Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

Home
>
Business Management
>
Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

A bold title, don't you think? I mean, change is a complex thing, so to define five reasons seems to oversimplify the issue.

Let me be clear. There are far more pitfalls than these and far more possible reasons change doesn't have the desired effect. The key in this title isn't "Five Reasons," it is "Leaders Fail." Yes, there are many variables that can influence the success of change ? but some of them must be owned by those leading the change.

This article will identify some of those typical failures, and while it can't in this brief format give you all the answers, it can point you in the right direction and give you some suggested courses of action.

Lack of Commitment

George knew he had to shake things up in his team. Other departments were complaining that his department wasn't responsive or even accurate in their work at times. So he started looking for ways to improve some work processes and get the team's attention. He held a couple of meetings to explain the situation and ask for suggestions. He even got volunteers to look at some of the work processes and got the group some help to make this happen. But deep down, George didn't want to make these changes. He was happy with his team. He didn't have any major problems internally and was afraid these work process reviews were going to reveal that he had people that would need to go.

George was mouthing the words of change, but he wasn't really committed to the change himself.

Want to create successful change? Get committed!

Lack of Communication

Lisa had explained the case for change clearly, so she thought. She even talked to some of her VP's and Department Heads and they agreed ? her message was firm, strong and hopeful. Everyone should clearly understand the reasons for this change and the steps that the organization would be taking. Three months later Lisa wondered what had gone wrong. What she didn't realize was that successful change requires more than just great initial communication ? it also requires ongoing formal and informal repeating of these messages. Communicating and communicating; both for clarity and for comfort, so people really get it.

Want successful change? Communicate, communicate and communicate. Early and often, formally and informally.

Lack of Patience

Tom got it. He really understood why this change was important. Admittedly, it took him awhile to really get on board, but once he got it, he was 100% committed. Soon he was showing impatience with everyone else, asking himself things like: Why isn't this change happening faster? Why aren't people on board? Why is there still resistance? Unfortunately he forgot how long it took him to really get committed. Tom made the mistake of assuming that everyone "gets it" at the same rate. It takes some people longer to become comfortable with a change. It doesn't make them bad or dumb or lazy or unmotivated. The fact is not everyone gets on board the same day.

Want successful change? Be patient and realize that lasting change will take time.

Lack of Emotion

Lois had laid out the plan. Her logic was impeccable. She had been meticulous in explaining the reasons for the change and the steps that would be taken. She described what the organization would look like when the change was complete. She has answered every question patiently and completely. And she was surprised that the change effort was falling flat. What had she done wrong? Everything she did was fine, just incomplete.

Incomplete, because Lois focused on getting people to understand the change, and this isn't the same as accepting the change. Acceptance requires more than just the facts and figures.

Want successful change? Remember that people need more than the facts. They need to understand the change emotionally and intuitively in order to accept and embrace the change ? and you want acceptance, not understanding.

Lack of Knowledge

Mike knew he had to make a change in his organization. But he had lived through so many unsuccessful change efforts that he didn't know if it was possible to really create meaningful change. He was committed to the change, believed in it, but didn't know how to make it happen. He didn't even know where to start.

Want successful change? Learn what you need to do to succeed!

In Closing

The five reasons why leaders fail to create successful change:

? They aren't committed

? They stop communicating too soon

? They aren't patient

? They don't present an emotional case for change

? They don't know how

Which reasons are getting in your way?

Kevin Eikenberry is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on "Unleashing Your Potential" go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Toxic coal ash piling up in ponds in 32 states (AP)

AP - Millions of tons of toxic coal ash is piling up in power plant ponds in 32 states, a practice the federal government has long recognized as a risk to human health and the environment but has left unregulated.

Democrats criticize Obama's proposed tax cuts (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs. Senators from both parties agreed that Congress should do something to stimulate the economy. But Democratic senators emerging from a private meeting of the Senate Finance Committee criticized business and individual tax cuts in Obama's stimulus plan.

Gaza violence rages on despite UN cease-fire call (AP)

AP - The U.N. Security Council called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, but an intense bombardment of missiles from Israeli jets and helicopters early Friday and a barrage of Hamas rockets indicated there may be no quick end to the fighting.

Mini Dynasty: Tebow leads Gators past Oklahoma (AP)

AP - The game defied expectations. Tim Tebow fulfilled them. He rescued No. 1 Florida, running through and throwing over No. 2 Oklahoma for a 24-14 victory Thursday night that gave the Gators their second BCS championship in three years.

Key panel recommends impeaching Ill. governor (AP)

AP - A key panel unanimously recommended impeachment for Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday, setting up a vote that could make him the first governor to face such fate in Illinois' sordid political history. Blagojevich should lose his job for abusing power, mismanaging government and committing possible criminal acts, including federal allegations he tried to sell off a U.S. Senate seat, the special committee concluded.

Job losses stack up as recession deepens (AP)

AP - Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon.

Critics' final answer: `Slumdog' wins 5 awards (AP)

AP - The critics have spoken, and "Slumdog Millionaire" is their final answer.

Oversight panel wants better answers from Treasury (AP)

AP - Less than a month after its first report, a congressional panel overseeing the Treasury Department's $700 billion financial bailout is demanding more answers.

Cheney: CIA did nothing illegal in interrogations (AP)

AP - Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday that he sees no reason for President George W. Bush to pre-emptively pardon anyone at the CIA involved in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists. "I don't have any reason to believe that anybody in the agency did anything illegal," he said.

Petraeus: Afghan, Pakistan problems are really one (AP)

AP - U.S. policy to win in Afghanistan must recognize the poor nation's limitations and its neighborhood, especially its intertwined relationship with U.S. terrorism-fighting ally Pakistan, the top U.S. military commander in the region said Thursday.

U.N. calls for immediate Gaza truce (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel pushed ahead with its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday, ignoring a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the 14-day-old conflict.

World waits on jobs data as recession weighs (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. employers probably cut the most jobs in at least 34 years last month as the global economic crisis gathered pace and moves by policy makers took time to filter through to struggling companies.

Panel steps up criticism of Treasury: report (Reuters)

Reuters - A report being released on Friday alleges that the U.S. Treasury has failed to reveal its strategy for stabilizing the financial system, not answered questions asked by a government watchdog, and has done nothing to help struggling homeowners, the Wall Street Journal said.

EU seeks gas supply return after deal (Reuters)

Reuters - Europe sought a swift restoration of gas supplies on Friday after striking a deal with Moscow on monitoring gas shipments via Ukraine that have been halted by a pricing dispute with Kiev.

Citi backs measure to help avoid foreclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc will support a proposal in Congress to rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said on Thursday.

Illinois panel recommends governor's impeachment (Reuters)

Reuters - A legislative committee on Thursday recommended the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, citing widespread abuse of power including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Obama team amending financial rescue package: report (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is urgently overhauling the $700 billion financial rescue package to broaden its scope beyond Wall Street, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Qaeda Pakistan leader believed dead: U.S. official (Reuters)

Reuters - Al Qaeda's operations chief in Pakistan and a top aide are believed to be dead, a U.S. counterterrorism official said on Thursday, in what appeared to be the latest results of a campaign targeting the militant group's leadership.

Gaza toll mounts as UN Security Council urges immediate truce (AFP)

AFP - Israel carried out new deadly air raids on the Gaza Strip on Friday as the UN Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire to end the two-week-old conflict in the Palestinian enclave.

Hopes for Russia gas deal after EU claims breakthrough (AFP)

AFP - European states deprived of Russian gas amid freezing weather were Friday hoping for a resumption of deliveries after the European Union claimed a breakthrough in the crisis between Moscow and Kiev.

Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

Business Management Business Management