THE PHYSICS OF BUILDING A
BREAKTHROUGH ENTERPRISE
ARA YERAMYAN, Ph.D.
RILEY TATE, M.A., M.S.W.
KEVIN MUETHING, Ph.D.
THE PHYSICS OF BUILDING A BREAKTHROUGH ENTERPRISE
LESSONS FROM A FALLING APPLE
INTRODUCTION
Everybody wants to produce extraordinary outcomes. No one, no leader, no organization, strives to be
mediocre or ordinary. Young athletes dream of becoming Pelé, Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan. People want
to be great and be part of a team or organization that is creating something great.
And yet, it is not so easy to translate what seems to be a universal desire into actual performance and results.
Why is that? What gets in the way? Why do leaders and teams who are smart, motivated and committed
often not achieve their highest aspirations for the future? What does it take for a leader to create the kind of
organization in which these aspirations are realized?
LESSONS FROM A FALLING APPLE
In this paper we will offer some basic principles
drawing on Sir Isaac Newton’s three laws of
motion that will answer those questions and
offer some pathways to extraordinary performance.
Just as Newton’s laws bring predictability to the
world of motion, the intent of this paper is to
share some simple but powerful principles that
can be applied in a predictable way to cause
breakthrough performance and help leaders
build breakthrough enterprises.
When Newton published the Philosophiæ Naturalis
Principia Mathematica and elucidated his three
laws of motion, he created a new possibility for
dealing with the physical universe. We have also
found these three laws of motion extremely useful
in understanding the dynamics of leadership, human
performance, and the nature of creating large scale
change in organizations.
Leaders take on large scale change efforts
when there are outcomes they are committed
to producing that they cannot deliver without a
fundamental change in how business is done. They
know that incremental change in a business-as-
usual setting will not bring about the fundamental
and lasting change needed for extraordinary
performance. They realize that people have to
change their thinking.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENING UP
NEW THINKING
Why change thinking? Obviously, the results of
an organization are a product of the actions that
people are taking. Organizational leaders mostly
focus on what their next actions need to be in order
to produce the results they want.
However, the actions of the organization are
generated from the thinking of the people. By this
we mean thinking in the widest possible terms. It
includes the perceptions, the attitudes, the customs,
and the conventions which constitute the “way we
do it around here.” This thinking transcends the
individuals in an organization and seems to have a
life, and an amazing persistence, of its own. It is a
mindset – a mindset that shapes and perpetuates
the current reality in the organization.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENING UP
NEW THINKING Continued
The mindset of an organization is the source of its
actions and therefore its results and outcomes. The
mindset includes all the current thinking, knowledge
and beliefs - about the organization, the leaders,
the market, the economy, their customers and
employees. This mindset makes up the thinking of
the day. The true transformation of the organization
lies, therefore, in the transformation of its mindset.
Breakthrough performance begins here.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit
a very persistent one.
—Albert Einstein
WHY CHANGE?
Newton’s first law of motion states that “A body
persists in its state of rest or of uniform motion
unless acted upon by an external unbalanced
force.” Simply said, nothing changes without the
application of an outside force.
Applying Newton’s first law (the law of inertia) to
an organization, you could say that the mindset
of an organization will remain in its current state
unless acted upon by an external influence. Without
a change in mindset, any efforts to alter people’s
actions and results will often prove difficult and
meet with limited success.
Delivering large scale transformation that produces
extraordinary outcomes requires an organizationwide mindset shift. This mindset shift creates a
receptive environment for successful implementation
of new processes and systems as well as goals and
outcomes. Additionally, in the process of shifting
the mindset, people are acquiring an ability to
cause new thinking on demand. This ability is core
to building a breakthrough enterprise because it
creates flexibility and sustainability for creating
change in the organization over time.
But where does the impetus for change come
from? We all know that external circumstances are
often a catalyst for change – a dramatic change
in market conditions, a new competitor entering
the field, major economic changes. We are talking
about another catalyst: a leader opening up new
possibilities and causing change based on a future
that they envision. The stand that a leader takes
for the future becomes the force that impacts the
inertia of the past, of all that we know and have
become certain about, that makes up the thinking
of the day.
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate
to the stormy present. The occasion is piled
high with difficulty, and we must rise – with
the occasion. As our case is new, so we must
think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall
ourselves from the past, and then we shall save
our country.”
—Abraham Lincoln, December 1, 1862
in Message to Congress
There are many examples of significant changes
that have been accomplished in the world that
were the result of a bold stand taken by a leader or
group of leaders. The power of their speaking and
intention creates the initial force that moves people
in their thinking, actions and outcomes. However,
the movement caused by that initial force will not
sustain itself on its own. Something else is required.
PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE
Newton’s Second Law of motion states that
“the rate of change in motion of an object is
proportional to the force acting upon it, and
inversely proportional to its mass.” This means
that the amount of effort (force) required to cause
change is determined by the size of the change one
wants to make, and how fast you want to make
it. The bigger the possibility, the greater the force
required to move the organization to that end. Cut
the time in half for effecting the change, and you
must double your effort. So, simply said, how much
force does it take to roll a stone? It depends on how
big the stone is, and how fast and far you want to
roll it.
Newton’s equation for this law, amended for
our purposes, states that: Force (size of effort
required) = mass (size of the organization) x
acceleration (speed of change).
We don’t normally think of an organization
comprised of people and teams and departments
as having “mass.” So, how do we apply Newton’s
second law to organizational dynamics? Consider
that the “mass” of the organization is made up
of the current ways of thinking and behaving, the
unspoken rules about how things work, and the
accompanying explanations for why they are
that way.
Most organizations are able to embrace a change
that is small or not overly disruptive to the current
way things operate. Applying Newton’s 2nd Law,
a drastic or large scale change is more challenging.
If you think of the organization as the “object” in
Newton’s law, and the people in the organization as
the “atoms” making up the object, the more people,
the greater the mass.
We all have experienced the powerful behavior of
a group of people coalesced around an idea, or
an issue. This can range from the negative - “mob
mentality” - to the positive - “aligned force for
possibility.” You could say that what forms the
reality of the moment is a function of the number
of people who share a particular view – the level of
agreement for how something is or isn’t. As you get
more and more people in the organization aligned
with the change, this adds power to the force
the leaders have been providing. As the power/
force increases, the speed and breadth of change
increases as well.
ROLLING STONES EVENTUALLY STOP ROLLING
Once a change has been initiated, and the initial
“force” has been exerted by a leader to create a
future outcome that is not bound by the inertia
of the past, there must be an ongoing application
of positive force in order to maintain progress and
momentum. We have all seen initiatives fall short
of the mark and change efforts lose steam over
time. You could say that maintaining momentum,
or increasing the rate of progress, therefore, is a
function of the possibility that is generated over time
by the leadership.
Thus, the ongoing transformation of the leaders
and leadership teams is critical to building a
breakthrough enterprise that is sustainable.
Leveraging the power of leaders in the organization
is not a new notion, but how does this relate to
Newton’s second law?
You could say that with leadership you are impacting
the quality of the force that is being applied. If you
have a leader who is authentic, whom people love,
the change that you are bringing will be successful
and happen much faster. Those are the human
factors. A leader who is inspiring is bringing more
“force,” or power. Powerful leaders are able to effect
change. You could say that power is the capacity to
bring about change.
In physics, power is a measure of how quickly work
ROLLING STONES EVENTUALLY STOP ROLLING
Continued
can be done. For example, by using a lever you are
able to generate more power which enables one
person to lift a weight far heavier than they could
lift on their own. Using a lever is a force multiplier.
In the same fashion, a leader gains leverage by
engaging other people. At the beginning, most
leaders have very little leverage, contrary to common
wisdom. However, over time, working to engage
people, leverage increases, as does the power of the
leader’s intention to cause change.
PUSH COMES TO SHOVE
The more a leader’s commitment to a future
possibility diverges from the current reality, the
greater the resistance to change; the bigger
the possibility, the greater the resistance. Why
would people resist a possibility? Let’s look at
how this works.
Newton’s Third Law states that ‘for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction.’ When
you try to bring about change in an organization,
a team, or the way something is done, people will
have a reaction. When the leader wants to change
something, people resist. Why is this so?
Maybe it is the comfortable familiarity of the current
state. At the same time that people may complain
about the status quo, we are loathe to give up
what we have grown accustomed to. What is your
reaction on your daily drive home when you see that
orange “detour” sign guiding you off your normal
route? So, there is a natural tendency for people
to resist change. It is one of the things for a leader
to appreciate.
Many of us are caught off guard by the opposition
that our new ideas or commitments elicit. We
obviously see the future promise our idea has. It
seems obvious to us. We therefore may not be
tuned in to how it may come across to others.
Often our first reaction is to quickly try to reduce
or eliminate the resistance. However, you can’t
overcome the resistance by applying more force.
Remember, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
So, the more you oppose the resistance, the more
people resist.
But what are people really resisting? Maybe it isn’t
the possibility. If we can understand the resistance,
perhaps we can cause a breakthrough in it.
Let’s go back to Newton’s second law of motion:
the rate of change in motion of an object is
proportional to the force acting upon it, and
inversely proportional to its mass. We talked about
the “mass” of the organization as being made up
of the organizational mindset, the current way of
thinking and behaving, what people believe to be
true based on their past experience.
From their experience, people have their own
current thinking and frame of reference, and when
they look at the possibility the leader is introducing,
they predict the future for themselves. It may be a
future that causes discomfort or seems untenable.
They may think they will not be able to succeed.
The “mass” is the certainty which comes from past
experience about what will happen in the future.
This certainty is compounded by the amount of
agreement there is in the environment. The more
agreement or belief there is in a view, the greater
the “mass” of that reality. This is the resistance we
experience, even though the possibility you are
introducing may be wonderful in principle. The
“mass” of reality which comes from the current
state of thinking has a direct impact on the rate of
change that is possible.
What if thinking could be fluid and malleable, rather
than fixed and certain? As we develop a greater
freedom and competency to think in new ways and
challenge current beliefs, the mass becomes less,
and change becomes easier.
Leaders have to transform the context that is
shaping the current thinking. They have to give
people a way to see how they are predicting the
future from their past, and give them a way to
see that something else could be possible. When
leaders do this, they are reducing the mass of
current thinking, points of view, and mindsets.
As the leader you must appreciate how people
see things, how they are currently thinking. You
acknowledge their objections as valid and valuable.
You see how they have come to think that way, and
you seek to understand and appreciate their view. It
is possible to take anything that happens and have it
be a contribution, part of what is being created.
As you work with people to see their current
thinking as thinking, one possible view, not reality,
then the “resistance” starts to dissipate. As people
begin to think in a new way about something, the
“mass” of their current thinking becomes less. When
you do this with an individual, you have a convert.
When you do this with a whole organization, you
have a transformation.
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar
and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But
there is no real security in what is no longer
meaningful. There is more security in the
adventurous and exciting, for in movement there
is life, and in change there is power.
—Alan Cohen
PLAY IT AGAIN SAM…
When a leader has successfully led their organization
through a process of change that results in a level
of breakthrough performance, there is an obvious
sense of accomplishment and achievement. When
you have faced the challenge of bringing a new
reality into existence, the new reality becomes the
new business as usual.
In this paper we have borrowed from Sir Isaac
Newton to identify the key principles of causing
change and building a breakthrough enterprise. But,
we must revisit Newton’s first law to deal with one
last challenge – the sustainability factor.
Newton’s first law of motion states that “A body
persists in its state of rest or of uniform motion
unless acted upon by an external unbalanced
force.” So, this should be easy. Produce a
breakthrough in your business or organization, and
then leave it alone and it should last, right? Well,
nothing stays the same for very long.
There are many, sometimes invisible, forces that are
constantly acting on the current state. People may
stop doing some of the thinking and actions that led
to the breakthrough in the first place.
Beware of complacency. There is the temptation
to slack off when you feel good about what you
have achieved – to let go of yesterday’s hunger
and insecurity and to accept the illusion that your
struggle has ended.
—Pat Riley
New problems will arise from the new state the
business is in that were not anticipated, or have
never been encountered before. This creates a force
on the current state. There will always be external
changes that exert force.
So, what is the solution? You have to create the
next challenge, the next breakthrough, the next
level of performance. Great performers in any field
continually reach for the next level, which requires
being willing to introduce a level of risk in the
current level of performance. Creating a sustainable
breakthrough enterprise really begins with the
leaders and their ability to invent and stand for new
possibilities – over and over again.
CONCLUSION
It seems that people inherently want to be part of
something great, want to have a larger purpose
than just doing their job well, aspire to achieve
extraordinary things, be on a winning team. Creating
a breakthrough enterprise allows for the natural
expression of what people already want, and
nurtures an immutable force resulting in ongoing
growth and transformation of the organization and
its people.
Leaders must be willing to challenge the status quo,
to dislodge the inertia of current thinking and past
experience. It requires boldness, hard work, and
force applied with intention and precision over time.
Nothing will change in an organization without
a leader standing for a new future. More than
anything it takes applying the force of inspired vision
and a willingness to risk what has defined success
in the past. It is easy in theory, but not in practice.
You have to engage people with the power of your
vision and the strength of your stand. In the process
you have to let go of what you are comfortable
with, what is predictable, and step into a future
that, while less certain, is immensely powerful
and fulfilling.
I remember Mr. Bartlett. In biology class he
discusses the transformation of caterpillar into
butterfly. “What’s the process that goes on inside
a cocoon?” he asks. “Has anyone ever seen a
picture of the insect at the halfway point between
caterpillar and butterfly? Does anyone know what it
looks like?” No one has or does.
The next week, Mr. Bartlett finds a cocoon in the
woods and brings it to the classroom. We crowd
around as he takes a razor blade and neatly slices
it in two. The cocoon looks empty. “There’s nothing
in there,” says one of the kids. “Oh, it’s in there,”
says Mr. Bartlett. “It just doesn’t have a shape right
now. The living, organic material is spun right into
the cocoon. Caterpillar is gone; butterfly is yet to
come.” We stare in wonder.
“Real transformation,” says Mr. Bartlett, “means
giving up one form before you have another. It
requires the willingness to be nothing for a while.”
—Orson Bean
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Ara Yeramyan, Ph.D.
Dr. Ara Yeramyan is an expert in organizational alignment and is featured in two short films on the
subject: The Power of Alignment in Science and Nature and Being One. Prior to joining Gap International,
Dr. Yeramyan held technical and human resources positions at the DuPont Company. Dr. Yeramyan has
an M.A. in Training and Development from St. Joseph’s University, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan
State University.
Riley Tate, M.A., M.S.W.
Riley Tate is one of Gap International’s most senior consultants and is a trusted partner to executives in the
financial services, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas industries. Mr. Tate received a B.A. in
Sociology from Pennsylvania State University, an M.A. in Religion from the Chicago Theological Seminary,
and an M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago.
Kevin Muething, Ph.D
Dr. Kevin Muething leads the Information Technology department at Gap International, bringing over 25 years
of experience to the company from technical positions at Andrew Corporation, Lucent Technologies and Bell
Labs. Dr. Muething regularly consults with executives and senior managers of Fortune 1000 corporations. He
has a B.S. in Physics from Thomas More College and a Ph.D. in Low Temperature/Condensed Matter Physics
from The Ohio State University.
ABOUT GAP INTERNATIONAL
Gap International is a global management consulting company that partners with executives in producing
exceptional growth through extraordinary performance. Gap International offers products and services that
provide a disciplined, systematic approach to sustainable profitable growth. “Transforming Organizations”
is our company’s purpose and is our only work. For 30 years we have built expertise and a track record of
results in transforming the performance of executives and entire organizations from the expected into the
extraordinary.
Gap International works in a variety of ways, ranging from enterprise-wide consulting initiatives to individual
leadership growth and performance programs. We consult individuals, teams and organizations to break
through existing paradigms and past-based assumptions that keep performance at current levels. The context
for our work is breakthrough – breakthrough thinking, execution, leadership, strategy and performance –
with an intense focus on breakthrough outcomes.
Our breakthrough methodologies are currently at work inside leading Global 500 companies. We are earning
a worldwide reputation for creating leaders who are inspired, motivated and enthusiastic about coming to
work, for building business executives and managers who are powerful, effective, and dynamic leaders, and
for partnering with clients to produce extraordinary business results.
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