The only constant is change.”

But even though there’s something we believe that can’t be changed doesn’t mean we can’t continue to work for change.  Another way of looking at it is that if we don’t work for change, we become victims of circumstances (which are also changing…whether we perceive them or not).

Further, if you plan for change, it’s important to glean as much input as possible.  To omit a particular constituency because it’s known that they won’t like the potential changes on the horizon is not a valid reason to exclude them from the process.  The constituency needs to have its voice heard, and may even offer a viable alternative solution which meets the goals of the project, but modifies the objectives regarding how to attain the goal and allow for a more palatable transitional experience.  Constituencies who have their concerns validated are more likely to assist in the process, and not create roadblocks with the intention to maintain things as they are.  It’s possible that if members of the constituency are not involved in the process, and feel they can’t change, adjust nor modify the decision, they will change, but not in the way we hope for.  They might become a passionate activist, working against what has been decided, rather than a supportive and understanding advocate, helping to guide others to the vision leadership has set out to achieve.

For instance, if you’re looking to streamline processes and cut administrative costs, then be sure to gather input from all constituent groups, including donors, employees, and constituents, rather than simply analyzing demographic trends, potential availability of resources, and economic projections when formulating goals and targets to plan for the future sustainability of the organization.

If you’re a user of Facebook, LinkedIn, or other popular social media, you may have seen a quote by a fellow named Jack Dixon:

If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.

The interesting thing is that while this quotation is posted in hundreds of blogs and Web sites that provide motivation, there are very few that say who Jack Dixon is.

According to the relatively few Web sites that connect the quote to the man, Jack Dixon is the author of the award-winning historical novel, “The Pict,” and historical novel, “Jerusalem Falls.” His fascination with history inspires him to write stories that bring historical characters and events to life. He lives in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Coming from an author, it’s more than a creative turn of words; it’s at the core of any change experience.

You may have experienced this effect yourself.  Perhaps you have, or have known someone who has, tried to lose weight.  Diet, exercise, supplements and all those things aside, you step on a scale every day at the same time of day, and chart your results, hoping to see significant change.

And it doesn’t happen.

Why?  You may have not exercised as you should have; you may have attended a party, and overindulged a bit.  You may have forgotten to employ some type of practice for a couple of days during the week.  But yet, you’ve stuck to the schedule of weighing yourself every day, at the same time.

The tracking isn’t the issue; the practice is.  Deciding to begin a regimen is easy when results are since quickly; but many processes take time to produce significant effects.  Significant discipline is necessary to pay attention to and follow the process, and then, track the results less frequently than you think you should.  Perhaps every week…or every month…rather than every day.

Perhaps we should rephrase the quotation a bit.  Focusing on the change may produce the desired results; but focusing on the desired results may cause frustration with change.

But when we really think about it, do we really want change, when what we really want is transformation?  If so, then a focus on the desired results is like paying constant attention to the bottom line.  Think about all those folks that walk along sidewalk while looking down at the their mobile device.  If you’re always looking down at the bottom line, and not paying attention to the things around you and, especially, in front of you, there’s a really good chance you’re going to run into something – perhaps even into a wall.

If you do a search on “Change Dynamics,” and select “images,” chances are you’ll see lots of pictures of custom wheels for your car.  However, you search images for “Dynamics of Change,” you’ll find an array of books, memes and other pictures that convey how change can occur, can be implemented, can be made to stick, and what the ramifications of change can be, as well as their effect on various populations.  This proves that it’s important to speak about things correctly.  As the Chinese proverb states, “The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.”

If you’re looking to make improvements to the processes in which your school, non-profit, workgroup, team, organization, business, even your church, and yes, even your family participates, then it’s important for all stakeholders to be involved in the process, since the effect of a small change in one element of your school, non-profit, workgroup, team, organization, business, church or family will be felt throughout its complete systemic structure.

Consultant and best-selling author Patrick Lencioni shares some great insights about what inhibits teams from making changes that will take them to the next level.  The video is entertaining as much as it informative, and the dysfunctions of a team are as applicable to a small church as they are to a multi-million dollar corporation.  Unfortunately, the original video that was posted is still available (you can search “Five Dysfunctions of a Team”), but since these are taken down as soon as they’re reposted, to offer a link is a waste of time (but you might be able to find it somewhere if you search for it (yes, people still need to do some search work and not have everything linked for your convenience).  There is, however, a 2-minute video explanation of the 5 dysfunctions at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCxct4CR-To.  The current video only covers the first dysfunction, the Absence of Trust, is VERY important concept to comprehend before progressing to examining the next levels of dysfunction.

I could say you NEED to watch Patrick Lencioni. But first, you have to WANT to watch. When I had first encouraged some of my colleagues to watch it, they said, “Oh, I don’t have time for that,” applying the #TLDR (too long, didn’t read) mindset to our society’s desire for just headlines and soundbites.  Unfortunately, that type of comment offers some great insight into the mindset necessary for effective change to occur and “stick.”

Change requires preparation, since a change usually means there will be more changes to help support the change.  That’s why the featured graphic for this article was chosen as a visual representation of this principle.  If a back-bending change leads to successes, then more changes will be necessary to help support those successes.  That’s why it may be helpful to think of change not as “change,” but as “transition.”  “Change” is an “event,” while “transition” is a “process.”

See if this dysfunction that Mr. Lencioni describes resonates with your experiences.