Last Article in a Series by Pamper
~5 minute read~
As promised, the last article in this series will deal with how..….
Leaders become change champions.
This term, I believe, was first coined by one of my leadership heroes, John Maxwell. However, the three points below that are crucial to becoming a change champion are my thoughts, based on many years of watching change in organizations and figuring out what works and what doesn’t work.
Here are 3 things you need to do to champion change in your organization:
- Set the expectations—I’m always surprised at the number of leaders who have not talked with their people about change or routinely react to change like it is a horrible disease. I tell leaders: Talk to your folks about the great changes that have taken place and are coming in the future, tell them about the opportunities that will exist because of change, explain that change is a constant. Remind them that not too long ago, we had dial up internet (you can play it for them at www.dialupsound.com). Now we have Google glasses that are used extensively in the oil industry for training. We also have driverless cars, and we have Uber!! Change is here. We can either embrace it and look for the good or we can mope around about “all the horrible change.” Leaders who want to be change champions will positively embrace it and will teach their employees to expect and embrace it!
- Create your story – As we discussed in the second article on change, many folks naturally resist it. The unknown is very scary to a sizeable number of our employees. However, most of us love a great story. Therefore, you have to create the story which includes the following elements:
- The case for change – why we cannot go on as we have been
- Where you are going – paint the picture of a better future
- How you will get there – things people as individuals will have to do, and stop doing, to create that future
To give you an example of how this “story” works, I’ll tell you a real “story.” I once worked with a large organization where the leader wanted to improve the safety record. This was in an industry that had high injury and fatality rates.
This visionary leader created his story. He told his troops that he did not want to have to go tell another person that his/her spouse had been hurt or killed. He spoke of the anguish in having to share that type of news. (Check off a.)
He then painted a picture of a workplace with zero accidents, a goal that was unimaginable in this industry. How great would that be? No more accidents! That was his vision. Everyone agreed it was a much better picture than where they had been! (Check off b.)
The next step was engaging the employees in figuring out how to reach this goal. This incredible leader would go out in the field and talk to his people. He would ask them, “what do we need to do to accomplish this audacious goal?” Together, they figured it out. They put in place a safety program that, in fact, DID result in ZERO ACCIDENTS. They received awards! They maintained the record for several years until this leader left the organization. I was no longer with this organization at that time, but I believe they just lost the vision. (Check off c.)
- Set the example – Be the credible role model and reinforce new behavior. If you want your folks to be more customer focused, don’t talk about the occasional crazy customer in a negative way. If you’re going for improved safety, you MUST abide by every safety rule. You must insist that others do so, as well. If you’re shooting for improved communication, you have to be the best at sharing information. If you’re going for improved work ethic, you can’t be working shorter hours than your people. And you can’t be wasting time, shooting the “bull” around the office.
I hope these points help you to be a…. CHANGE CHAMPION! Most organizations desperately need them. If you're looking for a jumpstart, connect with us! We'll put our high quality tools and expertise at work for you.