Cadence of your Talent

On my bicycle this morning, my mind began to wonder.  As I looked down at my cassettes and manipulated my gears, I began to think of the parallels between cycling, performance, and change management in the workplace. Many bikes have one gear, and the ratio is fixed. This reminds me of individuals who have generally fixed daily tasks. Others have multiple gears and multiple ratios. With a bicycle, individuals can shift gears based on circumstances and when various occurrences arise to react for success. There is also cadence to consider and the turnover or effort of the cyclist. This relates to the pedal speed and performance. Just like the workplace, cyclists have different preferences regarding cadence, effort, exertion, etc.  This is similar to the skill and will matrix. This all led me to ponder performance and change management tools for individuals.  For my friends who are aligned with firms and or for those leading teams, ask yourself, in which gear am I, and what gear are those who I support in? In terms of helping support others in shifting and your being that conduit and mechanism, what tools are you providing to enhance efficiency during the various prevailing circumstances?   Sure, it is more comfortable to cycle with knowledgeable and skilled cyclists, just as it is nice to hire smart people. Do you regularly consider the cadence of your talent?  What teeth in the cog are you providing your talent for sustained success to enhance performance?  Have you measured your resistance, readiness for change, and are you tuning your talent for performance just as one would a bike? (Bike art, courtesy of Bobby Dixon, Kollective Fusion, Austin, Texas)