We find resistance to change is contagious. Fortunately, we find change is also contagious.
Few welcome change, because change is hard and scary. For organizations, change is especially scary when it’s instigated from the outside. It is viewed as a threat to the tribe, with the resistance hardwired into their collective psyche; they are not us, therefore, they do not understand us or know what is good for us.
Change from the top down is also met with resistance if there is not a deep level of trust. Because top down change is being pushed on the organization, it requires buy-in from the start, skillful change-management along the way and sustained effort to avoid regression before new pathways are created and grooves worn into place. Few leadership teams are experienced in change or have the bandwidth to sustain such an effort.
Groundswell change on the other hand, starts with a few individuals peppered throughout the organization, slowly moving through teams, building momentum as it travels–occurring gradually and then suddenly.
Groundswell change is triggered by leaders in the organization (not to be confused with leadership which is determined by titles). Leaders are the individuals that people go to when there is a problem because they have proven to navigate the organization to resolve issues, guide colleagues towards solutions or be a sympathetic ear.
These leaders exist in every organization, at every level, and influence across teams. They are lighthouses in the fog of war and cheerleaders through the daily grind. These leaders, too, will start off resistant to change as they protect their tribe and the brand as a whole. However, as trusted leaders, they are also keenly aware of problems in the organization and their systemic nature.
The first step in building trust in leaders is to listen. The team members need to know the change-maker understands the problem–– not just the symptoms, but the problems at the root of the symptoms.
Leaders then need a vision for a better future. How are these issues going to be resolved and how will the organization look, feel and act? They need a clear and honest picture of the future to buy into. They are not looking for rainbows and unicorns. Leaders want to understand the reality of the path forward, the good, the bad and the ugly.
At this point, no trust has been built -only the soil prepared for trust to grow. Trust comes from delivering. Leaders need to see issues resolved. They need to experience improvement–– for themselves and their colleagues. Even better is if they themselves are empowered to resolve the issues.
That’s when the groundswell begins. That’s when people turn their heads to see what’s happening over there. Word spreads about lives improving. The results start to show in ways others can see, experience, or hear about. Actual change, however small, stirs a desire to join.
As momentum builds, larger more difficult challenges can be taken on as the will to power through the dip and the energy to sustain the effort start teeming through every level of the organization.
Change is hard and scary. Fortunately, the feeling of empowerment that comes from shaping the destiny of a brand, organization or our life as a whole is one of the most rewarding human experiences.
Also published on Medium.