Making change happen - a favourite model

There are lots of models designed to help implement change out there; we all have our favourite, and mine is Robert Dilts' logical levels*.

I like it because it works in practice, not just on paper. My experience also backs up Dilts' theory that change will only occur if people and organisations actually identify with the goals that a change is trying to achieve, and make the achievement of these goals something of personal importance.

How does it work? The model is split into 6 levels - each looking at different factors that need to be right for successful change to happen. Starting with the bottom one, these levels cover:

• Environmental factors. These relate to the external opportunities or constraints that must be recognised and acted upon. It involves understanding where and when successful change occurs.
• Behavioural factors. These cover the specific actions or steps required to achieve success, or simply what must be done to be successful.
• Capabilities and mindsets are the mental maps, plans and strategies that lead to success. They relate to how success will be achieved.
• Beliefs and Values. These look at the attitudes people have that may move them towards success or away from it. These attitudes provide the motivation to act and preserve. They relate to why people or organisations do what they do.
• Identity factors. These relate to people's sense of their role within the organisation's mission, and who the person or organisation perceives itself to be.
• Spiritual factors relating to a person's view of the larger system to which they belong. This is about for whom or for what a particular action is taken.

Many initiatives undertaken by individuals or organisations focus on the lower levels - the environmental and behavioural factors and capabilities around change - but don't pay enough attention to the more intangible areas covered in the levels above. But without making sure that people's beliefs and values, identity and sense of purpose are also prepared for change, the initiative is probably doomed to failure - something we probably all know from experience.

If you would like to share, your favourite models of change join our forum and add to the discussion

Visionary Leadership Skills - Robert Dilts www.nlpu.com