Nearly two years after first submitting its plans for Squaw Village redevelopment, KSL has changed its mind. Not about the project but about how to get through the public process. The change in strategy has left many stakeholders confused and frustrated, see story here. While KSL doesn’t offer up a clear explanation for the shift, the company has made clear that the project hasn’t changed. So why the friction?
The main reason is based on a fundamental aspect of mankind we’re all familiar with. Type “humans resist” into Google and the top recommendation is “humans resist change.” There are countless other things we could resist — hunger, suffering, pain, illiteracy — but at the top of the list is change.
Granted, the Google search results center on the business world and change is discussed within the framework of organizational shifts. Still, there are lessons here for those involved in the Squaw announcement.
First, KSL might consider employing a concept of today’s business world: use a “change agent.” These are people brought in to help explain the who, what, how, and most importantly, the why behind a modification. A change agent could actively engage stakeholders, foster understanding, and more likely than not, smooth ruffled feathers.
On the receiving side, people should try on change in the dressing room. Twirl in the mirror, give a close look, and appraise through eyes that have seen all sides. You may end up where you began, but no matter — the attempt at understanding is what’s important.
The formidable military strategist Winston Churchill has words of caution for those involved in situations of change: “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.”
Write me anytime: mayumi@moonshineink.com.
~Mayumi Elegado
