Coaching Churches

I spoke this week at an annual conference for the utility industry on the subject of change.  The major takeaway was that when this recession cycle is over we are never going back to the way things used to be.

The world has permanently changed the way we live and especially the way we work.  The power of technology and the globalization of world economies are driving change in an unprecedented way.

At the end of both my presentations we had a question and answer session.  The dominant question from everyone was what do you do when you know change needs to occur but your boss either does not see the need or simply will not give up on the status quo?

The first thing you must do is to continue to respectfully continue to tell the truth.  The moment you give up and become a yes man you have stopped doing your job.

The second thing you must do is check your motives. At the end of the day if I have tried to be helpful and share my perspective in the right way then I can go home knowing I did it right.

The third thing is to realize that it is not in your job description to change your boss any more than it is to change your mate at home.  When we hit the wall is when we assume responsibility that was not given to us and become frustrated when the people above us don’t seem to get it.

After several months of respectfully communicating what you see from your perspective and nothing seems to be changing and you get the impression that they don’t want to hear it anymore.  The you must realize that in the end you will either change the corporate culture you are working in or if you stay too long it will change you.

When I have reached this point the change that needs to occur is not in my boss but where I am working.  I will not settle for a paycheck becasue the world is in a mess and I want to make a difference.

One of the most successful executive coaches in the country is Marshall Goldsmith.  He wrote a great book that I would highly recommend What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.

The simple thesis of the book is you competency and skill set is what has got you to where you are now as far as promotions are concerned.  What it will take to get you where you need to be in the highly participative leadership culture of the future will be your people skills.  This area is where the overwhelming majority of executive men and women hit the wall.

A key tool in helping people with people skill problems is to use some form of 360-degree feedback. This should involve superiors, peers as well as subordinates and sometimes even clients.

If you are one of the executives that clearly sends the message that I don’t like bad news and you consistently shoot the messenger who delivers it then you are probably in the dark about all your serious blind spots.

Everyone involved in the process must commit to the following four things:

1.       Let go of the past-forgive.

2.      Tell the truth-even if it hurts.

3.      Be supportive and helpful-not cynical or negative.

4.      Pick something to improve yourself-so everyone is focused more on “improving” than “judging.”

Feedback will tell us what we need to change.  Then the moment of truth, Are we willing to do it?

In many situations leaders know what needs to be done to move forward and even how it should be done but they fail on the when it should be done question.  If you try to put a major change initiative in place that is really needed but the climate for change is not urgent then a very good idea is going to die and the organization will continue to fail.

In John Maxwell’s book on The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership he talks about the Law of Timing.  According to Maxwell great leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.  Every time a leader makes a move, there are really only four outcomes that can result:

1.       The wrong action at the wrong time leads to disaster.

2.      The right action at the wrong time brings resistance.

3.      The wrong action at the right time is a mistake.

4.      The right action at the right time results in success.

Timing is also very important in our personal lives when we are faced with a major decision or even a relationship issue that needs to be resolved.  Sometimes because we think we are right about something that gives us a blank check on saying something to the other person whenever we want.

We must say the right thing in the right way but most important at the right time.  When our teenagers come home with very bad test score in tears, it is probably not the right time for the thirty minute lecture on WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO STUDY!!!!

When some people face dramatic change they choose to live in denial as if this is not really happening to me.  On the other extreme others know the change is real to the point of becoming emotionally depressed about their new state of life.

The common sometimes fatal result of both of these mindsets is the paralysis of inactivity.  We don’t want to get out of bed, go to work or even talk with anyone.

We must, as Jim Collins said of effective leadership in Good to Great, be willing to confront the brutal facts that sometimes I cannot return to my life the way it used to be.

I must assume personal responsibility to change myself first and start leading myself by making good daily decisions before my life can begin to turn around in different direction.  The only way to do that is to do what you can with what you have right where you are and do it today with all your heart.

Change always produces movement.  If we let it this movement can be downward and very destructive.  The only way to stop this negative cycle is to start doing the simple things that you are able to do right now that will allow you to accomplish something good today.

You must get on offense and use the power of movement produced by activity to turn your life in a new positive direction.  You must take some risk today by raising your sails and doing the clear things you know need to be done before you can ever feel the movement produced by the wind taking you to a better place.