Can Organizational Change Be Good For You?

I spoke with Dan Erwin last week.  He has spent years researching neuroscience and training/coaching executives from all over the world.  We had such an interesting conversation, I asked Dan to write a guest post about how constant change affects people in the corporate environment.     

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Over the past 15 years, research in neuroscience (brain science) has shown itself to be highly applicable to professional development. Although Gen-Yers seem to be more comfortable with upheaval and change than Gen-Xers, neuroscience shows that continuous change through enrichment makes far more personal contributions than most businesspeople might suspect.

The science of enrichment is a fascinating story, told by Marian Diamond of UC Berkeley. Prior to 1960 it was widely believed that the brain was hardwired and subject only to genetic control. In 1964 Diamond tested that hypothesis in a unique study. She sorted 36 rats into three experimental groups, providing free access to food and water and similar lighting conditions to all them, but placing 12 into an impoverished environment, 12 into a standard environment and 12 into an enriched environment. The enriched environment placed 12 animals into a large cage and provided them with 5 - 6 objects to explore and climb upon (e.g. wheels, ladders, small mazes), changing these objects two to three times a weak. These were “friends with toys.” The standard environment housed 3 animals to a small cage with no exploratory objects, friends–but no benefits. The impoverished environment was a single animal to a cage with no friends and no toys.

After 30 days the animals were anesthetized and their brains were compared. Results clearly showed that the cortex–the most highly developed part of the brain, responsible for thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language in humans and the place where actual information processing takes place–had increased in thickness compared to that of mice living in a standard setting. In significant contrast, the impoverished mice decreased from the standard or normal cage setting for rats. Diamond concluded that enrichment has a measurable and significant impact on the brain.

That’s cool! But what do rats have to do with humans? Plenty, as later research was to show. In 1998, Fred Gage and his team of brilliant Salk Institute scientists were able, through a lucky fluke, to carry out a similar experiment with human brains. It confirmed that the brain is not hardwired, and that enrichment creates all kinds of future possibilities. In short, enrichment develops our intelligence. Surprise, surprise. Intelligence is a set of competencies, not capacities–a conclusion that plays total havoc with conventional wisdom. Or as an acquaintance put it to me: “That’s impossible. I can’t believe that. It goes against everything I believe.” So goes the story.

But here’s how the science operates in professional development–all from the experience of a well-placed client executive. Brittany was a logistics executive at the Domuch Corporation (fictitious name and companies),where change was institutionalized as the normal modus operandi. Business alignments were readily and regularly changed, acquisitions were a normal occurrence requiring executive mobility, the business strategy went through a yearly tweaking resulting in personnel changes, and even department locations were restacked in the downtown skyscraper on a yearly basis. It was obvious to me that over time those uncomfortable with change either got religion or left the corporation.

About five years ago Domuch was acquired by Slowmove, a Fortune 100 consumer products company. Normally in an acquistion most of the executives take their severance and run, the ranks of acquired employees are thinned, and most of the knowledge base of the acquirees is lost. That isn’t what happened. After a short time, Brittany was installed as EVP in the acquiring company, all the people she brought with her from Domuch took on new roles at Slowmove. The original Slowmove exec was bought out and many of his people were let go. Why? They were very uncomfortable with change, couldn’t readily manage the “stress,” and as a result of the “rightsizing,” most of them “gladly took severance.”

What was the lesson from the experience? Brittany was very clear and direct about her conclusion: “Beyond a shadow of doubt, being yanked around is good for you.” Of course, the converse of this mantra is that staying in the same role, at the same quiet company and reveling in work stability is a prescription for vocational suicide. It should be obvious that the New Economy rewards the ability to manage change. As you think about your career strategy make certain to put change into a prominent role.

In the 21st century change competencies will be key to your success.

Dan Erwin,PhD, is a nationally recognized management consultant. He has coached more than 400 managers and executives from many of the finest corporations in the world, including an extensive client base from the Fortune 500. He remains at the forefront in the practical use of research from neuroscience, managerial training, development, and organizational learning. 

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