Rethink. Reframe. Rebuild.
Photo by Phil Coffman
Why mid-sized service providers can’t afford to delay a mindset shift
In recent years, I’ve had many conversations with leaders of mid-sized service organizations. And underneath all the strategic discussions and market challenges, one essential question keeps coming up: How do we stay relevant and truly meaningful in a world that’s changing faster than ever?
It’s not a matter of the next big strategy or a trendier tool. The honest answer starts deeper, with a fundamental shift in mindset.
We scaled up for efficiency. But at what cost?
We grew up on the idea that bigger is better. Think about global container shipping: massive vessels crossing oceans with incredible precision and efficiency. But when one ship blocks the Suez Canal, global trade grinds to a halt. Efficiency reveals its flip side: fragility.
In our industry, the same thing has happened. Banks closed thousands of branches to optimize processes. Service became faster, cheaper, and more scalable. But somewhere along the way, we lost proximity, connection, and human touch.
More prosperity ≠ more well-being
We often equate progress with growth. However, as economist Richard Layard pointed out in 2006, more wealth doesn’t necessarily translate to more well-being. The quality of our relationships and the meaning we find in our work drive happiness and health.
Yet many organizations still steer primarily by economic metrics. Meanwhile, customers are asking different questions:
Who sees me? Who helps me navigate this complex world?
From delivering value to creating meaning
What if service wasn’t about delivering answers efficiently but exploring meaning together? What if we moved from transactional thinking to co-creation? From directing, to listening, and discovering—side by side?
This shift starts with sensemaking: making space to pause, ask better questions, and understand what’s happening beneath the surface. We don't jump to quick fixes but learn to see clearly first.
The breakthrough rarely comes from a spreadsheet
What consistently moves me are the moments when teams slow down just enough to reflect together, without pressure or judgment. There are no dashboards, no rigid process, just honest conversations. That’s when something shifts, and momentum starts to build.
Real change takes courage—and imagination
Too often, organizations treat change as a box to check: a plan, a timeline, a new KPI. But the kind of transformation that truly matters? That takes imagination. The courage to dream up something better, even if you can’t fully define it yet.
John Kotter calls this the difference between surviving and thriving. Many organizations operate in survival mode—managing risk, maintaining control, and delivering day-to-day results. But meaningful change happens when people tap into what’s possible, when you engage not just the head but also the heart.
It takes bravery. To let go of what once worked. To move forward without all the answers. To ask questions that no dashboard will give you. And yes, to fail and learn along the way.
Leadership is about creating space
If we want people to think, feel, and act differently, we can’t lead the same way we always have. Top-down direction doesn’t inspire commitment. Today’s leaders must create space for reflection, ownership, and curiosity.
Kotter emphasizes that real change requires both management and leadership. We need structure, consistency, movement, energy, and belief. While momentum often starts with a select few, it gains real traction when it reaches the diverse many—the broader network of people who feel empowered to contribute.
The most impactful leaders I know aren’t the loudest voices in the room. They’re the ones asking the most meaningful questions. They know when to slow down. They embrace uncertainty. And above all, they make it safe for others to step forward.
Our approach: sensemaking, service innovation, and change leadership
Kotter’s work provides a robust foundation and aligns strongly with the patterns I see in organizations ready to grow beyond survival.
In our work, we help leaders and teams activate that more profound shift. We bring together three core capabilities:
Sensemaking: the ability to pause, reflect, and uncover what truly matters to your people and customers.
Service innovation: thinking beyond products or transactions, and toward value co-creation, ecosystems, and shared purpose.
Change leadership: creating movement with and without formal authority, fueled by curiosity, clarity, and collective ownership.
Not as a rigid framework, but as an invitation to lead with intent, to experiment boldly, and to move forward with both heart and head.
So here’s my invitation:
Let’s explore what this moment asks of you. What would it mean for your organization to grow in meaning, not just revenue? And what could your role be—in your company, industry, and society?
Are you curious to start that conversation? So am I.