Change

Inspiring Change

by

Improving results means tackling change. Change is hard work, demanding commitment, perseverance and discretionary effort.   Only the people in a business can change it, and they will invest their talent and energy to do so if they believe that their actions will make a difference. Commitment, perseverance and discretionary effort cannot be commanded…they must be inspired. Inspiration is possible when people believe that their work is meaningful, a realization that springs from an appreciation that their leaders …

Read more

Leadership and Change

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Leaders drive change. Whether reacting to an external challenge that threatens the business, or proactively disrupting the status quo to improve performance, leaders and change are inseparable. The most visible leadership stories describe triumphs over trouble, departures from the past, doing what has never been done, or going where no one has ever been. Every story is about challenge and change. The same is true for those who lead their …

Read more

Ideas Don’t Drive Change

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet We are bombarded with new ideas from all directions. Some are fascinating enough to capture our attention, but usually, they don’t motivate us to change. Our customers share this experience. What does drive customers to consider change is when clearly proposed benefits generated by ideas, products and services go beyond fulfilling a need, to helping achieve a goal. Making the effort to discover why meeting a need is important, how …

Read more

Change Resistance

by

  Few change initiatives succeed the first time they are launched. Resistance to change is a potent human reaction so expect challenges and outright rejection. It’s what you do next that matters.   If you continue to believe wholeheartedly that your proposed change will increase the value produced for customers and your company, then persevere. Evaluate the basics of your strategy:   Are you appealing to the appropriate audience? Do they have the experience and analytical ability to …

Read more

Lessons From Failure

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Failure has always been a better teacher than success. Failure promptly resets our perspective, making us aware of the need for change and the pursuit of knowledge necessary to implement it. Overwhelming our natural risk aversion, it opens our minds to ideas we’ve never considered or have previously rejected.  Seeking understanding, we dampen our hubris and humbly tap our relationships in search of a broader array of input and a deeper …

Read more

Change Begins With 3 Agreements

by

Bob Schultek rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449     Convincing someone to join you in the pursuit of change begins with three agreements: Agree on reality. Describe the current situation, validated by facts and proof  Agree on goals. Specify shared goals, acknowledging diversity in how they can be achieved. Agree on vision. Having agreed on the reality and goals, envision success. These three agreements forge a bond of common purpose to pursue change and lay the foundation of mutual accountability …

Read more

Leading Productive Conflict

by

A key ingredient of enduring team relationships is productive conflict. Sustaining trust within a team requires the occasional fearless, passionate exchange of alternative, sometimes contradictory, ideas. Conflict is often considered to be offensive in organizations.  As leaders progress in their careers, they tend to invest increasing amounts of energy avoiding the spirited debates that are necessary for building the most effective teams. To be clear, productive conflict is focused on exploring ideological differences, not destructive …

Read more

Bargaining for Change

by

For leaders, change is a perpetual companion, sometimes arising from circumstances and sometimes by plan. When driven by strategy, change always involves a bargain. If the bargain you’re offering is not generating an adequate reaction, then there are 2 remedies. Your bargain involves an “if-then” proposition. “If you follow this methodology, then you’ll accelerate that production line.” “If you take these steps, then your profitability will be more sustainable.” “If you operate like this, then …

Read more

The Two Driving Visions of Change

by

For some, considering a new idea or approach, a change from the current method, represents an opportunity to improve the existing. For others, it represents a threat – what if things go wrong? Conflicting perspectives, driven by people in an organization, with different experiences, who see the world differently. They are the opposing sides of a proposed change, the two driving visions of change. The supporters of change seek to challenge the current line and …

Read more

Breaking Things Makes You Stronger

by

Leaders are hired to break things. To generate, and sustain, improved results, they push past the status quo, making a purposeful choice for productive change. And because our economy is so dynamic, breaking things must become perpetual. Managing the risk associated with continuous adaptation, and using energy to defeat fear, is a key characteristic of leadership in this era. A more robust and sustainable business is derived from these benefits of change: Deciding to change …

Read more