And there is a lot of change around us.

Technology is changing, societies are changing,

our personal lives are changing.

The only constant in life is really change.

But, why is change often so scary?

Why do we not see the opportunities, but only the risks?

Why is it so hard to get out of the comfortable

status quo we are in right now to move forward?

Well, of course you need some energy, right?

If you are comfortable in one place, you need some energy to move forward,

you need to find the energy somewhere within,

or around you.

And then, of course, we're human.

We have emotions,

and very often, our emotions get the better of us

when confronted with traumatic transformational change

around us.

Professor Schlossberg has a great theory

and a great model of transition

that really explains the emotional roller coaster we are going through

when confronted with radical transformation.

Something big happens to us or around us or with us,

the first thing: denial - this is not happening!

It's not happening to us, it's not happening now.

Eventually, though, reality sinks in,

a lot of fear and anxiety take over.

What do we do, what does it mean for us?

Will we have enough to eat, will we have a roof over our head,

will we be loved, who knows?

We're stressed, we try not to deal with it

but eventually, we'll try to find out how to practice some things.

Try, well, this works, this might not work, we are learning things,

and then, we start to discover the opportunities in the transformation.

We're getting excited

we want to change the world,

and want to change everybody around us and with us,

and realize everybody else -- while we are super enthusiastic --

might be still on the other side and be stuck in fear

and anger and depression.

So, this is how it works.

Sometimes it goes in seconds, sometimes it takes years

and unfortunately, sometimes people

and complete organizations get stuck somewhere in the middle

of deep depression, unproductivity, and fear.

So, our goal --

if we have reached the excitement about the transformation we want to drive,

is to take the other people with us,

and help them through this emotional rollercoaster.

How do we do this? First:

You want to have a super clear vision

of what this transformation actually look like.

Has to be clear, has to be short, has to be crisp

and by the way, 80% of all change management projects fail

because they don't have a good vision.

So, if you get one thing right,

this has a huge opportunity.

Second:

Be clear on the impact.

Of course, the negative impact if you don't move,

or the people around you don't move, the organizations don't move.

But also the positive impact,

that adresses the fears, the concerns and

the search for opportunities

that is out there with all of us

that gives us something to hold on,

to get the energy, to get through this curve and get out and be enthusiastic

and motivated and drive things forward.

Communicate.

If you're dealing with someone who is in denial or in deep fear

they are not reading a five page document,

so you have to be very clear and crisp,

what's in it for them, why they don't have to be afraid,

and how they can help to move things forward, and make it better.

Over-communicate, again and again and again

according to where somebody is on the emotional curve.

Doesn't matter if you're enthusiastic, if they're afraid,

you need to be addressing them where they are

and to deal with their fears.

Fourth: Don't do it alone.

Build a team that helps you

to understand the big picture.

A diverse team with diverse viewpoints

sharpens your vision, gets a better strategy, gets a better plan

and you have a lot of allies that can help people

and organizations for every stage of the emotional curve.

And last, but not least: You own the change.

You are the leader of the change you want to see and you want to drive.

Celebrate the victories, step by step

while you're going through this transformation.

So people stay engaged

they see the progress

and you start a movement, and more and more people will join

and support you in that journey.

And at the end, don't forget to celebrate the victory.

Celebrate, harness the energy because one thing is sure

change is happening again

but if you have successfully managed to radical transformation once,

a second time

it's not easy, but it's going to be easier.

With that, I want to invite you.

We're in a world full of opportunities.

Some of them look scary, but they are definitely out there

to make our world a better place

and I would like you

to become the change you want to see in the world.

Thank you very much.

(Applause)