| Learning to love being the odd one out |
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I call this the
development dip, because
it should only be
temporary and represents
a form of investment.
Near where I live, a new
fish restaurant has
opened. In the window is
a notice asking
potential customers to
bear with them while
they are getting used to
new equipment and
working together. The
owner understands the
development dip and is
managing customer
expectations. (Last time
I walked past it was
packed.)
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One team with whom I
had the privilege to
work became highly
effective by alternating
their weekly management
meetings between
discussing process and
activity. On week one
they would discuss what
they were doing. Any
issues about how they
were doing it were noted
and held over. On week
two, they talked about
how they were doing
things, making time for
only the most urgent
operational issues that
could not be put off.
Failing to plan for
process work and the
‘development dip’ is
probably one of the most
common mistakes in | |
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| | change management, and
that includes projects
and business start-ups.
Leadership:
Like good therapists
(who are experts in
managing people through
change) leaders in
change need to do three
things. First they need
to be potent. This is
not about one person
(male or female) being
macho; it’s about people
in the team feeling
safe. It’s that kind of
calm, authoritative
quality that outdoor
coaches have when they
are getting you to
abseil. To display this
quality consistently
takes a lot of energy | |
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| | feel about yourself.
Good leaders give people
permission to ‘feel the
fear and do it anyway’.
Working with them is
like being on one of
those theme park rides
that are scary and safe
at the same time. “Yes,”
they say, “I know you
are shaking inside. And
you can do this.”
Finally, good leaders
protect their team while
they are going through
change. They give them
space and defend it from
the incursions of
others. The notice on
the fish restaurant door
was a simple but highly
effective way of doing
just that. | |
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| | and focus. Effective
leaders look after
themselves to ensure
they have it available.
Potency is important
because the second thing
leaders need to do is
give people permission
to change: “It’s OK to
do things differently.”
Change feels inherently
unsafe. It can be
exciting or threatening,
depending on how you | |
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