#65 Leading the Change – Catalyst and Enzyme, part 1

By RCG • January 11th, 2009 • Recorded: December 5, 2008 • Bookmark / share this post

(4 votes)

Leading Change 1 [26:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2481)

We’ve all heard the phrase – "being the catalyst of change or transformation." But have we really thought of the implications of this metaphor, and how often do we consider the alternatives?

Change – the process of becoming different (Wikipedia)
[Catalyst] is a substance that increases the rate of reaction without being consumed by the reaction (Wikipedia)
Enzymes are biomolecules that catalyze chemical reactions. As with all catalysts, enzymes are not consumed by the reactions they catalyze, nor do they alter the equilibrium of these reactions. However, enzymes do differ from most other catalysts by being much more specific. (Wikipedia)
Coenzymes are small organic molecules that transport chemical groups from one enzyme to another. […] Coenzymes are chemically changed as a consequence of enzyme action. (Wikipedia)

In this talk, we cover the following topics:

Why studying change is so crucial?
- Either you live in a rut and eventually die, or live a full life. And to live a full life, you better study change.
- You are always changing – whether you want it or not. The question is only, do you want to take the reins of your transformation into
  your own hands, or not?
- "Change is the only constant" – and Deming added "you don’t have to change. Survival is optional."
- It’s in the moments of change fortunes are made and lost;
- It’s in the moments of change you either survive or die;
- It’s in leading these changes that great shifts happen.
- It’s knowing the waves of change enables you to ride with the change, if not lead it
- Like in surfing, if you calibrate it right, you ride the wave. But if you misjudge it, you go underwater.
Kinds of change
- Cyclical and Structural change
- How do you know a priori what kind of change it is?
Catalyst and Enzyme
- When leading change, what primary behavior you are demonstrating?
- Are you putting yourself on the line and changing with it, or simply observing the change on the outside?
- As in language – are you a verb or a noun (nominalization)?
Contexts for being enzyme or catalyst
- When it’s appropriate to be one or the other; sequencing