Chasing Change: Finding, developing, and empowering change makers in your org

Building operational inertia - Finding, developing, and empowering Change Makers

For any organisation looking to optimise their growth plan, the role of change makers is pivotal. Change makers are individuals that possess the vision, courage, and determination to challenge the status quo and drive meaningful transformation within their functions or wider organisation.

So, in this hyperconnected, oversharing social era, why aren’t we seeing them everywhere? Cultural implications, over analysis of personal traits or personas, and the pressure to keep up in fast-paced workspaces can sometimes skew people’s views of whether they are ‘made of the right stuff’ to instigate change. Through my own personal observation, individuals often grapple with the fear of speaking up and the workplace barriers that impede the flow of innovative ideas. Thinking that to make an impact within their company, they need to take on a large transformation project rather than the reality of impactful change, making small micro-improvements day to day.

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Does it all come down to the culture of the org?

Well, partially… Organisational culture does play a crucial role in shaping the behaviour of employees. However, a survey conducted by Gallup revealed that only 27% of employees believe in their organisation's values, emphasising the disconnect that often exists between stated values and actual practices. So you can have all the will in the world that what you have on the walls will resonate (hello Facebook #failfast), but if it’s not lived and breathed through the workings of the business, it won’t stick. In work environments where challenge as a behaviour is not encouraged, employees hesitate to voice their opinions, limiting the opportunity for change makers to emerge.

One of the primary reasons people find it difficult to speak up about the change they want to see in their organisation is fear. A study conducted by the harvard business review found that a staggering 85% of employees withhold important concerns and issues because they fear the consequences of speaking up. This actually has the reverse effect and can breed a culture of silence, creating an environment where problems fester, stifling creativity and hindering progress. It creates complacency, stagnation, and repetitive processes keeping people and the organisations they work within stuck in time.

This debate also feeds into the latest HR trend, psychological safety, defined by 美国哈佛商学院 as the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. Just the term itself sends the wrong message in my opinion, assuming that the spaces we create at work are unsafe for your psyche. But everyone seems to be on the bandwagon at the moment: 谷歌 's Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the most important factor in building high-performing teams. Well, if it's working at Google, it must be gospel.

I’m sure that organisations that prioritise psychological safety provide a conducive environment for change makers to thrive. However, is this the right way of communicating when we are looking for people to push through boundaries, not just stay in the ‘safe’ sharing zone?

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Is diversity the secret sauce to growth or just the next dying buzz word?

?To foster a culture that encourages change makers, teams need to accept and acknowledge the barriers within the org holding them back. These barriers come in all different shapes and sizes, and we are still struggling with the basics when it comes to diversity. Businesses are still evaluating if diversity of thought is ‘a thing’. Despite all of Facebook's attempts, companies don’t all agree that failure is seen as a learning opportunity, and employees are still not empowered, let alone incentivised, to challenge repeat behaviours from what the business has done in the past.

So is it all just diverse talent still banging their heads against the brick wall, or is there some truth to my theory:

• Forbes Research & Insights – “Diversity is a key driver of innovation in the workplace.”
• Gartner – “Employees who feel their voice is heard at work are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best.”
• 德勤 – “Organisations with a culture of innovation are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their industry peers.”
• 波士顿谘询公司 – “Increasing the diversity of leadership teams leads to more and better innovation and improved financial performance. Companies with more diverse management teams have 19% higher revenues.”

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Ah, so is that actually it… do we need change makers and diversity at the top table..?

Unfortunately (in my opinion, due to the hierarchical nature of business), leadership still plays the most pivotal role in shaping organisational culture and fostering change. Leaders must lead by example, actively seeking and implementing feedback, and demonstrating openness to new ideas, not only from their team but through cross-team learning and collaboration.

Growth is the constant north star driving organisations to express a desire for innovation, but in reality, the internal model is not built for change. According to a report by 麦肯锡 , 94% of senior executives surveyed acknowledged that their organisations were not effective at developing a culture of innovation. This is a facial and paradoxical situation. The lack of diversity and innovation creates a barrier for potential change makers to emerge, perceiving a lack of support for their ideas and constantly inefficient, being limited by the surrounding ecosystem.

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So what’s all this leading up to… I hear you ask?

Become a change maker. Become one today! No matter if you are a leader, a long-standing employee, or a newcomer into the world of work. Navigate through the complexities of cultural norms, work to overcome a fear of reprisal, and laugh at the paradoxical nature knowing diversity is the key to innovation. Will it be hard at times… undoubtedly. Will it be worth it in the end… one thousand percent!

And finally, a special nudge for business leaders… Lean in. Actively address these challenges, empower individuals to speak up, become the example of challenging the status quo, and drive positive change. If the numbers above don’t highlight the urgency, then do it for the fun of it! Organisations prioritising the importance of lived culture that values innovation and embraces the diversity of thought will see sustained success in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.