Can you be a good change leader if you don’t want to change?
I was talking to a client with whom we are running a pilot of a new software platform. The pilot participants are saying their clients don’t want to use the new tool…my change radar perked up and I asked if perhaps the pilot participants are in fact hesitant to use the new tool and don’t want to upset their client relationships by trying to get them to use a tool they, themselves, are unsure about.
This is a common reaction for those who have to lead change they didn’t choose. You may be a team leader who’s had a new system or process imposed on you and you have your own hesitations to use it, yet you have to encourage your team members to adopt this change. Knowing your own hesitations to make change is step one in being a successful leader during change. Once you know why you may be resisting the change you can consider how you can move past your own resistance. Only then will you be effective at helping others change.
Team members watch the behaviour of the leader. If the leader doesn’t fully commit to something new or different, neither will the team members. And in fact, you may have team members who are keen to adopt whatever is new. Engaging in conversations with those keen team members may help you overcome your own hesitations and resistance.
Change leadership starts with the leader, look inwards and determine what might hold you back from being ‘all in’ and committed to the change.
The self-reflection conversations in Talking Change: Must-Have Conversations for Successful Leaders will help! You can also listen to the Talking Change with Jen and Rebecca podcast (the first three episodes) for more ideas on how to be a successful leader during change.
- The Personality Preferences Conversation
- The Personal Change Journey Conversation
- The Prepare Yourself to Lead Conversation
Get out there and have those conversations with yourself!
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Are you managing or supporting a change initiative? Take the Leading Change for Project Managers course to build your confidence, skills, and toolbox to plan and manage change with ease. It's change management training for project managers.
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