Hello all! We are in a series called What does Pickleball have to do with change management? In this series, I’m sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned from playing pickleball that have direct application to my work as a change management practitioner. I took a break last week. Last week’s post was Protect your partner & set them up for success. This week’s lesson is….

There are many ways to be successful

One of the things I like about pickleball is that there are so many different skills you can work on, so many different ways to be effective. However, a trap many people fall into is focusing on one style of play and not branching out.

For example, there are people, called bangers, who hit every ball as hard as they can. These players ignore the dinking and finesse parts of the game. They tend to win a lot of games, but only until they start playing people who have a more well-rounded game. Playing the game one way will only get you so far. Someone who plays a holistic game can bang, but they can also play with finesse and know how to handle a “one trick pony” player.

Playing the game one way will only get you so far.

The same principle applies in change management work. As a practitioner, if I approach every situation the same, using the same skills, tactics, and techniques, I’m going reach the ceiling of being effective and successful pretty quickly. On the other hand, if I continue to learn and grow as a practitioner, continue to add tools to my toolbox, and approach each initiative as the unique situation it is, I will be more valuable to the people I’m working with and will continue growing as a practitioner.

Closing thoughts

I want to hear from you! What has your experience been with being a “one trick pony” change management practitioner vs. one with a variety of tools and approaches in your toolbox? What things do you do to keep growing as a practitioner?

Please post your thoughts and comments below. Let’s help each other become the best change management practitioners and enthusiasts we can be!

Thank you for reading. Until next time, take care and keep up the good work!