Change is difficult but essential-Esther Derby offers seven guidelines for change by attraction
an approach that draws people into the process so that instead of resisting change they
embrace it. Even if you don't have change management in your job description your job involves
change. Change is a given as modern organizations respond to market and technology advances
make improvements and evolve practices to meet new challenges. This is not a simple process on
any level. Often there is no indisputable right answer and responding requires trial and
error learning and unlearning. Whatever you choose to do it will interact with existing
policies and structures in unpredictable ways. And there is quite simply a natural human
resistance to being told to change. Rather than creating more rigorous preconceived plans or
imposing change by decree agile software developer turned organizational change expert Esther
Derby offers change by attraction an approach that is adaptive and responsive and engages
people in learning evolving and owning the new way. She presents a set of seven
heuristics-guides to problem-solving-that empower people to achieve outcomes within broad
constraints using their personal ingenuity and creativity. When you work by attraction you
give space and support for people to feel the loss that comes with change and help them see
what is valuable about the future you propose. Resistance fades because people feel there is
nothing to push against-only something they want to move toward. Derby's approach clears the
fog to provide a new way forward that honors people and creates safety for change.
