Rare is the leader…
From change management to change leadership
As leaders, our relationship to change is complicated.
On the one hand, it is the nature of our work to lead change. To set a vision for growth or progress and to align and mobilize our team in that direction.
On the other hand, our jobs demand we provide stability, keep a steady hand on the wheel, and deliver predictable and measurable results.
This tension is present in every decision we make and every change we undertake.
When we as leaders identify a need for change, we throw ourselves into it. But we tend to focus on changing the people and processes around us. We rarely begin by looking at our own thinking, our own choices, and making necessary changes there.
We forget that we are always part of the problem—and the solution. That is why so many change initiatives fail.
When a case for change is presented to us, we can feel threatened. We may have aligned ourselves with the status quo, and defend it with “this is way it’s always been” and “this is how it has to be,” even in the face of a clear sea change.
We forget that the best insights and ideas arise from dissatisfaction with the status quo. That is why seismic change so rarely comes from the top.
Change management is the term for the traditional, top-down, mandate-driven approach to organizational change, which too often suffers from a) being limited to the leader’s own vision while b) excluding leadership from changing in any substantive way.
I’m much more interested in change leadership: a deeper relationship to and investment in transformation that includes everyone—starting with the leaders looking inward.
Foster innovation at every level
Invite challenges that scare us
Begin within ourselves
this week
What is one element of change you are driving that you may not be practicing yourself? Are you encouraging your team to set work/life boundaries when you aren’t? Are you expecting them to be more agile when your processes haven’t shifted?
What is one change that has come to you, which you are resisting? Are you just waiting for this flexible work thing to blow over? Are you struggling to adapt more inclusive hiring and collaboration practices?
Where will you shift from managing the change at hand to leading it?