Change: Can You Take The Heat?

If you w ant to lead a change, you better start with a quiver full of behavioral and goal-directed arrows designed to hit your target. Important note: Some of these will return like a boomerang and when they hit, they'll sting.

Changes are anxiety-producing and scary for a lot of us. We like our cozy comfort zones. When someone messes with it, we find ways to strike back or take our toys and go home. Successful leaders know this and move forward, knowing full well that the "noise" around them is natural. They can "take the heat."

What To Do When The Heat Is On

1. Learn to recognize your triggers. Understand that when someone challenges you, your brain will dump adrenaline. That means you'll start to feel a burst of energy that will cause an emotional responses. What's yours? Some people become angry, others find that their voices go up a few pitches, and some of us start to burn up energy by rocking back and forth or, if seated, shifting around. Know your response and pause (count to ten silently) until the adrenaline rush starts to wear off.

2. Expect difficulty and even trouble. My first huge "change" project was on Day 1 of the AT&T divestiture. We spent up to 50% of our time figuring out what we were learning and then fixing things. Organizational change is always a work in progress. 

3. Being a leader is risky business. Be prepared to explain over and over again, in different ways, what you are doing and why you are doing it. Then, when you think you've explained it enough, go back out and explain it again. There will be people who want to see you fail, people who "would do it differently and better," and a host of other detractors. If you believe that what you are doing is the right thing, then stay the course. Listen to what concerns people, acknowledge those concerns, and explain one more time why the "new thing" will be better. Always: attack positions, never people.

How will you lead your change today?

 

Comments

[Brandon W. Jones]

Steve,
It is very interesting to see how different leaders respond when they are put into a new position of leadership. How a leader responds in their first few challenges tends to dictate, in many cases, the type of leader they are over the long haul. Some leaders rise to the occasion while others fail miserably. Thanks, Brandon

[PapercutPM]

That's the truth. Knowing your triggers is a great way to avoid catastrophe. (I know I've learned that the hard way enough times LOL) It's great advice to remember to pause in the face of a challenge, measure yourself and move past the adrenaline rush. The alternative is to blurt out the first defensive thing that comes to mind and that will likely sabotage all the great work you've done orchestrating the changes you've already made!

[Steve Roesler]

Brandon

Most people are pretty forgiving and give new leaders and others a fair chance, with some leeway to learn. Indeed, some rise to the occasion while others fail miserably, usually because of an unwillingness or inability to learn how to become more effective. What is fairly consistent, based on observation, is this: you only get one chance to make a good first impression. So, those who step up and learn to lead still have to make up for the initial impression. That can eat up some valuable time if an organization is faced with a time crunch for making important changes.

Thanks for jumping into the conversation. . .

[Steve Roesler]

PapercutPM

I think your photo/avatar says it all! Thanks for the affirmation.

[Kevin Trokey]

Steve

I really appreciate your description of what happens when faced with a challenge. It isn't unlike a salesperson facing an objection by a prospect. If you haven't prepared for how you are going to respond in advance, the fight or flight instinct kicks in. However, if you take the time to anticipate the inevitable challenges that will come and prepare in advance for how you will respond, then you are able to take the perceived threat and turn it into the educational opportunity it truly should be.

My favorite quick read on this subject is "High Velocity Culture Change". To paraphrase the authors (Pritchett & Pound), the culture you are attempting to change will organize and aggressively defend itself when threatened. Trying to covertly introduce change is a recipe for failure. Be very obvious, clear and unapologetic about where you are going.

[Steve Roesler]

Well stated, Kevin.

I particularly liked that sales analogy. Every time a salesperson is in a discussion, (s)he is really introducing an idea, product, or service that, if effective, will in some way change "how things are done." By any definition, they are dealing with cultural change daily and are probably prone to more consistent rejection than even the most ambitious CEO. Direct sales people receive a rejection about 85% of the time. This puts them in "the heat is on" all-star team.

Appreciate the contribution, Kevin.