Change or Perish: The Future is Guaranteed to No One

Leading Organisational Change

By Stephen Long, PhD 

Re-engineering creates the illusion of change, but often is not managed effectively and produces anxiety and confusion. Simply rewriting job descriptions to change behaviour is foolish and relies on naive solutions to complex problems. Change occurs mostly through informal networks and altering the collective belief system.

The 21^st Century is an era based on unpredictable, unstable events. Whatever we do, and wherever we do it, everything - work styles, economic conditions, technology, corporate structures, global communications, lifestyles, environmental responsibilities - is changing at dizzying rates.

Organisational change begins and ends with leadership. Managers who dismiss not only their capabilities, but also those within the organisation create self-limiting attitudes and behaviours within the organisation. Psychologist Abraham Maslow labeled this “The Jonah Complex.” People have a basic human impulse toward growth and excellence, but executives who demonstrate The Jonah Complex focus on the inhibitions that block our natural growth tendency. Jonah was called to prophesy, but was intimidated by the task. Jonah tried to run away, to avoid the challenge presented. But no matter where Jonah ran, he could find no place to hide. Finally, he accepted his fate.

Ineffective executives fear their power, their ability to lead change. Neurotically, they fear the consequences of being superior - they voluntarily dismiss and diminish their own power. In the illusion of safety and security, they limit their own personal effectiveness, thereby placing the organisation they are charged to protect into a position of vulnerability.

Some people cloak their fear and defensiveness through a façade of false humility. Insecurity runs through the veins of ineffective executives, forcing them into a conflict between what they believe is socially acceptable and what’s actually needed to grow the organisation. Executives who are unable to distinguish between personal anxiety and threats to the organisation ultimately make poor decisions and demonstrate a lack of judgment.

Human nature has shown that we repress our most dangerous and worst impulses; we also deny our best and noblest ambitions. It’s unnatural to pursue pathology as well as excellence - we seek a comfort zone somewhere in the middle. The 21^st Century leader actively and openly demonstrates a pursuit of excellence and growth, whereas ineffective executives may appear as though they pursue growth opportunities, but they fail to act in a way that generates change. For most people, there’s nothing comfortable about pursuing greatness.

Change Resistance

It’s natural and expected for people to resist change, but executives should be aware resistance comes from many angles of the organisation. Resistance is grounded in three primary forms.

• Avoidance. Ineffective executives minimise the need for change by refusing to confront the issues that face them.

• Self-Interest. People won’t change if they fail to see a better future, even if they realise the present is in jeopardy.

• Failure to Earn Trust. People won’t change if executives fail to explain why change is needed, fail to show the reality of a situation and fail to provide the tools of change.

Overcoming Resistance

Resistance originates under two scenarios. First, if the change presents a threat to employees’ primary needs such as security and safety, they’ll clutch onto the old ways of doing things, no matter how persuasive the information is to change. Second, if employees are satisfied with the current situation, they will resist change. Satisfaction creates stagnation. Change occurs only when people are dissatisfied with their current condition. Executives who spell out why employees should feel dissatisfied are more likely to experience successful change.

Selecting a Change Strategy

The speed of the change initiative is the key factor in determining a sound strategy. Responding to six questions determines the speed of a change strategy:

Executives who expect a rapid change require the following conditions: low resistance, high trust, persuasive reasons, low stakes, low number of people involved and a clear plan of action. The more the conditions vary from this ideal, the greater the likelihood the change initiative will bog down or possibly fail.

Conclusion

It’s in our nature to grow and develop, but few people identify the innate obstacles to organisational change. Successful leaders exhibit mature behaviours such as courage, confidence, judgment, wisdom, focus, control and a need for continuous growth. It’s imperative that leaders outpace the executives who repress the natural need for growth. These immature executives who are resistant, impulsive, fearful and demonstrate irrational logic won’t adapt and won’t survive in the 21^st Century economy.

 
by Stephen Long
The Institute for Level Six Leadership
DocLong@LevelSixLeadership.com 
www.LevelSixLeadership.com