When we think about something we want to change in our lives, we create the idea of the end goal, we look at what we need to give up and what new things we have to take on, then we proceed to implement the change. Think about these few examples. You have probably gone through at least one of these:
- Moving
- Getting a degree
- Getting married
- Having children
We simply get started and then deal with the challenges as they come.
Getting started and just dealing with challenges is not a good way to make a successful change. Successful transformation takes more than simply hoping you get to the end-point.
The transformation happens over time, during the implementation. It is not a trigger moment; you start and now the new process is in place, exactly the way you expected. Picture your moving day. There was a lot of planning that went into preparing for the moving day. All that preparation is part of the implementation. Getting boxes to put items in. Hiring a truck. Arranging for friends to help. Cleaning the new location before your move in, etc. Yes, the day after you move, you have technically ‘moved’, but there are still things to do: unpacking, moving your old life into a new space. It could be days, weeks, or months before the new place feels like home to you.
The Transformation Stage in EXIT Readiness
Making a transformation happen in your business not only takes planning and preparation, it takes days, weeks, or months to implement a change and make it feel like ‘home’ again, for you and your team. The new process needs to be known, understood, and expected, moving forward. The old work needs to be let go of.
During the transformation, some people will still use the old process. Some have not yet made the new process part of their daily expectations. These are indicators that the transformation is not yet complete. Everyone must know when the old process should be stopped and when the new should be used exclusively. Like the ‘moving day’ analogy, sometimes you still have things in boxes, some things are all ready in place, and some decision will still need to be made.
Transformation has three phases.
- The way it was
- The way it will be, but is not yet
- The new way
The “Way it was” phase is where you were before you started the process of thinking about changing. Everyone is doing it the old way, and it is working the way it is expected. During this phase, people are learning the value of the change, understanding the reasons for changing, and are identifying their place in the upcoming change.
In the second phase, people, including you, are doing things differently, but it is not yet the new way. You are trying things out, checking in on how the changes are working by managing peoples’ expectations. You are motivating people to continue the change, encouraging them to bring ideas, and celebrating the wins. And you are measuring the ongoing quality of production and services offered.
The transformation is not complete until everyone is complete in their role in the change and you won’t know that if you are not regularly checking in with your team to manage, motivate, and measure the progress.
Transformation is not a plan that you simply set in motion. It is an entire process that you oversea, evaluate, and adjust as you go through the change, until the expected outcome is the ‘New Way’.
This article is 100% original content – The articles you read in this blog are 100% created by Barb Stuhlemmer, not by AI. © 2026 Barb Stuhlemmer
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