There Is No Growth Without Change, But Not All Change Is Growth
For purposes of this short essay, I have three working definitions:
- Learning is to become aware of something you did not know.
- Change is to become different.
- Growth is progressive development and improvement.
Whether it is business or personal growth you desire, it is imperative to learn before you attempt to grow. Otherwise, any growth resulting from your change effort might just be serendipity, i.e., luck. Luck, like hope, is not a strategy. Without the learning piece, it is possible to facilitate and experience change, but you won’t move forward as the opening quote from American novelist, Ellen Glasgow asserts.
The question to pose in situations where change is possible: What do I need to learn and how do I learn it? A clue for uncovering what to learn is to consider what you want to create. In other words, to use a Stephen Covey habit, “Begin with the end in mind.” (THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE: POWERFUL LESSONS IN PERSONAL CHANGE). What does the end result look like? This is a question that prompts you to visualize. The other 4 senses can also help you envision the end game you desire.
Now, what does “forward” look like to you? This can be a lot more challenging than it seems to those outside your business or personal situation. If you are a CEO, business owner or senior executive charged with managing or implementing a change initiative that impacts others, it is necessary to have a clear vision in mind. As the principal driver for achieving the end result, you cannot risk losing time or money by chasing after the wrong outcome.
“Resolve to be a master of change rather than a victim of change.” – Brian Tracy
Let’s assume you have a good idea about the messages to communicate to stakeholders throughout the change process. What additional insight and knowledge are needed to verify the appropriateness of your communications strategy and tactics? Do you need more information or decisions relative to processes or personnel and how these will be impacted by the change effort? Once these are identified, can you assign others to fill in the gaps and report progress and results to you? The goal here is to have you (and everyone on your team) work to your strengths rather than correct the areas that seem to be impediments to going forward with the change. Who can support your role rather than task you with actions that are not in your wheel house?
As a CEO or senior executive in charge of a transformative initiative, you need collaborators who are knowledgeable about your vision. You do not need perpetrators, those who bring the wrong mindset to bear, who lack foresight and who seek to maintain the status quo. In some cases, there will be sharks in the water, and they will go after you if you start flailing in the deep. Perpetrators will be a chain around your neck – and you will never swim very far with them in tow.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ” – Albert Einstein
As part of your visioning process, whether it’s related to a formal change initiative or another goal that will bring about transformation, you will need to demonstrate to key stakeholders how things will be different from the current situation. Specificity is all important here. If the status quo is a duck, you don’t want to have produced another duck when the project is completed. Otherwise you will have generated movement but it is not the forward kind. Additionally, you will have spent a lot of time, money and other resources on creating that second duck.
A carefully-crafted vision inspires others. Engaging the hearts and minds of all team members in the visioning process is time well spent and will yield better thinking. Ideally you want everyone to own the success of the project. Owners are committed and accountable for results, so you want your team to be comprised of these players.
“Be the change you want to see in the world” – M.K. Gandhi
Resist the temptation to be the hero, the guy with the Superman cape who flies all over but never really lands anywhere. In serving as general, you don’t want to be so far ahead of your troops that you get shot in the backside. By the same token, as the leader you want to bring your brigade along and you want to stay in touch with them throughout the change mission. Certainly they will be looking out for you as you look out for them. They are also the ones who will be doing the heavy lifting.
Typically change efforts are strategic initiatives designed to yield improvements in processes and approaches that will facilitate greater efficiencies, competitive advantage, profitability or other results. Indeed, heavy lifting is required. So, as leader of a change process, you want to get buy-in from your team members. Make sure you engage them in development of the plan from beginning to end and affirm their specific roles and responsibilities. What are they to do, when do they have to do it, what will it look like and who is on point or the end result? You will be well served to enlist the team to write the song sheet, allocate the music and then play and sing the score. When team members have invested their time and effort, they are more likely to own the success of the project. Your job as conductor will be much easier as a result, and everyone is poised to perform at their best.
Participation, collaboration, and collegiality generally make most projects run smoothly. Not everyone with a vested interest may be involved directly in the change effort, however. Have a plan for communicating with and keeping other executives, board members or shareholders informed.
Let’s summarize what I have said so far as it pertains to realizing growth and forward movement:
- Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, Identify gaps in knowledge and understanding before implementing any change initiative. Learn what you need to learn in order to be successful.
- Align with collaborators who believe in the vision and support you as the leader.
- Develop a viable plan in partnership with your collaborators.
- Work the plan with the roles and responsibilities of all contributors identified clearly.
- Monitor and communicate progress within the team and amongst those with a vested interest in the outcome of the effort.
If you do all of these things, your chances of being successful in your change initiative will increase tremendously. There is only one more thing to do when you are done – celebrate your success.
“The end point of leadership is not just the position of power we reach, but the continual change and deepening we experience that makes a difference in our lives, our work, and our world. ” – Janet O. Hagberg
And, there is more, there always is.
Be genuine.
Copyright 2014 © John J. Trakselis, Chicago CEO Coaching
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