Gleicher's formula: How to lead change to success

In everyday professional life, we often rush into the next "new" framework in the hope that it will solve all our problems by itself. This expectation soon leads to disillusionment and we quickly abandon the intended change. In the end, everything remains as before and we have used resources without achieving any added value, in other words, we have wasted them. In consulting for companies and in trainings, the question of why these situations occur again and again is omnipresent. Unfortunately, there is no blanket answer; rather, it depends on the specific individual case. One possibility I like to point out when it comes to change management is Gleicher's formula of change.

Equals formula of change

The formula was already published in the 60s by David Gleicher and later further developed by Kathie Dannemiller. According to this formula, one can check whether or how a change can take place in the company. Here, the product of the three factors "dissatisfaction" (U), "change vision" (V) and "the first steps" (eS) must be greater than the resistance (W) to this change, that is:  

U * V * eS > W

(or in the original: D * V * F > R)

Point 1: Dissatisfaction leads to the will to change

The first factor, dissatisfaction with the current situation, sounds relatively simple and obvious. After all, someone who is satisfied with the status quo sees no reason to change anything ("If something isn't broken, don't fix it!"). Recognizing dissatisfaction is essential for further action. Are we delivering poor quality in our products or services? Is the ITSM tool too complicated or not adapted to the processes? Are we performing too many disruptive, repetitive tasks? Are there errors in communication? Is there a lack of transparency? Are processes too bureaucratic or associated with too long waiting times? This list can be continued ad infinitum.

If, for example, the VoC method (Voice of the customer) identifies a gap between customer requirements and the degree of fulfillment, dissatisfaction can be detected very quickly, because who would want to deliver services that demonstrably do not meet customer requirements? In the same way, you can also check against OKRs(Objective & Key Results), for example, to see whether you are on the right track or deviating from it. What is determined at the end is the dissatisfaction with the current situation. Often it is now forgotten to communicate this dissatisfaction factor. EVERYONE involved needs to understand why this factor needs to be cleared up, because a person who does not understand why they should change something will not do it. The "Define" from the DMAIC cycle, for example, starts exactly there.

Point 2: Change visions set the direction

Now that the first factor has been found, one can turn to the second factor, namely the change vision. This change vision should sensibly take up the dissatisfaction factors and eliminate them. Now, the current situation cannot be changed overnight. In most cases, this is a lengthy process or, in other words, it is not a sprint but a marathon. You need a focus point, a north star for orientation that keeps you on course.

Make sure that the future state is permanently known and, by focusing on the change vision, encourage employees not to fall back into old behavior patterns. There are many visualization and communication options for this. A Maturity Matrix or a Vision Board would be two examples. The goals set for this factor must be realistic or achievable (yes, of course you are allowed to set SMARTe goals!). Something that is obviously outside the realm of possibility will fall flat accordingly. Furthermore, smaller goals that I can achieve more quickly have the effect of creating greater backing for the rest of the process.

Point 3: First steps towards the goal

The next step is implementation or the third factor, namely the first steps towards the future state. Experience shows that this point is one of the most common reasons why changes do not take hold in the company. No, I will not become "agile" by setting up an "Agile room"! No, a system administrator doesn't become a DevOps Engineer just because I change his position title! No, simply selecting a different ITSM tool will not solve our process difficulties! We need to start tracking changes with the focus they need. We have defined the future state in the second factor and provided the rationale for why we want to get there in the first factor. Why do companies still hesitate when it comes to implementing change with the necessary determination?

Important: Change management needs determination

Change will only be successful if employees in a company see that leadership is serious. New tools, new processes and the like require that employees learn the skills necessary to use or operate them. Change represents a full-time job that can't be done on the side. As a manager, you have to provide your employees with the time as well as the necessary resources to do so. Training in DevOps, ITIL, or any other framework, depending on what fits best in the specific situation, underscores that the company wants to move in that direction and leads to visibility of the investment in change.

If you have already launched several attempts at change and never backed them up with the necessary determination, sooner or later change fatigue sets in, leading to statements such as "It's the same pig we drive through the village every year!", which increases resistance to the change. If you already observe this in your company, you should check what went wrong with the previous attempts. At this point, the approach of an external collaborator has proven itself in my eyes. Regardless of whether as a consultant, Agile coach or similar: an external person in the company manifests the desire for change and the willingness to change in the company. Of course, bringing in external employees is not a panacea, but it does provide an objective view of the current situation and underscores the change efforts.

Point 4: Dealing with the resistance

If the three factors mentioned are given, according to Gleicher's formula, the product of them must be greater than the resistance. This also means that if one of the three factors is 0, the product will also be 0 and we will not overcome the resistance! Consequently, we must know how great the resistance to change is - or as Sunzi said, "If you know yourself and the enemy, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles."

Resistance can manifest itself in different ways. Are the costs too high? How much effort do we need to put into change? Do we have the time to do it? - And so on. Predicting resistance in most cases is only rudimentary. Stakeholder analyses contribute a significant factor here. We need to know which decision-makers and stakeholders exist in the company in order to pick them up and positively influence them, if necessary. To change, to leave familiar territory, to try something new takes strength, courage and a certain amount of self-conquest - in doubt, this is a normal human reaction. But if change becomes a constant companion, one way to make it normal and take away some of the frightening aspects is through transparency.

Gleicher's inequality is also not a panacea for ensuring that a change is actually implemented successfully, because at the end of the day that is the responsibility of everyone involved. But it does support the overall view of the change initiative.

Would you like to learn more about this topic? Then I recommend our DevOps compact course. You are also welcome to make an appointment for a consultation.