With all apologies due to Gandhi, this adaptation of his famed quote represents the most fundamental thing great managers can do to build a culture of change in their organizations.
Technology providers understand that often the single biggest obstacle to making significant improvements in a clients business is the fear and inherent resistance to change. And it’s completely understandable. It’s human nature. We all get comfortable and like our routine processes and ways of doing things that we’ve grown accustomed to. It’s the fear of the unknown, and in the case of business and technology, most often the “where will I find the time to learn and implement something new?” fear that keeps us from getting better.
As managers and leaders, we can help our people by embracing change as part of our own ethos. By always looking for ways to become more efficient. By analyzing the innovations of other companies and other industries. By incorporating new tools into our daily processes that make us better.
One thing I have incorporated into my own daily practices is the use of a terrific (and free!) tool, Trello to help me manage my personal and team tasks and activities. It’s made a significant impact on how I prioritize my to-do list, manage my day and, now that my team uses it, set internal goals.
In a recent Harvard Business Review blog post, “The Ten Reasons People Resist Change,” Harvard Business School professor and renowned organizational behavior expert, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, writes that “Leadership is about change… but what is a leader to do when faced with ubiquitous resistance? Resistance to change manifests itself in many ways, from foot-dragging and inertia to petty sabotage to outright rebellions. The best tool for leaders of change is to understand the predictable, universal sources of resistance in each situation and then strategize around them.”
Spot on guidance. My only addition to her suggestion of knowing the source of change to strategize and overcome it, is to again, listen to Gandhi and provide an example your people can follow.
Read more!
3 Ways to Get Your Team On Board with New Technology
