Embracing The Wobble: The Antidote For Managing The Pace of Change

The Wobble

Mary Kay Delvo, INspiring SIGHT

For anyone who has done yoga or core and balance body work, you know that to gain balance, you have to go through being off-balance, quivering, and shaking. Yoga instructor, Kat Counts, refers to this as the wobble or “tremor of truth.” Counts says, “it is the body’s way of figuring out where it is.”

During the body’s process of figuring it out, it will tremor, shake, and fatigue more easily. Once strengthened through practice, the body becomes resilient and more able to withstand shifting terrain and unexpected movements with little to no injury.

In my work with organizations, I refer to the wobble as the “tremor of reality, “the mind’s way of figuring out how to reframe change as an opportunity not a threat.”

Enter The Pace of Change

Overwhelmingly, organizations still tend to view change as a one-time event, a project, or something to get through so they can get back to normal. Here lies the rub.

“Change is no longer a one-time event. Disruption no longer comes once a decade. The pace of change now is so rapid, it is constant”

Accenture's Pulse of Change Index, a composite measure that covers economic, social, geopolitical, climate, consumer, and technology change—shows the rate of change has been rising steadily since 2017. In comparison to a 4% increase from 2011 to 2016, the pace of change increased by 200% between 2017 and 2022. 

How often is your organization reinventing or even assessing itself for its ability to keep up with the rapidly shifting landscape it is working in?

Just like we must develop a range of physical muscles for achieving body balance so we do not tip over, so must we build mental and thinking muscles to ensure resilience in a rapidly changing environment. Organizations who want to survive the pace of change must strengthen these mental muscles (think mindset, perspective, adaptability, flexibility) and intentionally design their culture so they can thrive in a constantly shifting landscape. 

If you think back to a time when you tried something new, there is always a period of questioning oneself, learning new skills, being caught off-guard, not knowing what to expect or how to prepare. With the existing pace of change, businesses, and the people who run them, are being asked to learn something new every day. If you want to retain them, you must equip them with what it will take to thrive in this rapidly shifting environment. Let’s connect to learn how I can support you through the wobble! marykay@inspiringsight.com