We ended last post talking about some aspects of making changes as a leader. It may be easy to make a change but for it to be implemented it must be accepted. This brings us, once again, to the “Golden Circle” of Simon Sinek. https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+simon+sinek+start+with+why&oq=Youtube+Simon+Sinek+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l7.9236j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8. Always start with “why?” If the changes we suggest are aligned with our vision and we seemingly have the team’s acceptance, why can there often be some resistance on their part?
There can be several reasons for this. Important questions to ask yourself are, “Have you convinced them of the benefits? Have you considered all factors involved?” Although they may understand your desire to change, they may believe, on a deeper level, that what they currently have, or are doing, works. If they perceive some strong reason for their belief, they may be hesitant to change to something new. As you build credibility, they will learn to inherently trust your guidance and direction. This is another reason to start with a small change that can be readily accepted as worth trying – “there is nothing to lose”. After a few small successes they will be ready to trust your leadership for bigger and more substantive changes.
As an example, consider this situation from a church I worked with. The new pastor felt that there were too many statues in the parish, and they were distracting from the focus on the altar. He sought to remove some. Even though they had been in place for a long time, most of his staff and several parishioners seemed to be in agreement with him. He began by moving one statue of a lesser well- known saint but did this without seeking further input. Almost immediately, he noticed a change in tone and receptivity to his original idea. It just did not seem to be what he expected.
He met with one parishioner with whom he had established a closer, trusting relationship to understand the reaction. He learned that the saint he was removing was donated by a well-liked long-term parishioner and his actions were seen as an affront to her. Obviously, this was not his intention but that was the perception. Upon learning this he returned the statue to its place.
It still took some time to recover from this “mistake”. The pastor explained why he made the decision but was still getting a lukewarm reception. He realized, to regain trust, he needed to go further. He apologized, not just to the parishioner, but more publicly and promised to better understand and consult more broadly before acting in the future.
This example should not be extrapolated, however, to all situations. It is not meant to indicate that you need a consensus or permission to act. Rather, we are attempting to point out that it is important to fully understand the environment before acting because it is important that your first few decisions be seen to be successful and beneficial. Overall success as a leader, or trust which is critical to your success, is built one step at a time. Once obtained the path to your vision becomes easier to implement.