“Change Management” is often described as if it’s like building a wall. One brick put neatly on top of another.
“Define the problem” “Implement the solution” etc…“tick the box”.
Anyone who has led real change knows it isn’t like that. Real change only looks certain in hindsight. You don’t know if real change is going to work..
Imitation is less risky, which is why it’s so popular.
It’s the “risk” bit that makes the difference between imitation and exploration. If you don’t like risk you won’t drive real change because you won’t start.
In reality, change starts with one thing, and doesn’t happen without it.
Courage.
Most ideas don’t get killed by others, they’re killed by ourselves, before they even become visible.
Because we don’t have the courage to do them.
Of course no one says they don’t have courage. The reasons for not doing something are always rational. Or rationalized.
You know the tune. We’re too busy, better to wait, there’s another priority. The telltale sign is the quiet sigh of relief when the decision is to not go…
Courage isn’t in your genes. It’s grown, or squashed, by practice.
You don’t build courage by thinking, you build courage by doing.
A leader’s job is to encourage risk taking and to take risks themselves. And to live with the consequences.
Stepping out. Sometimes holding your breath and sometimes waking up in a cold sweat.
If you’re not losing sleep you’re not taking risks.
Leaders who stop taking risks stop driving change.
If something is just too risky, fine, go find something where you can handle the risk. But don’t use it as an excuse to do nothing. Take smaller steps.
Managing risk is the hidden reason why good Kaizen or continuous improvement programs work. A small step is less dangerous, needs less courage to take, than a big one-off change.
A small step initiated by you is a personal leap into the unknown that only you can really understand.
Continuous improvement means lots of small steps happen quickly – while a bigger change is still being planned, or even delayed, because no one has the courage to make the big jump.
Not only do small steps create learning opportunities, they build confidence.
Courage can be built, one step at a time.
“..you don’t build courage by thinking you build courage by doing..”
What risks are you taking right now?
How many things can you look back on doing over the last year, that really weren’t certain of success?
How many of your team are taking risks?
Are you supporting them or waiting to see how it works out?
What things have you stopped because they’re too risky?
Did you find a less risky way to achieve the same outcome, or just stop?
Have you broken a big jump down into smaller steps, or no steps?
How do you balance risk and opportunity?
Do you have the courage to go slowly?
How brave are you?
.
.
“I might be wrong, but at least I’ve thought about it…”