Tearing It Down to Its Core

For some reason, I have been noticing the nature of renovations on existing buildings and reflecting on the parallels between the building of a physical space and the building of an organization, a team, or a life.  

This photo is of a hotel I recently saw in Santa Barbara (Hotel California, where you can check out, but never leave?).  From the façade it looks like a bustling enterprise, but when you walk around back, you discover that it has been completed gutted except for the front.  

Similarly, I snapped this photo of a new restaurant/store going in at the corner of King and Union Streets at the core of Old Town Alexandria.  Even the concrete flooring is being torn out in order for the new to be built on solid footings.  

What does this have to do with organizational change?  Organizations and individuals often try to ignore foundational issues or patch things together rather than accept that what they really need to do.  Yet, if important issues are deeply rooted, it is imperative to get down to the most basic level and start over on firmer footing, no matter how painful or time consuming the process may be.  How do you know when this is what you need to do?  I’d like to hear from you about your experiences and how you knew you needed to take it down to bare bones, and I’ll share my thoughts in a future blog.