Spaghetti: A Recipe for Change

A pack of spaghetti is the perfect analogy for change management. Spaghetti comes straight and brittle, with little room for flex and give. Pop it into boiling water, and voila, you have a wonderfully flexible, twisty pasta string ready to absorb whatever flavour of sauce you wish to add its magical, really.

So, how does this analogy help with change management? In our previous post on change, we discussed the phases or stages of change, and it might have seemed like these were linear, happening one after the other. Nothing could be further from the truth. We swing back and forth through these stages of Shock, Denial, Acceptance, Search for Meaning, and finally Integration. These stages are repeated daily and at different levels, even if we are not aware of them.

Back to our spaghetti—think of what follows as a recipe for successful change management. Our dry spaghetti needs support to be its best version of itself. As a leader, that is part of your role: to support and develop your people. Next, the pasta needs the right conditions—al dente, soft to soak up the flavours you will add later. Again, as a leader, you are setting parameters and getting people ready to move to a new and exciting place.

Next, we have the grand plan for the pasta. In my case, a Bolognese sauce is most welcome. As the leader of change, what flavour are you preparing? Wholesale change and restructure, service upgrade, downsizing, or new software implementation? Whatever your strategic change, you need an end goal in sight. Otherwise, that plate of pasta is going to look a bit mean.

In managing change, you also have to think about many dependencies and clear communication. Are we having red wine—French or Italian? What about the entrée? Antipasto or something different? There are so many considerations, and they serve to help us think about the change management process and what dependencies we need to consider before we launch our plan.

Finally, we need to invite our dinner guests. As a leader, you must communicate change clearly and check understanding. After all, you don’t want someone at your dinner party who can’t enjoy pasta!

If you are planning a change programme, or are having difficulties with a current programme we are here to help. Contact us on info@ivartyconsulting.com