I have found myself reflecting quite a bit on change recently. Perhaps it’s the focus of Lent, the season of my life or the reality that change is the most complex thing that I deal with as a leader, pastor and parent. I have shared some thoughts over the past couple years on change as I learn more. In some sense, I had hoped to be able to write an eloquent blog on change that would summarize some of the key thoughts and principles I have wrestled with as a change novice. While I have felt compelled the write, the eloquence has lacked. With that in mind, I decided to offer my current thoughts on change in bullet form.
- Change is essential. As individuals, families and organizations. Change or die.
- Change is hard, especially lasting change.
- Change always elicits a response and in most cases there is a combination of positive and negative responses to varying degrees.
- People do not resist change; they resist loss.
- I claim to love change, but if I am honest I love change that I create, control, see coming or had been hoping for, but change outside of that can be uncomfortable.
- The greatest challenge and most fulfilling form of change that a leader can bring is cultural change. It has the greatest long-term impact.
- We often fail to talk about why (or why not) to change.
- If we focus on the ‘what’ or ‘how’ of change, we often misfire.
- One of the greatest challenges to change is pace. We must lead change at a pace that brings discomfort, but also a pace that people can handle.
- Healthy, clear and transparent process is essential to healthy, effective change.
- Change for change sake is rarely a good idea.
- The best change is transformational and rooted in vision.
- Transformation is most likely to stick when no one wants to go back.
- Transformation comes in changing culture.
- Fear is the biggest deterrent to change.
- A lack of vision is also a big deterrent to change.
- Significant change requires ownership, commitment and a clear mission, vision and strategy.
- The more significant the change, the deeper the resolve must be.
- We must live the change we want to see.
- Change must start with the leader; nothing will change unless we change.
- “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs
- Change is constant.
- Sometimes changes happens to us. Other times it happens because of us. Change comes in spite of us, but change can also come through us.
- Change must have a purpose.
- Communication is essential to change.