CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION……..START WITH YOURSELF!
Whether we are making change in a corporation or with an individual, we need to start the process with ourselves. Our mind set. Finding our passion to speak about something and from that to be able to influence another’s feelings, assessments, and actions are powerful and effective ways to begin the change process.
“Only by investing and speaking our vision with passion can the truth, one way or the other, finally penetrate the reluctance of the world” as Soren Kierkegaard once said.
By engaging with the heart and meeting the challenges and opposition with passion and honesty are we able to sometimes connect with others and hopefully shift their point of view. Sometimes individuals are seemingly unable to “see” or imagine the world possibilities and they remain figuratively “stuck” in their own world view.
Recently, while working with a client implementing an SAP System gone wrong, it became apparent that the client had not considered the need for change in the organization and or the supporting processes as part of the implementation.
The CIO was unable to grasp the concept of the need for change and the world of possibilities, and was unwilling to accept any point of view that differed from his view of the world. His view was based on “least worst!” rather than a new standard of excellence in the implementation of systems! Sometimes, we are unable to lift the darkness and bring clients into the light. Our conversation while profound was not able to pierce the heavy shield some people in positions of authority determinedly wear.
Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s book “Nudge” talk about the relatively poor decisions we as humans make without depriving them of their inalienable right to make a mess of things if they want to! The client in this case was unwilling to incorporate any of the recommendations we made, and were therefore able to indeed make a mess of things!
By throwing energy into our conversations, and taking the risk in sharing this can open others hearts and stimulate their thoughts about change. By simply telling our stories and life experiences, this can spark a rethinking in the mind of others and we are then able to consider deeper levels of consciousness, and tap into greater creativity in the path of change.
