I wrote a blog entry about being a change agent. In it I suggested that people fall into a conventional trap. They tell others why they need to change and then, when they do not change, the change agent looks for ways to force the change. That is, they trample the agency of the change target. The predictable result is resistance.
A friend who is chairman of a successful and positive organization sent a response. He said the first key to change is not making the above mistake. The next step is most difficult. It involves collective deep listening, moving to the abstract level to understand the core principles, then agreeing on common objectives, and testing the hypotheses that have been collectively developed. He emphasizes doing it “together” in pursuit of “a common goal.” He says it is “hard to find” people who do this. Yet it is “possible on most all issues.”
Reflection
- How does what he is describing differ from my conventional experiences?
- What would happen if I began to systematically pursue this process?
- How could we use this passage to create a more positive organization?
I would love to have you share a concrete example of what this process looks like. Thanks for all of your coaching and mentoring.