Change: Caring Enough to say "No" (Not yet)

This article is the thirty-ninth in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

Successful sales reps welcome an objection.

An objection signals the beginning of a deeper conversation that uncovers the potential buyer's concrete, deeper, more meaningful desires. Anyone trying to introduce a change could benefit by taking a page out of the sales rep's manual.

In Change: It Comes Down To This Question..., I suggested that it would be a lot healthier for everyone involved to change resistant to hesitant. Why? Because that's what's really going on. Being hesitant often indicates a great deal of thoughtfulness about an issue. Like a potential sales customer, an employee who offers objections probably has what (s)he thinks is a good reason.

Caring Enough to say "No"

Think of the people in your life with whom you are the closest. Those you trust the most.

They are not the "yes" people. They're the ones who say "no" when they mean "no." That's how you know you can trust them. And they're also the ones --because of the trust level--with whom you can explore the reasons behind a "no" and work out a mutually agreeable resolution, when possible.

Want to dig a little deeper?

Luc Gallopin took time to comment and share a related article well worth reading: More Evidence on the Good Nature of Resistance.  Thanks, Luc.

And let's face it: If we're the ones initiating the "new thing," we've probably got a little more ego involvement than we really need. Check out Steve Bannister's "Leggo Your Ego"

How has "resistance to resistance" impacted a change in which you've been involved?

If Change is important to you, I think you'll also enjoy:

Making Changes: Does Everyone Know Why? Part I

Making Changes: Does Everyone Know Why? Part II

Making Changes: What Gets In The Way?

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Change: It Comes Down to This Question...

This article is the thirty-eighth in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

Four Questions and a Conversation brought out some good--and varied--comments about Change.

The single idea of the post was a simple one: Whenever announcing or suggesting something "new", it's a good idea to understand the basic questions that most people need to have answered before they can hop on board.

Yet those questions are just a fact-finding mission on the way to the unspoken one:

What's In It For Me?

If there are 200 or 20,000 employees, there will be 200 or 20,000 individual calculations being made in order to reconcile that question. But nothing of consequence will happen until a critical mass of people have decided that the "new thing" has personal benefits that outweigh the effort to make a change.

Whether it's a small change or a large one, each person involved is  doing the "What's In It For Me?" (WIFFM) calculation.

We've all listened to the "We need to get leaner/increase shareholder value/grow market share" speeches. Most people "get it" when the situation is legitimate and laid out honestly. Yet even the CEO who makes the announcement isn't doing it for shareholder value. The CEO is doing it because (s)he has personal needs to be met: competitiveness, executive lifestyle, reputation...or simply a sense of personal accomplishment. "Shareholder value" is someone else's reason for change.

Why does this matter?

Depending upon the size of the change, people need different amounts of time to do their WIIFM calculation. They also need to hear information more than once, along with the ability to ask questions and discuss implications without being labeled "resistant".

In fact, I've got an idea. Instead of laying on the "resistant" label, how about using "hesitant" instead? That's a word with less baggage and better describes what's really going on.

What do you think about that? Maybe we can get a movement going here.

Note: Special thanks to Bob Cenek for the "WIIFM" suggestion. Bob is back with the popular Cenek Report while in the midst of his own Change projects.

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Six Good Articles For Your Development

I'm involved in a client project through the end of the day on Friday. But that's no reason why you can't enjoy the benefits of some good, thought-provoking material:

A Simple Way to Save Time: Trust People from Carmine Coyote at Slow Leadership.

Dawud Miracle makes a case for Why You Want Your Business to Remain Forever Unfinished.

Wally  Bock examines the chicken or egg conundrum of Employee Satisfaction: Cause or Result of Company Success?

Seventeen Sayings About Success: Which One Fits You?  from Galba Bright at Tune Up Your EQ.

Have a look into Jim Stroup's series on governance and its innerworkings: Piercing the Veil is his latest offering.

Do You Hear The Music At Work? David Zinger shares a musical video resource.

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Change: Four Questions and a Conversation

This article is the thirty-seventh in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

Making any kind of a change increases the chances for misunderstanding, mistrust, and conflict.

Those become magnified when changes are announced without an opportunity for clarification and discussion.

If you are a manager or adviser and want to get things started in the best way possible, here is a framework to use. It's intentionally simple.

Here's why:

When you are introducing something new, simplicity helps people comprehend faster and adjust more accurately. Making something complex or obtuse causes confusion which leads to frustration--and that's the last thing you want if you are looking for understanding, commitment and action.

Why these four questions?

I was sitting in a kick-off meeting of a new initiative. As people asked questions, I jotted them down. After synthesizing the actual questions, they pretty much fell into these four headings.

Start off answering the four over-arching questions that need to be answered. That will provide enough concrete information to generate thought.( It will also force you to get clearer about your wants). Then kick back and invite questions and conversation.

Note: It's the conversation, not the speech, that builds commitment and relationship.

How is your organization doing when it comes to answering these?

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Change: Mistaking Motion for The Right Action

This article is the thirty-sixth in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

"Never mistake motion for action."
--Ernest Hemingway

It didn't start off this way, but I may end up being the poster boy for Hemingway's one-liner.

This article was begun a little more than 24 hours ago with the expectation that it would be knocked out in about a half-hour. Then the phone started ringing, emails began dinging, and those darned clients (customers)  got in the way of a perfectly relaxing day :-)

Attitude vs. Action generated such a terrific conversation that I sat down to think of something pithy as a follow-up. No sooner did I realize I was pith-less than a real-life client emailed from Turkey to rant about a corporate change initiative:

"...it seems to me, that we are focused on activities that should result in Cultural Changes without being specific about the vision of what we want the new culture to be. Additionally, where is the list for the "detail people" regarding what they should stop doing and what they should start doing that will embrace the new culture?"

Visions of Forests and Trees

1. He can't see the forest for the trees (Needs big picture context, or the ultimate vision, in addition to actions)

2. Many of his people need to see the trees but are hearing about a forest called Change (Need to know the five things  to do today to be considered successful; 'keep your vision to yourself' :-)

Isn't this a textbook case of Big Picture vs. Detail individual needs?

Let's be honest: We all prefer to operate out of our personal comfort zones. So if you are a Big Picture person, that's where your inherent emphasis will be. The same is true for the "Here Are The Facts" folks.

But we boost our effectiveness when we acknowledge how "the other half lives" and give them what they need to make the journey. (When we don't, we're actually mistaking motion for action).

How's that working in  your organization?

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What to Change First: Attitude or Action?

This article is the thirty-fifth in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

We love to talk about Change.

Change is another word for Life, so it's something that we all have in common. People change (or want to), organizations change (or want to)...we all have to decide about how we'll deal with life, individually or corporately: live and grow, or live but remain frozen and immobilized.

When it comes to Change, there is a point in the conversation where someone has to act--and act differently-- or nothing changes.

Attitude or Action?

The answer is "Yes."

In part, It's an issue of learning styles.

• Some people act only after they've gained an understanding of theory and context. Impacting their attitude is the first step in gaining action.

• Others start acting immediately, then step back to see what it all means. Action plus reflection creates context and understanding for the bigger picture.

What's happening in your organization to combine education and action?

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Change: Strategy and The Fat Smoker

Every so often a book comes out that makes you say, "Wow. I wish I had written this one!"

David Maister gave me that feeling with his new book, Strategy and The Fat Smoker. The title grabs your attention, but it's the sub-title that makes you start turning the pages: Doing What's Obvious But Not Easy.

This is a book for everyone, not just business types. Let's face it: Who hasn't had the experience of knowing what to do, but then not doing it?

Readers of all ilks and age groups will benefit from David's years of hands-on experience as an advisor to professional service organizations. His own depth of learning is evident in his ability to synthesize complex experiences and present them in common-sense, understandable ways.

Here are just five of a book filled with nuggets:

• If you can't afford to say 'no' until you are successful and distinguished, then you'll never be successful and distinguished.

• Creating and sustaining ambition is management's primary task. It's obvious, but it's still scarce.

• Few business strategies are tested or chosen based on how motivating individuals and groups in the firm will find them. Choices are still made on detached, analytical grounds.

On relationships:

• People may say that they want the benefits of romance, yet they still act in ways that suggest they are really interested in a one-night stand.

• Managers are always trying to get more from that amorphous group of them (the subordinates) without having to build personal relationships.

Who Should Read This?

Managers of anything, because it's about strategy, relationships, and change.

Consultants, because it's about strategy, relationships, and change.

Individuals, because the principles apply to personal strategies, relationships, and change.

If you aren't already a reader of David's Passion, People, and Principles blog, have a look. You'll see that his engaging style prompts an ongoing conversation and a lot of learning as a result. His book is a compilation of blog posts over a two year period and hangs together in a way that makes its reading easy, digestible, and filled with impact. It should be a desk reference for managers everywhere.

Yes, I liked it a lot.

I hope you will, too.

(BTW: The full text is also available as an e-book at David's site.)

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When Nothing Happens

So I posted a Christmas greeting figuring things would resume on December 27th.

They didn't.

It's been two weeks since I've posted or even read a blog. (And I've barely read or responded to emails).

In the grand space of a lifetime, that's a mere speck. In the space of internet relationships it feels like a lifetime. Especially since I so thoroughly enjoy the conversation that develops here at All Things Workplace.

I had no thoughts of taking a break and plenty of ideas about the series on Change. But while I had ideas, I didn't have anything of substance to say. So I didn't.

What did I learn?

Doing nothing (well, I was doing lots of other stuff) about something you care about makes you reflect on it a bit more. While it seemed that nothing was happening, there was a sort of mental refinement process going on the entire time. I'm curious to see how that will emerge in future posts.

I also learned that I get freaky crazy when I'm out of touch with the folks here every day.

I just hope I haven't been unsubscribed by the entire population of the planet :-)

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