Right now, many leaders are trying to change their organizations at the speed of software, and it is not working. They assume that more technology and faster technology is the solution to all their problems. They invest a lot of money and time with the hope that this singular act will transform everything.
What many executives forget is that when moving an organization from one level of performance to a new and better level of performance, they need to change how people think and work, not just what people work with on a daily basis. The focus is on changing behavior and mindset, not simply hardware and software.
John Kotter shared a very interesting observation about people in his book, The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations, Harvard Business School Press, 2002. As he writes, “People change what they do less because they are given analysis that shifts their thinking than because they are shown a truth that influences their feelings….The flow of see-feel-change is more powerful than that of analysis-think-change.”
Our challenge as leaders is to help people have a sense of urgency and focus. We want them to not be caught in the trap of complacency. As I often point out during consultations, status quo can be dangerous.
Yet, the best leaders are gifted at making change take place. They understand how people move through the world of change and they understand their role in the process. Right now, we need fewer leaders working at the speed of software and more leaders who understand how to work at the speed of people.
To help you and your organization get better at this level of work, once a year I teach the From Vision to Action Leadership Training.Through a challenging, interactive curriculum which blends lectures, selected readings, small and large group discussions, and how to skill-building exercises, participants in this four part leadership training gain critical knowledge and skills which improve their ability to lead people and their organization through strategic and operational level changes.
For more information on how to register for the 2016 From Vision to Action Leadership Training, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html
Technology, be it hardware or software, is important and vital to the success of a company. But people are the back bone that makes the company successful over time. In 2016, we will need more leaders who can work at the speed of people, not just the speed of software.
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