7 levels of change

From HMCwiki

Change has many levels and all are important. Rolf Smith of the Office of Strategic Innovation has an awesome way of looking at 7 levels of change. These levels can be applied individually or collectively as a team to mild the most of your change effort.

Apply the different aspects of change to get the most out of an initiative.
Clarify the Seven levels of thinking required to address each level of change.
Use as an idea generator.

[edit]

How to utilize the 7 levels of change

As a team, go through what would apply to each level of change to specific goal they are trying to achieve.
Mention that the effort to change becomes increasingly harder as the level of change increases.
Generate aspects of each level of change which should be considered to make the change as meaningful as possible.
Apply them to the problem or goal or change being attacked.

[edit]

Levels of change

Level 1 Do the right thing. Focus on where you are supposed to be going. Anything else is considered ‘shiny beads’ that are distractions to the core goal. If you are not doing the right thing, you are doing the wrong thing. Examples: Set priorities, Use 80:20 thinking, Do what’s important first, Become more effective
Level 2 Do the thing right. Help people and systems work together as planned. Examples: Follow procedures, Understand standards, Become more efficient, Clean up your mess
Level 3 Do things better. Continually improve on what exists. Develop a ‘if better is possible, good is not enough’ mindset. Examples: Think about what you’re doing, Listen to suggestions, Think of ways to improve things, Help, coach, and mentor
Level 4 Do away with things. Eliminate anything that gets in the way of real work. Supplies, equipment, outdated policies, assumptions. Develop a ‘the way it is is in the way’ mindset. Examples: Stop doing what doesn’t count, Ask, “why?”, Eliminate waste, Become more productive
Level 5 Do what others are doing. Copy proven processes, ideas from other industries, your own industry, you own organization. Examples: Take time out to think, Find best practices, Read, observe, notice, study, Copy! "If you see a good idea, be sure you are the first to steal it"....stolen from Vin Sahney, Henry Ford Hospital
Level 6 Do what no one else is doing. Lead the pack in terms of innovative thinking. This requires revolutionary thinking. Combining two seemingly unconnectible thoughts into one great idea. Examples: Consider crazy ideas, Try new technologies, Try things you think will, Ask, “why not?”
Level 7 Do what can’t be done. Think the impossible and figure a way to refit it into reality. Weird thinking is required, but who wants to be just ‘normal’. Examples: What’s impossible for you today? Where will it take real magic? Imagineer a perfect process. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if ...”