Could we confront, head-on, the feelings of loss (of control, time, competence, and so on) that folks naturally feel amid any significant change? If the shared belief that “change is possible” is so critical to long-term and org-wide change, could we produce early wins that serve as tangible evidence that change is, indeed, possible? Could we confront skepticism and even cynicism, not with arguments or empty gestures, but with real proof of change? Over a span of five years, and in partnership with some of the world’s most famous organizations, we tried dozens of novel combinations of change processes, aiming for the following outcomes: Most importantly, we experimented with real teams and their messy problems.
![nobl collective nobl collective](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HeUiq8grGsk/hq720.jpg)
We borrowed ideas from traditional change management, yes, but also complexity science (a new scientific field that emerged in the 1980s and 90s), human-centered design, and agile and lean methodologies. We hired academics and seasoned change practitioners.
![nobl collective nobl collective](https://academy.nobl.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/action-athlete-barbell-841130-1024x683.jpg)
We interviewed past clients and legendary changemakers. (Cue the movie montage.) We investigated every popular change model on the market. In other words, organizations needed a process to ensure change wasn’t just a one-time event driven by a lucky or persistent “rebel,” but rather, a muscle within the organization that could grow stronger with practice. Leaders wanted to spread new practices throughout the organization, and to know when it was time to revisit those practices. Teams had to adapt to customers’ emerging needs faster.
![nobl collective nobl collective](https://academy.nobl.io/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Offsite-__-Apr-2021-Copy-of-AP-Architecture-v.02-933x1536.jpg)
Not another comms plan or additional “change theater,” but a way to truly change collective behaviors and mindsets. What organizations actually needed was a process to make change. The real problem was organizational culture: incentives that muzzled new ideas, silos that prevented changes from spreading, and processes that reinforced the status quo at every turn. In fact, they often had passionate staff who were already championing the same new approaches we were peddling. But to our surprise, we saw firsthand that organizations weren’t suffering from a lack of ideas or access to technology. Our founding members had all worked in innovation agencies, digital transformation studios, and within the operations function of major companies, tasked with infusing organizations with new ideas and technologies that would give them a competitive edge.