Our Blog: "The LAST Word on Change"

Leading Change in "Christmas Present"

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Like the gift awarded the Dickensian businessman, Scrooge, reflection on our history and future can be a well-served kick in the head, or timely “gift” as it were.  Rather than get all mushy or do an injustice to Chas. Dickens by analyzing his great works, I thought I’d share a brief, simple message for all Change Leaders—one spurred by a big word in this particular season…“present.”

I believe that the most powerful connection between this word and providing change leadership is its meaning as an adjective (i.e., being present).  Change is heady work and it can be easy for the Change Leader to feel s/he is God’s gift to the organization (noun) or that the future of the company is dependent on h/her “present(ing)” it (verb) with its compelling future.  When we fall prey to those thoughts, it means that we probably need to aim your reflection a bit deeper—as we all do at times).  More constructively, as an adjective, this term describes the leader who is “present.”

Models like Level 5 Leadership, The Servant Leader, the best parenting, and many religious views of what comprises real leadership all emphasize this notion—being there, in the moment…completely.  You might very well be a “multi-tasker extraordinaire,” with more capacity to be present on multiple dimensions than your peers (e.g., managing a crisis via email from your smart phone while attending a meeting while joking with the attendee to your right while scanning the room for the most like-minded soul with whom you can form an alliance when you throw out the “next big idea”).  However, this is a lesson in Opportunity Loss—you’re influence is not optimized because you are not tapping the power of full engagement with others.

So, as a Change Leader, how can you make the most of this notion?

*Slow down and stop using time and the volume of demands as an excuse for distracting you from being in-the-moment for those things that you deem most important;

_What I’ve learned is that if you’re still using the flood of demand and time limits as an alibi, you simply haven’t thought hard enough about what is most important to you—no time like the present to inventory this, right?

*Use this renewed sense of purpose and priority to audit your focus—in the moment.  For example,

_ “I’m running from meeting to meeting today, but the trust of THIS stakeholder is absolutely critical--Am I…Looking her in the eye?; Focused on listening or serving an agenda and checking this off my ‘contact’ list?; Suspending my need to form rebuttal before she stops speaking?; Sufficiently ‘open’ so that I can serve the need presented?”

_ “Do I feel “empty” after that interaction (it was too task-oriented, surface-level, or vacuous)?  Does he?” (in this way, “empty” means unfulfilled—not “Did I empty my entire magazine of bullets (ideas, demands, arguments) into this person so they understand what I want?”)

*Put a behavioral or contextual prompt in place as a reminder to remain in the moment.  For example:

_ Offer an extended hand-shake or embrace when you greet someone, making and holding eye contact as you do so (smiling with your eyes);

_ Lean inward, literally “bending an ear” to listen completely;

_ Take your hand off your pen or smart phone and place it on your face (ala, the “thinking man” posture) while locking your focus onto others who are speaking;

_ Adopt an “open” posture, sitting back with open arms to absorb what others offer (rather than sitting with arms folded or shoulders hunched as you lord over your notes and other distractions); and

_ ASK others, “It is important to me that you FEEL I am listening completely, and fully engaged with you during this discussion, how can I do better?”

So…Offer others the “gift” of your being “present.”

May you have a blessed Holiday Season!