I've spent the last two weeks grinching and groaning and generally boring people with updates on my car, as that sad tale unfurls in a leisurely fashion. Bumper sticker version: My car got badly damaged by hail, and was declared a total loss - but only after it was declared worth repairing, and I'd gotten my hopes up.

This morning it dawned on me that I was dealing with this sudden, forced change - give up my sweet car? no no no! - exactly the way people "down the food chain" in organizations deal with sudden, forced change; which is to say, exactly the way four-year-olds deal with it.
I want my doll back! Make her be not broken!
I want my car back! Make it be not broken!
I want my business process back! Make it be not broken!

The irony is that I'd just told someone "You need to let go of this process you use; it's broken."
And of course I'd gotten back, "No no no! I want my process! It isn't broken, its head is supposed to come off like that!"

For years I've known in my head that you have to manage change carefully to introduce it successfully. You've got to get people excited and happy about what's going to be different; otherwise they'll resist it in every way they can. Over the last two weeks I've been absorbing that lesson into my heart.

I should go give blood while my irony level is up so high.