Simple indicators for reviewing whether change is taking hold

CodeShift links perception, interpretation and choice in its explanation of internal patterns. In a leadership review, that raises a practical question: how can you notice a different choice in daily work?

A team can leave a development session with a clear intention and still struggle to recognise what changes afterwards. A person may have made a difficult attempt that nobody else saw. That unrecognised effort can make a review discouraging, especially if the discussion asks only whether the goal has been achieved.

Track the attempt instead of treating a tidy progress report as the result. Useful indicators connect a visible action with the person's understanding of it. They cannot guarantee that a change will last, and they should not become a score for judging someone's character.

Use observations as prompts for a conversation about the situation, the choice and the support needed for another attempt. Keep the discussion relevant to the work: what difference did the response make to a handover, a customer conversation or a decision?

Define the change in observable terms

Start with one practice and describe what someone could actually notice. If the intention is to become more open to feedback, a possible practice is to ask a clarifying question before explaining a decision. Agree where that practice is relevant and what a reasonable attempt looks like.

Avoid descriptions such as “shows the right mindset”. They invite interpretation without telling people what to do. A specific description gives the person practising, and anyone offering feedback, a shared point of reference.

The following indicators are practical suggestions for reflection. They are not a validated assessment or a prediction of lasting change.

1. The person can recognise the moment

Ask for an account of a recent situation in which the familiar response appeared. What was happening? What interpretation made that response seem sensible? When did the person notice it?

Recognition may come afterwards at first. That still gives the next reflection something concrete to examine. Avoid requiring people to disclose private experiences to demonstrate that they have learned. They can choose an appropriate workplace example and decide what they are comfortable sharing.

2. An alternative is attempted in real work

Look for an actual attempt at the agreed practice. A person may ask the clarifying question awkwardly, forget part of it, or need a reminder. Discuss the attempt in context before deciding whether the practice itself needs adjusting.

For example, imagine a colleague who usually responds to feedback by immediately explaining the constraints. During a project review, they ask what the other person experienced before giving their own account. This is an illustrative example. It shows a possible observation, not a claim about a client or a promised result.

3. Feedback is specific enough to use

“Much better” offers little guidance for another attempt. More useful feedback describes what was observed and how it affected the conversation: “You asked me to finish explaining the problem, so I could describe the missing step.”

Invite a different perspective too. The colleague may have felt heard while the person practising remained unclear about what to do next. Keep both accounts available. Agreement is not required for the review to be useful.

4. The practice can be adjusted thoughtfully

A new response does not fit every situation in the same way. Ask where it helped, where it felt forced and what the person wants to try differently. The aim is a considered choice, rather than mechanical repetition of a script.

Check the surrounding conditions. If there is no time allocated for a review, or nobody knows who should give feedback, an apparent lack of progress may need a practical change in arrangements. Do not assume that every difficulty comes from an internal pattern.

5. Reflection continues after a missed attempt

Ask what happens when someone returns to a familiar response. Can they discuss the situation and choose a next step without having to present a success story? An honest account of a missed opportunity can identify a useful practice for the following week.

Keep a modest record

A short note can capture the situation, the chosen response, feedback and the next adjustment. Agree who can see it and why. Use the minimum information needed for learning, especially when another person’s contribution is involved.

Review these observations over several relevant situations. Attendance, confidence and a single successful attempt cannot settle whether a practice will endure. They can, however, sit alongside concrete examples to inform the next decision about support.

You can begin with one observable practice and a review people can use. The purpose of the indicators is to keep learning connected to everyday choices. Lasting change remains something to nurture and examine, rather than declare in advance.

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