Change begins with you.

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Most of us are familiar with the famous Gandhi quote, “Be the change you wish to see.”  This statement is all about accountability.  Thinking like an owner.  Understanding that the buck stops here, and that change begins with you.

There will always be things that aren’t going the way you want them to; problems, challenges, breakdowns in the system.  You can focus on “admiring the problem,” blaming others or assigning excuses.  But the true call of leadership is to light a candle.  Be an agent of positive change.  And help the organization find a better way.

Being the change you wish to see means that you step up, make your concerns and observations known, come forward with a solution and do your best to effect change.  An environment of accountability is healthy and powerful.  When others see that you are holding yourself accountable, they will begin holding themselves accountable.  It creates a leadership norm.

Today, think about a problem in your organization that’s really irking you.  And think about what you can do to drive positive change, either personally or through others.  If not you, then who?  

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April 2014: Behave your way into the change.

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Oftentimes, leaders hesitate to launch a change effort – especially culture change – because things are not perfectly lined up to guarantee complete success.  Truth is, change is messy.  And it takes time.  The only way to get moving is to, well, get moving.

The most important thing to remember is that change rarely follows a straight line.  You will inevitably take two steps forward and one step back. But as long as leadership is aligned on the direction and expectations, and has truly positive intent and a commitment to persevere through the ups and downs, you will make progress.

As you’re trying out new behaviors, transparency is a powerful tool.  Let people know what you’re doing, and why.  Ask for some forgiveness in advance.  And ask for help – especially feedback.  If you’re leading a function or organization through a change, encourage those around you to do the same.  You’ll find that if you all start behaving your way into the change – and helping one another when you fall – you will feel the wind at your back as you move along your change journey. 

January 2014: Go slow to go fast.

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Any of us would be hard-pressed to find an organization that isn't focused on speed -- getting the job done faster. We all feel the effects of 'institutional impatience' - a frenetic rush to show progress or completion. Even organizations undergoing major culture change want to make it happen right now. As leaders, if we want to be nimble and achieve sustainable speed, we need to understand the concept of going slow to go fast. 

Often, leaders will try to drive a major change effort without bringing people along the 'change curve' first. They might push an innovation out the door before it has been tested, expect teams to be high performing without first building a foundation of trust and open communication, or expect to get unvarnished feedback without building relationships that make it safe for that to happen.  This often results in stalled progress or even a backward slide. Remember that when you invest the time to lay the right groundwork, you can accelerate toward your goals! Today, think about something you might need to slow down in order to go fast