Leading Change Efforts
One of my CEO leadership coaching clients is fired up inspiring urgency in her employees to execute their strategic change efforts. I am consulting with the company executive team to transform the culture of the company to become more change resilient and innovative.
The CEO knows that continued growth will occur when employees fully engage in the change initiative and execute the company strategy. She is empowering her leadership team to become more learning agile and better problem solvers. Leadership team members are collaborating with the CEO in the decision-making process. Our current executive coaching work focuses on helping the CEO motivate her employees to overcome complacency and sustain a heightened sense of urgency.
Beware of Barriers to Change
Complacency can set in at any time, but it’s often a default attitude when change becomes too difficult. Change is, by definition, difficult because it requires us to move outside our comfort zones for an extended period.
Familiarize yourself with these five common barriers to change so you can stay on track:
1. Ownership: It’s easier to pass the buck than to stand up as a leader and take over responsibilities that may not even be yours.
2. Time: Change always takes longer than estimated. Add 50 percent to 100 percent more time to your expectations.
3. Difficulty: Change is always more difficult than anticipated. When a task appears to be easy, you may set yourself up for disappointment and frustration if you miscalculate the time required to complete it. Anticipate troubles, and give yourself credit for small victories.
4. Distractions: When the going gets tough, as it will, it’s easy to be distracted by competing goals, other interests and priorities. Anticipate how easily you can become distracted; you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to regain your focus.
5. Maintenance: Once you expend all of the effort needed to achieve a change goal, be willing to face reality. It takes time for the new to become habitual. Give up too soon, and you’re back to square one. Maintenance requires vigilance and perseverance —more than you may think.
Urgency tends to collapse after a few successes. As we move toward a future that requires continuous change, urgency will become a powerful asset that carries you through the years.
A changing world offers many hazards, but also wonderful opportunities. To capitalize on these opportunities, you’ll need many skills and resources. But progress begins with an appropriate sense of urgency, accepted by a large group of people. Get this right, and great things are possible.
Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organization that fully engages its people in transformational change initiatives by overcoming complacency and creating a culture that embraces change and innovation. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.
I am currently accepting new executive coaching, career coaching, and leadership consulting clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to mbrusman@workingresources.com.
