In the previous article in this series, Four Critical Questions For Leaders, we addressed 4 simple questions that can break the barriers and compel positive change in your organization. Those four questions were:
1. What is present?
2. What is missing?
3. How do you contribute to what is missing?
4. What are the possibilities that exist for your organization?
If you haven’t, take the time right now to write down an honest assessment of the state of your organization, as you see it. Use these four (4) questions as guidelines. (In case you need help, sneak in and listen to the conversation in the coffee room or at lunch!)
Do you strive for a better working organization? Who doesn’t? But what are the things that stop you from getting there? We all say we want change but few of us really know the “HOW TO’S” of change.
The beginning of any change initiative is critical. Why? Well, here’s a good example. HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU?? I was called to a meeting just last week with a group of professional business women: a successful business owner, a marketing executive, a community leader, and a well known conference speaker for the local college. This was a first meeting and 2 of the 5 of us had a fairly clear idea of what we wanted to accomplish in that hour+ long meeting. When we got to the conference area, we were informed that one of the participants would have to leave early. Immediately the group was tempted to jump into the agenda, begin passing out the TO DO’s and discuss the objectives. After all, we were there for a “meeting” ~ let’s get to it. BIG RED FLAG.
It happens all the time. In an effort to cram as much into an agenda in order to save time and productivity, we seem to jump right in the middle and begin discussing the DOING without taking time to address the HOW TO’S or the unspoken agenda(s) of those that are involved.
STOP the chaos of confusion long enough to ask, “Why are each of you here?” “What is the vision you have for this project?” “How will you participate to have it come to pass?” “What can I count on you to do?”
Do you really want to instill a culture of change and willingness to break barriers of mediocrity in your organization? Keep reading. More to follow in the next series of articles.