The document discusses the concept of 'Immunity to Change' as a framework for navigating personal and professional growth. It emphasizes the gap between intentions and actions, highlighting competing commitments and underlying assumptions that lead to unfulfilled goals. The author encourages self-reflection through specific focusing questions to identify obstacles and enhance commitment to improvement.

1. agileforall.comMaking Agile a Reality®
Immunity to Change
Henry Dittmer
Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
@hcdittmer

2. Making Agile a Reality®
Physical Immune System

3. Making Agile a Reality®
Physical Immune System

4. Making Agile a Reality®
Physical Immune System

5. Making Agile a Reality®
Psychological Immune System

6. Making Agile a Reality®
Psychological Immune System

7. Making Agile a Reality®
Psychological Immune System
While nearly 100% make a
commitment to be heart healthier,
ONLY 1 in 7 actually sustain the change!

8. Making Agile a Reality®
Immunity To Change (ITC)
NOT ABOUT:
WORKING HARDER
BEING STRONGER
KNOWING WHAT TO DO
HAVING THE WILL POWER
A PERSONALITY DEFICIT

9. Making Agile a Reality®
Immunity To Change (ITC)
A TASTE of ITC
Highly Recommend:
The Book
An ITC knowledgeable friend
A Coach
Applicable:
Self
Coachees
Teams

10. Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com

11. Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
3. Competing Commitments 4. Big Assumption(s)

12. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
3. Competing Commitments 4. Big Assumption(s)

13. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Focusing Question:
When you look at your map, what must
you be assuming that makes your Column
4 commitments absolutely necessary?
- Or complete an If/Then –
IF
[the opposite of each Col 4
commitment]
THEN
[Big Time Bad thing would happen]?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors listed
in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
4. Big Assumption(s)
I am committed to giving
presentations at conferences
5 – I can reach more people,
and perhaps even generate
more business

14. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments 4. Big Assumption(s)

15. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Focusing Question:
When you look at your map, what must
you be assuming that makes your Column
4 commitments absolutely necessary?
- Or complete an If/Then –
IF
[the opposite of each Col 4
commitment]
THEN
[Big Time Bad thing would happen]?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors listed
in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
4. Big Assumption(s)
I am committed to giving
presentations at conferences
5 – I can reach more people,
and perhaps even generate
more business
I don’t do talks!
I have excuses (ex. No time)
I typically don’t submit anything, and if
I do submit, I submit minimally
I think I have nothing unique enough to
present
I don’t plan in advance to submit a talk
I tell myself I’m not good at giving talks
I readily judge others talks
I don’t go to many others talks
I don’t practice

16. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Worry Box
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors
listed in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments 4. Big Assumption(s)

17. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Focusing Question:
When you look at your map, what must
you be assuming that makes your Column
4 commitments absolutely necessary?
- Or complete an If/Then –
IF
[the opposite of each Col 4
commitment]
THEN
[Big Time Bad thing would happen]?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors listed
in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
4. Big Assumption(s)
I am committed to giving
presentations at conferences
5 – I can reach more people,
and perhaps even generate
more business
I don’t do talks!
I have excuses (ex. No time)
I typically don’t submit anything, and if
I do submit, I submit minimally
I think I have nothing unique enough to
present
I don’t plan in advance to submit a talk
I tell myself I’m not good at giving talks
I readily judge others talks
I don’t go to many others talks
I don’t practice
• I’m going to be a blithering idiot
• I have nothing worth sharing
• I’ll lose respect of colleagues
• People will talk about me & laugh at me
• I’ll realized I don’t know anything, and
that means I’m worthless
• Someone is going to challenge me, and
I’ll fail to be able to respond
• Someone can do it better
I am also committed to not
putting myself out there to
fail

18. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Focusing Question:
When you look at your map, what must
you be assuming that makes your Column
4 commitments absolutely necessary?
- Or complete and If/Then –
If
[the opposite of each Col. 4 commitment]
Then
[Big Time Bad thing would happen]?
Worry Box
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors
listed in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments 4. Big Assumption(s)

19. Focusing Question:
If you could get better at one thing – the
ONE BIG THING that would make the
biggest difference to you – what would it
be?
Focusing Question:
When you look at your map, what must
you be assuming that makes your Column
4 commitments absolutely necessary?
- Or complete an If/Then –
IF
[the opposite of each Col 4
commitment]
THEN
[Big Time Bad thing would happen]?
Worry Box
Presented by Henry.Dittmer@AgileForAll.com
1. COMMITMENTS
(Improvement Goal)
2. DOING/NOT DOING (vs #1)
(‘Screwing up my Goal’ – Kegan)
Focusing Question:
What are you currently doing and what
are you not doing that works against your
Column 1 commitment?
3. Competing Commitments
Focusing Question:
If you imagine yourself doing THE
OPPOSITE of each of those behaviors listed
in Column 2, what would be
scary/yucky/troubling/distressing about
that?
4. Big Assumption(s)
I am committed to giving
presentations at conferences
5 – I can reach more people,
and perhaps even generate
more business
I don’t do talks!
I have excuses (ex. No time)
I typically don’t submit anything, and if
I do submit, I submit minimally
I think I have nothing unique enough to
present
I don’t plan in advance to submit a talk
I tell myself I’m not good at giving talks
I readily judge others talks
I don’t go to many others talks
I don’t practice
• I’m going to be a blithering idiot
• I have nothing worth sharing
• I’ll lose respect of colleagues
• People will talk about me & laugh at me
• I’ll realized I don’t know anything, and
that means I’m worthless
• Someone is going to challenge me, and
I’ll fail to be able to respond
• Someone can do it better
I am also committed to not
putting myself out there to
fail
A speaker has to have all the answers
A speaker has to have to something
novel…for everyone
If I don’t have everyone’s approval,
then I have no-one’s approval
You have to have everyone’s
approval to be successful

20. Making Agile a Reality®
Big Assumption(s)

21. We help create Agile workplaces that humanize work,
unlock team capacity and support leaders to
sustainably deliver business value.
agileforall.comMaking Agile a Reality®