Task D1.2: Understand the Mindstate

What is Task D1.2?

Task D1.2 is part of the "Act" phase of the Viability Canvas methodology, specifically within the "Direction" step (Step D1). This task instructs you to "Use the House of Change model to determine the prevailing mindstate in the organization."

Purpose of Understanding the Mindstate

The purpose of this task is to diagnose the current psychological and emotional state of the organization regarding change. Before implementing any changes, it's crucial to understand how ready the organization is to accept and embrace those changes. This helps you:

1. Calibrate your change approach to match the organization's readiness
2. Identify potential resistance and areas of support
3. Select appropriate intervention strategies that will be effective in the current mindstate
4. Avoid wasting resources on approaches that won't work in the current mindstate

The House of Change Model

The House of Change model (also known as the Four Rooms of Change) was created by Claes Janssen and provides a framework for understanding how individuals and organizations experience change. The model describes four distinct psychological states or "rooms":

1. Room of Contentment: In this state, people are satisfied with the current situation and see no need for change. They feel comfortable and may resist any suggestion that change is necessary.
2. Room of Denial: When initially confronted with the need for change, people often enter denial. They refuse to acknowledge problems or minimize their significance, clinging to the belief that the current approach is still working.
3. Room of Confusion: As denial becomes unsustainable, people enter a state of uncertainty and anxiety. They recognize that change is necessary but aren't sure what to do or how to move forward. This state involves exploration, questioning, and often conflict.
4. Room of Renewal: Finally, people accept change and engage in creating new solutions. This room is characterized by energy, creativity, learning, and growth as new approaches are implemented.

How to Complete Task D1.2

To understand the organization's mindstate:

1. Gather information through observations, interviews, surveys, or workshops to determine where different parts of the organization are in the change process.
2. Look for indicators of each room:
   • Contentment indicators: Complacency, resistance to discussing problems, focus on past successes
   • Denial indicators: Minimizing issues, blaming external factors, avoiding discussions about performance issues
   • Confusion indicators: Anxiety, conflicting views, lots of meetings with few decisions, analysis paralysis
   • Renewal indicators: Experimentation, problem-solving focus, voluntary participation in improvement activities
3. Map different groups within the organization, as different departments or hierarchical levels may be in different rooms.
4. Document your findings clearly, noting which parts of the organization are in which state.

Example from Canned Tornado

In the Canned Tornado case study, the assessment was:

"The organization was mainly in the 'confusion' stage, with some areas still in the 'denial' stage. There was a high level of dissatisfaction with the status quo, but a lack of clear alternatives."

This diagnosis reveals that:

• Most of the organization recognized that change was necessary
• They were uncertain about what changes to make
• Some parts of the organization were still resisting acknowledgment of problems
• The organization needed help moving from confusion to renewal

How This Understanding Affects Intervention Selection

Different mindstates require different intervention approaches:

• For areas in Contentment: Focus on creating awareness of problems and the need for change
• For areas in Denial: Present clear evidence of issues and their consequences
• For areas in Confusion: Provide structure, direction, and small wins to build confidence
• For areas in Renewal: Supply resources and remove barriers to implementation

For Canned Tornado, given their primarily "confusion" mindstate, their intervention approach needed to focus on:

• Providing clear direction (as seen in their directional statement)
• Creating structure through defined experiments and initiatives
• Generating quick wins to build confidence
• Offering tools and frameworks to help navigate the uncertainty

By calibrating their approach to match the prevailing mindstate, Canned Tornado increased the likelihood that their change initiatives would be accepted and successful.