A lot of my work focuses on how to get people, teams, and organizations past the resistance to change that tends to crop up. But resistance is not inevitable, though I’ve been known to say – wrongly – that it is. And yes, I’m calling myself out. Change can be exciting and motivating, even in the midst of uncertainty and the …
The power of identity to influence change
There’s an often-overlooked factor that significantly influences how change works. Identity We all have a sense of identity – that’s not new news. But it’s not just us as individuals; it’s also teams, departments, and entire corporations, even very large and very small corporations. This sense of identity is a powerful factor in how we – individually or as an …
Why won’t they change?
I know it’s hard to believe, but there are people in this world who refuse to change. (Yes, that was me being Captain Obvious.) They know they’re stuck in ways of thinking and acting that don’t support their career or their life, but they say things like, “I’m too old to change” (which I’ve heard from people in their 40s), …
Your brain is lazy
Yes, your brain is lazy. Not only your brain – everyone’s brain. The brain is a greedy organ. Proportional to its weight, it gobbles up far more energy than any other organ in your body – more than your skin (yes, skin is an organ), digestive tract, lungs, and so on. So the brain prioritizes habit and routine, because that’s efficient. It …
What’s up with all the burnout?
Burnout. It’s a hot topic these days. What’s up with that? Is burnout really happening so much more now than in the past? Or is it simply getting more attention, given a growing shift in how we view employees and their experience? Or both? I suspect both – and more. Yes, burnout has always happened; I can attest to that myself, …
Wait, what? Change leadership?
If you’ve read even a few of my articles or LinkedIn posts, you know I’m a dedicated advocate of helping newly-promoted managers learn the skills and tools they need to succeed – which are vastly different from the skills and tools that got them promoted from individual team member into that leadership position. So why am I suddenly talking about change …
Oh no! Not change!
It’s a thing: senior leaders announce a strategic change, and the office tilts slightly as everyone rolls their eyes at the same time. (Okay, if you’re all on Zoom, the video grid wobbles.) It’s all too common for employees to “welcome” announcements of change with a solid dose of skepticism, not to say cynicism. Most organizations have experienced too many …
What does “communication” actually mean?
Everyone agrees that leaders need to communicate. But what does that actually mean? Most people learn to talk and express what they want and what they’re thinking as young children. They learn in school to answer questions, and to write essays and papers. And then we get into the workplace and we believe communication will “just happen.” But does it, really? …
What does “failure” look like?
I talk a lot about the need to define success. (And it is a need, not just a nice-to-have or a default to “but everyone knows what it means”; read more here and here; links open in new tabs, so you won’t lose your place.) But we also need to define failure. We do a lot to avoid failure – but – do …
Comfy? You’re doing it wrong.
Change is uncomfortable. Full stop, end of statement. Whether it’s operational change (implementing new software, for instance) or cultural change (such as a diversity initiative), you’re being challenged to do things differently. Which means you’re being challenged to think differently. And that’s uncomfortable. We generally get it with operational change. We know we’re learning to use a new tool, or working …