The Solidification: Sustainability, Systems, and Building for the Long Haul
Once the lava has been contained and directed, it begins to undergo its most significant transformation. It transitions from a liquid state to a solid one. This is not a loss of power. On the contrary, this is the moment when the energy of the move becomes the permanent foundation for the future.
In the Lava Way™, this is the stage of Solidification.
Many organizations fail at this stage because they mistake the end of a “crisis” or a “project” for the end of the work. They stop the discipline of the previous pillars and find themselves back in their old patterns within months. Solidification is the process of turning your new behaviors into your permanent infrastructure.
The Problem: The “Snapback” Effect
The greatest threat to any change is the organizational “snapback.” This is the natural tendency of a culture to revert to its origianl shape once the immediate pressure is removed.
- The Regression: Without solidification, new communication habits fade away.
- The Decay: Without systems, the boundaries you built in the Containment stage begin to erode.
- The Ghost of the Past: Old policies that were never officially retired begin to conflict with the new way of working.
To prevent this, solidification requires a move from temporary to structural. According to research from McKinsey & Company,
organizations that focus on building sustainable systemic changes are significantly more likely to maintain high performance over time compared to those that rely on short term interventions.
Defining Solidification: Building the New Normal
Solidification is the work of making the right way to work the inevitable way to work. It requires three specific focuses.
- From Engagement to Embeddedness
- In the early stages, we focused on engagement and participation. In solidification, we focus on embedding. This means updating your actual operations, job descriptions, and facility protocols to reflect the new terrain.
- We use the Presence Calibration Tool here to ensure that our leadership tone is consistent with the new solidified ground. We are no longer managing a “move.” We are managing a “standard.”
- The Power of Institutional Memory
- For a move to last, it must survive the departure of any single leader. Solidification is about creating institutional memory through documentation and shared habits.
- Recent data on workforce stability from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the high rate of “separations” in the modern workplace. If your transformation depends on specific people rather than solid systems, you are at risk. Solidification ensures the “Heat” and “Flow” you have built remain even as the faces in the facility change.
- Scaling the Sustainability
- Sustainability is the true test of solidification. It is the ability to maintain the results without the constant application of external force. This involves looking through your Lava Lens to identify where the system needs “reinforcement.”
- By automating the routine parts of the work, you free up the team’s energy to maintain the culture. As noted in the Asana Anatomy of Work Index, teams that use clear, solidified processes reduce their “work about work” significantly, allowing them to focus on the Skilled Tasks that actually drive the organization forward.
The Human Benefit: Peace of Mind
When the ground is solid, people stop looking for the exit. Solidification provides the one thing most modern workers lack: predictability.
People can finally lean into their roles because they are no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop. They understand the system. They trust the boundaries. They see the long-haul vision and can finally pace themselves for a career rather than a sprint.
The Impact on the Ecosystem
- At the Individual Level: It creates Mastery. Individuals have the time to truly own their roles within the new system.
- At the Team Level: It creates Reliability. Team members can predict each other’s responses and rely on the systems to hold during a surge.
- At the Cultural Level: It creates Legacy. The organization stops being defined by its past struggles and starts being defined by its current strength.
The Invitation to Build
Solidification is the quiet, disciplined work of the long haul.
- Have you updated your formal systems to match your new culture?
- Is your success dependent on heroics or on habits?
- Are you ready to stop “changing” and start “being”?
The Lava Way™ reminds us that the most valuable land on earth was once liquid. It took time, containment, and solidification to become the foundation for life. Your organization is no different.
Are you ready to solidify your ground?
