Leadership And The Need For Change

In a world where things never change, where everything is predictable, there would be little need for leadership. Perhaps we would have leaders that served purely ceremonial roles, cheering-on the ever-present status quo. Or maybe there would be leaders whose purpose would be to encourage us not to suffer from boredom and our self-imposed mediocrity. Nothing would get worse – and nothing would get better. Some people may see this kind of world as a utopia. But for anyone who has ever imagined a better world or dreamed of things none of us have ever seen before, a world without change would be a dystopian nightmare. 

There is no joy to be found in a world that inhibits meaningful accomplishment, extinguishes curiosity, and decries human potential. It is in the satisfaction in what we accomplish that we find real joy – and nothing can be accomplished when nothing changes. 

Fortunately, change is a constant and unstoppable force of nature. You can do your best to repress, accelerate, or direct it – but you cannot stop it. There is a great deal of theory that focuses on managing change – but what all of this ultimately comes down to is choosing how we respond to change. You cannot manage change – but you can manage the impact. At best, you might manage the rate of change and perhaps the direction that things are changing. 

Leaders are change agents. We don’t cause change – change is our cause. We represent the forces of change we choose to advocate for, and we provide guidance to support the kind of change we want to see. Or as Mahatma Gandhi famously suggested, we can be the change we want to see. We can be that change because we, ourselves, are always changing. Hopefully, we are growing and evolving as surely as we are dying (or headed towards our death) from the moment we are born.

A leader’s role is to observe and, when possible, anticipate things that are changing and leading people through that change towards a desirable or beneficial outcome. We do this by making decisions and guiding choices. Change is neither good nor bad on its face. How we feel about change is all about what we value, what we believe, and what we need. The challenge for leaders is overcoming people’s tendency to resist change. 

Robert C. Gallagher, an author with a flair for humorous observation, wrote: “Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.” Gallagher’s insight is explained by

Dr. Gustavo Grodnitzky, who points out that people don’t actually resist change; what we fear is loss. People welcome change that brings perceivable benefits – and worry about things that threaten whatever security we attribute to the comfort of the status quo. Change can be dangerously unpredictable and even deadly, especially when rapid and chaotic.  

You use change to create some variety and relieve boredom. You go on vacation or out to dinner to change-up your routines.  Change can be exhilarating, and the anticipation of change can pique your curiosity and be the source of learning. 

Change never stops – but sometimes things change so slowly that you might hardly notice it. When change happens too slowly, you might become impatient and inattentive. Or you might become complacent and unprepared to meet the challenges creeping-up on you. As a leader, your job is to effectively use change to combat mediocrity and keep people on their toes.

When you understand your relationship to change as a leader, you can leverage the dynamics to help people become aware of their potential. People discover a sense of shared destiny when they have a common desire for change.  Your role as a leader is to make meaning of the potential of change that resonates with those who might share your sense of purpose. The promise of a better tomorrow might be the restoration of order that has been lost to chaos or decay – or it might be stirring people’s imaginations around what the future might bring. 

Without the promise of change for the better, leaders have nothing to offer. And without the ability to guide this change by leading others so that together we accomplish what matters most, there is no point in being a leader. Change is what makes or breaks leaders. Instead of embracing change and the necessary uncertainties, they fear change and grasp for any certainty and control they can find.

It is why vulnerability is critical to being an effective leader. Those who fear the loss of power and prestige try to resist change are often swept away by the currents. The leaders who embrace the ebb and flow of these currents and recognize that everything is always in flux find the resilience that can inspire others to join them and ride the waves of change towards that better tomorrow.