Principle 10, derived from permaculture, to guide your mission of transformation
“ Start with the big picture and work your way down to the details ”
Or Striving for a Balance Between Vision and Action
💡 A Simple Explanation of the Principles of Permaculture
Permaculture teaches us that it is best to start with a big-picture view before diving into the details.
Focusing on the details first can sometimes mean running the risk of “getting lost in the details .” The more we focus on each individual element, the less we understand the overall dynamics that we can rely on.
Permaculture, on the other hand, encourages us to take a step back and incorporate fundamental principles into crop development.
For example, the idea behind permaculture is to apply the forest model to agriculture. In this model, the vitality of the entire ecosystem takes precedence over the vitality of each individual component.
🔍 Applying the Principle in a Transformation Initiative
As agents of change, when we launch an organizational change initiative with the goal of having a positive impact—beyond business considerations—on society and the environment, we tend to imagine ourselves as a small person facing a huge, daunting mountain.
To carry out our mission, there are so many things to plan and accomplish. For example:
Convince decision-makers and/or colleagues of the need for and urgency of change,
Take into account all the different expectations associated with this change,
Clarify the intended vision for the change,
Anticipate and manage resistance to this change,
Develop a roadmap,
Identify and engage allies and change agents,
Assess the available resources (time, budget, support, etc.),
Implement the action plan,
Track and evaluate progress,
Communicate progress and challenges to stakeholders,
Dealing with the unexpected and adapting practices to on-the-ground realities,
Handle administrative and logistical tasks of varying complexity, etc.
As if that weren't enough, these tasks must be carried out in a somewhat uncomfortable position. The person in charge of leading the change is often outside their comfort zone, grappling with their own doubts and facing uncertainty about the path forward and the expected outcome. That's enough to demotivate any professional!
AREAS FOR ACTION
If we take a step back, we know that certain “climbing crampons” can help us scale the mountain—in our own way and with a sense of calm. Here are three of them:
The Vision.
Having a clear vision of the future you want helps you avoid getting lost in the maze of external constraints and expectations. Keeping your eyes on the prize helps light the way with and for others.
Leadership.
Clarifying one’s position, role, strengths, capabilities, and limitations allows one to add significant value. It also provides an opportunity to create space for others to contribute in complementary ways.
Priority Areas for Action
Identifying key strategic priorities—taking into account the current context and our desired vision—helps us focus on the essential priorities. It is also useful for sorting through the many ideas and requests.
By drawing on these foundational principles, change agents will be able to climb their mountain in a coordinated and seamless manner.
🐝 Tips for Getting Active
Here are a few self-coaching questions to help you successfully carry out your transformation initiatives:
If anything goes, if anything is possible, what does success look like to you?
What kind of person do you want to be on this journey? What role would you like to play?
Between the current situation (point A) and the desired situation (point B), what are the three priority areas for action?
Let’s align the macro-level vision with the micro-level tactics to achieve sustainable transformation. Let’s keep our feet firmly on the ground, let our minds explore the realm of possibilities, and trust that our experiments will reveal the path forward!
“‘A vision without action is nothing more than a hallucination.’”
“‘Action without vision goes in circles .’”
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As a reminder, I’d like to highlight the parallels between the 12 operational principles of permaculture and sustainable transformations in organizational systems. If you’re a professional committed to promoting a better society, these principles and insights should help you maximize your impact and inner peace. Here is the first, the second , the 3rd and 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Article.
Hello to you, agents of change!
I'm Nina Cambadélis, an impact coach and expert in leadership and sustainable transformation.
For more than 10 years, I was in charge of transformation and multifaceted performance initiatives at a multicultural CAC 40 company. What I love to do is help organizations and professionals rethink their business and make them proud to contribute, in their own way, to a world that is more sustainable, more humane, and more respectful of nature.
If you'd like some guidance along the way, contact me!
