What Mary Poppins Teaches Us About Change

Have you noticed the latest trends drawing in the crowds at the movie theaters? Remakes of hits like “A Star is Born” “The Incredibles” and “Mary Poppins”. And with 2019 promising more – “Dumbo” “The Lion King” “Captain Marvel” “The Avengers” and yet another “Toy Story.”

As I watched Mary Poppins floating above the skies in song on the big screen and finding myself (and many others of the adult persuasion) grinning from ear to ear, a thought occurred to me.

We are a people hungering to get back to our roots. We remember times when our world didn’t feel so crazed, complex and out of control. We long for simpler times and for the innocence of our youths.

We are looking to bring the best of our past into our present. And take into the future with us. These are things that ground us and remind us of who we are.

Too often when implementing change in our organizations, a lot of the “good stuff” gets dismissed as “old thinking.” If someone says “I remember when….,” it can be seen as resistance or people refusing to “get on board.”

Could it be that employees just want to bring the best from the past into the future with them? Maybe it’s not all “out with the old, in with the new”!

As change leaders, you can’t stop the demands of change in order to keep up. But you can be intentional about listening for the “good ole days” comments and ask “what about the good ole’ days might be worth keeping around?”

That would be a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious leadership move! Thanks Mary!

To Happy New Year beginnings with elements of the past…

Tricia