As readers of this blog are now well aware, change is often unsuccessful when dictated or “driven” from the top. We cannot forget to include the internal and external stakeholders affected by any change. We cannot merely use them as sources of information, rather we see them as co-designers of the change effort. We need to remember to facilitate rather than to direct change.
One way to overcome our instincts to “take over” when change gets tough is to review the landmines – or latent barriers – in the path of leaderful change. Here are five landmines for your consideration, listed with questions for you and your colleagues to consider when undertaking a change effort [these and other related suggestions and activities can be found in the Leaderful Fieldbook]:
Power of the status quo
· Why has the current situation been allowed to persist without change up to this point?
· Who is being protected or privileged by the status quo?
Lack of patience
· How can we overlook some of the expected errors that might occur when people not normally empowered take the reins?
· Do we sincerely trust those at lower levels, or even at our level, to manage operations and processes that we may have formerly overseen?
Low readiness for change
· What is the stage of readiness of the system in question: are people truly interested in taking responsibility, for example?
· What resources have been made available to prepare people for the change?
Attempt to apply “fix-it” techniques
· Has the effort considered any side-effects of the change as well as its long-term implications?
· Has the effort taken into consideration people’s individual agendas, including their feelings and values, on the issue in question?
Belief that we can decree change
· Are people truly committed to the change, both in its process as well as its anticipated outcomes?
· As the change agent, are you willing to step outside of the center and let others shape the process?
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