It puzzles, shocks and intrigues me that multi million dollar years long consultant and resource heavy initiatives can be bulldozed forward by one or two assumptions.
- If you are old-fashioned, tied to the status quo and think that people should do things (change) because that is their job, everything you do after that will have that tone.
- If you think you will have to overcome resistance you will approach change with that attitude.
- If you think there needs to be a sense of urgency (or are told that by a high paid consultant or team of them) then you will approach change from that angle. And look a little like a wind up doll to the stakeholders.
- If the “story” is, in your mind (or your consultants) the key to motivation then you will most likely come up short in your initiative because stories can only be retold a certain amount of times before they become old.
- If you are used to dropping work into the center of your organization and expecting results you will have change that spins around in your organization with no connection and therefore no direction
So try these assumptions-
Your stakeholders understand change
Understanding them and their individual connection to change is powerful
Making that connection and illustrating the path (ok with some story built in) will create motivation
Energy, teamwork, participation, smiles and pride all will come as a result
In fact here is an even simpler approach for you, the executive leading change-
A perfect balance of business acumen and Empathy
