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Change is inevitable in today’s economic landscape.  Change is constant.

How are you adapting to change within your organization?

Change can be painful and uncomfortable.  Mark Twain once said, “The only person who likes change is a baby with a wet diaper.”  Let’s be honest.  Change can be downright hard.

As a leader within an organization, how are you a part of the process?  Are you asking your direct leaders the right questions?  Are you lock-step with the new direction, product launch, new strategies, approach, etc…?  Or…or…are you the complainer?  Are you the one who talks about how it can’t be done (although, it is good to question a process, but do it respectfully)?

(Remember leaders, those who you are leading are watching your response/reaction to change.)

I think it is imperative, especially those in leadership roles, to help facilitate change among your direct reports.  The human side of change can be challenging, but crucial to effectively forge ahead.

The U.S. Department of Education project roled out a systematic approach to help deal with change.  They suggested that individuals who are faced with change express six predictable and sequential concerns:

1. Information concerns
2. Personal concerns
3. Implementation concerns
4. Impact concerns
5. Collaboration concerns
6. Refinement concerns

At the various levels of organizations, whether for-profit or nonprofit, how are you addressing the above mentioned concerns?  The question isn’t “will” change occur, but “when” change occurs are you ready?  Furthermore, how are you addressing the questions and concerns echoed through the organization?

Your effectiveness as a change agent is to ensure you are educated on the “why’s, what’s and how’s.”

Change is your friend.

Thought provoking questions by Bill Hybels, that we need ask ourselves.

1. Is my calling sure?
2. Is my vision clear?
3. Is my passion burning hot?
4. Is my character fully submitted to Christ?
5. Is my pride subdued or is my ego messing with it?
6. Are my fears at bay? Or do I have anxiety?
7. Is my psychological baggage affecting the way I make decisions?
8. Are my ears open to the voice of God?
9. Is my pace sustainable?
10. Is my heart for God increasing or decreasing?

How are you leading self these days?

Currently I am re-reading Ken Blanchard’s book, Leading at a Higher Level.  Below are 8 insightful reasons that Ken gives as to why some change efforts might fail in an organization.

1. People leading the change think that announcing the change is the same as implementing the change.

2. People’s concerns with change are not surfaced or addressed.

3. There is no compelling reason to change.  The business case is not communicated.

4. A compelling vision that excites people about the future has not been developed and communicated.

5.  Those leading the change aren’t credible - they undercommunicate, give mixed messages, and do not model the behaviors the change requires.

6. Progress (this is HUGE) is not measured, and no one recognizes the changes that people have worked hard to make.

7. People are not held accountable for implementing change.

8. People leading the change fail to respect the power of the culture to kill the change.

Can you think of other reasons why change might fail?

During World War II England was in a very precarious situation as Hitler’s regime was on the cusp of taking over England.  The mindset of many leaders in England was that of “survival.”  Churchill however had a different mindset, that they were not going to  just survive, they were going to PREVAIL!

What a mindset shift.  So simple, yet powerful.

Are you just trying to survive today?  Or…or…are you of the mindset that you will PREVAIL?!

And of course, how could one forget the speech that rings with inspiration until this day:

“…even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…”

Don’t just survive today…PREVAIL!

I have been a religious subscriber of Fast Company for many years now, and recently ran across an article which described the likes of David Kelley.  David Kelley is the founding architect of the design firm Ideo.

The article is a must read!

The article brilliantly and tantalizingly lays out several tidbits, as we (for a moment) get to peer closely into the life of David.  You will learn about…

…a recent personal challenge

…design thinking

…redesigning organizational cultures

…’taking a step back before forging ahead’

…and much more!

Take the time to read the article in FastCompany, here.

What were your thoughts about the article?

on top of work and the soon-to-be addition to our family. i have several projects to complete in the next three weeks for school. 

i’m exhausted. 

in fact, i’m writing this after not getting one ounce of sleep last night! 

you ever have those nights where you couldn’t sleep?  what do you do when you have those nights?  read?  beat the pillow?  read some more?  watch tv?  drink warm milk (seriously, does that really work)?  take melatonin? 

what’s your secret?