The Ghost of Workflows Past: A North Pole Pivot
Todays blog comes from Kate Griffiths-Lambeth who was Chief Curator of #AdventBlogs with Gary Cookson following her launch of the blogs a number of years ago, so I am thrilled that Kate has written one this year.
Kate is a Transformation Expert who focuses on outstanding organisational change and outcomes through people. She is a Group CPO, Executive and strategic entrepreneur and is connectable via - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-griffiths-lambeth/
I love todays title and had to fight with myself not to use an image from the TV show Friends when they shout “pivot”!
Over to Kate for todays blog.
Once upon a time, in a chilly open-plan office just north of the Arctic Circle, there was a crisis.
Father Christmas, CEO and Founder of Festive Enterprises, had called an emergency Town Hall. He stood before an intimidating slide deck titled: "Operation Chimney Sweep: A Digital Transformation."
The Head of Logistics, an Elf named Silverfrost who had been wrapping wooden ducks since 1742, went pale.
"Team," Father Christmas boomed, adjusting his spectacles. "The Naughty or Nice list is dead. GDPR compliance is a nightmare, and the handwriting is illegible. We are moving to a cloud-based Behavioural Analytics Platform."
The room erupted. "But the scroll adds a personal touch!" cried members of the Wrapping Dept. "I don't have the bandwidth to learn a new UI in Q4!" shouted the Reindeer Handler. "This isn't the North Pole culture!" wailed the HR Fairy.
Silverfrost sat in the back, arms folded. He loved the scroll. He knew the scroll. The scroll was safe and familiar. He spent the next week sulking by the cocoa machine, telling anyone who would listen that "Magic cannot be automated."
But then, December 24th loomed. The old scroll jammed (paper jam, aisle 4). Panic ensued. The sleigh was grounded.
Reluctantly, Silverfrost logged into the new tablet. He blinked. The route was optimised. The weight distribution was calculated automatically. He didn't have to squint.
"Silverfrost," Father Christmas said, landing a hand on his shoulder. "The magic isn't in the paper, old friend. The magic is in the delivery."
They finished the round in record time. Silverfrost even had time for a sherry by a fireplace in Skegness.
What does this mean for us?
We often treat change in the workplace like a lump of coal in our stocking. We cling to the "Ghost of Workflows Past" because the friction of the old way feels safer than the uncertainty of the new.
But for HR professionals, business leaders, coaches, and managers, the lesson from the North Pole is clear:
Tradition is not the preservation of ashes, but the passing on of the fire.
If we want to preserve the mission (the magic), we must be willing to burn the method (the scroll).
Here are Some Ways to Lead Through the "Seasonal" Shifts:
Acknowledge the Grief: Silverfrost wasn't being difficult; he was grieving his expertise. Accept and discuss the loss of the old ways before selling the benefits of the new.
Focus on the "Why," not the "How": Father Christmas didn't sell software; he sold a successful delivery. Remind your teams that the goal remains the same, even if the tools change.
Create Psychological Safety: Allow people to fumble with the new "tablet" without fear of ending up on the Naughty List.
Change is the only constant… even for immortal magical beings and elves.
Are you and your business clinging to the scroll, or embracing the tablet?
