Change must be planned. If you’re protecting the status quo, you’re not leading — you’re babysitting yesterday.
When policies and practices fade out of relevance, you send a message that excellence isn’t expected here. Employees feel that immediately. Most will stop caring. Many will have ideas for improvement but stay silent because there’s no outlet. And yet, a few will never give up hope that the revolution is near.
First, stop putting your employees to sleep — ask them regularly what ideas they have for process improvement. Second, nurture the anarchists who want change now — channel their energy into useful dialogue and actionable plans.
The first group will be motivated simply by knowing that improvement is in motion. The second group should be tasked with making things happen — big and small. Every improvement strengthens the customer experience and the bottom line. Together, these two groups feed off each other’s momentum. And from them, you’ll discover the natural leaders of the future.
Leaders who cling to the status quo are swimming upstream against competition, technology, and the forces of wow. Leaders with an eye on tomorrow use curiosity to fuel creativity and greater success. Know who fits into each group. Support and nurture them. Manage the tension between their perspectives. Keep them informed about where things are going. And thank them all for their efforts.
People who know where things are going will do their part to help get there — starting today.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 – 1527): Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance.
Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccolò_Machiavelli
No comments:
Post a Comment