Leading Change

Problem - Today’s leaders are faced with an ever-changing work environment. The ability to not only navigate this change themselves, but to successfully lead others through change can create a healthier work culture.

Why is this Important - The speed of change in the workplace is becoming exponential, and no greater area is this change occurring than in the use of technology and work culture.

A software engineer once told me that technology doubles its advancement every ninety days.?This is partly due to the use of technology to advance technology.

Unfortunately, measuring the advancement of work culture isn’t quite as scientific, but just as important.?Culture is a term which defines and governs overall behavior and includes beliefs, values, passions, and often the lens for which we view life, especially work life.

Solution – Following my life as a professional basketball player I discovered truths for successfully navigating sudden change.?These 5 RULES propelled me like a rocket into the next phases of my life in education, television, and corporate training. This discovery during my own personal change motivated me to dig deeper into the topic of change and I learned there are nine time-proven principles designed to improve work culture while leading change.

9 PRINCIPLES (short version)

1.)???Change Happens – Leaders understand that change happens and the best leaders are not only on the front edge of the wave of change, but causing it. Leaders that demonstrate this expectation to their troops are a step ahead.

2.)???Character - Today's leadership is no longer primarily based on position or title, but based on trust. People follow people they can trust, and the absence of integrity and character prevents the building of trust. In other words, if you say you're going to do something or be somewhere, do it or be there (understanding every once in awhile there's a train wreck). A pattern of not doing what you say is a direct charge against the leader's character.

3.) Priorities - The whirlwind of daily activity can easily become blurred, unless a leader has crystal clear priorities. Similar to the analogy of the jar, stones, sand, and water, how our priorities get placed into our daily jar of time dictates what fits and what doesn't. Understanding your priorities takes thinking, especially when it comes to leading change. Creating and articulating these true north items will help you individually, as well as your team while navigating change.

4.) Growth (PDCA) - Like it or not, failure is actually an integral part of success, especially as we travel through the change process. Mistakes will be made, albeit not intentional (hopefully). Leaders that have a mindset of growth during the change process eliminate the negative effect of failure by implementing a process known as PDCA. Plan - Do - Check - Adjust. Planning your change, doing it, checking the results, and then adjusting where needed.

5.)???ATTITUDE - As we've heard, "Our attitude determines our altitude" and during no greater time than when experiencing change. A leader understands the eight parts of a good attitude (think acronym for the word ATTITUDE). Altitude (because our attitude determines our altitude) - Teachable (open to learning) - Tenacity (do not give up) - Intensity (focused) - Teamwork (team work makes the dream work) - Unselfish (it's not about you) - Discipline (best kind is self-discipline) - Enthusiasm (having passion & purpose)

6.)???Delayed Gratification - We live in a world of instant gratification. If I'm unable to acquire something within 30-seconds something is wrong. Leaders understand nothing great is achieved overnight. We can have overnight wealth and overnight ideas, but true sustainable change takes time.

7.)???Servant’s Spirit - Our human nature dictates selfishness. Since birth our focus is "MY" sand pail and "MY" stuff. As leaders, we grow people from this reality by demonstrating our own ability to do so, and the best way to demonstrate this is by serving those we lead. An added bonus to serving others is you earn the trust of those you lead, and people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Serving others shows you care and can be trusted as a leader, especially during the challenges of change.

8.)???Talent Scout - Legendary leaders are not intimidated by other talent, in fact, they seek and encourage it. During the change process, leaders identify talent that will rocket the team through the pending change. Major League Baseball has created a phenomenal talent identification and development process, and leaders in the work place can do so, too.

9.)???Team Work - Mentioned earlier, "Team work makes the dream work!" That is not simply a cheesy cliché but a sound reality and considered by many a #1 reason for success of organizations. Chatting with an engine engineer enlightened me to the fact that an engine rolls off an assembly line very 18-seconds. Think about that for a moment - and the amount of team work it takes to accomplish such a feat with the multitude of changes occurring throughout that building process.

In this ever-changing world, it's important that leaders understand how these nine principles can lead to not simply success in the change process, but a better work culture, as well.

My team and I would love to support your change, whether it be Leading Change - Communicating Change - Change Like a Champion.