Our Work
Leading Change
When leading change you have to start with the heart. The people that you lead have to know that you genuinely care and what your intentions are to be able to stand with you in change. When a leader appeals to the heart others can see and feel your motivation for why you are doing something. They are then are way more apt to follow you and support you.
To insure that change is possible and lasting, there has to be a plan. When a leader is planning for change it is important to identify vital behaviors and important goals. Once those are identified you have to begin thinking about how you will measure growth, as well as, influence it.
Making a plan is not enough though. Once the plan is made, you will need to successfully execute it. Most organizations are full of many different types of people; it is important to identify who is a model, potential and resister. That being said, you will need to make sure that each person in the organization is held accountable. If the wildly important goal is to be met EVERYONE must participate. The more that your stakeholders mindsets shifts they become more purposeful and engaged now that they are producing results and making a difference.
It is important to keep up morale by encouraging and celebrating often. Once you have accomplished one goal don’t stop there! Immediately move to another big goal and start the process over. The more the process is repeated the more your organization's culture shifts to a culture of excellent execution.
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Communication is crucial in all relationships, from personal to professional. A self-differentiated leader knows how to effectively and efficiently communicate. They are able navigate difficult conversations with ease and know where they end and another begins.
Each of these strategies that I have learned over the course of this class has helped me be more prepared to face the challenges that will inevitably come with leading a new initiative. I will have to engage in high stake, emotional conversations, but because I have learned to leverage the skills in Crucial Conversations and have the understanding about the importance of influence and execution I feel more equipped and confident to face these challenges head on.
John Kotter (2011) says that we must start with the heart. We don’t need to just get people to think differently, we need them to feel differently. When we start with our “why” we give our stakeholders a direct emotion to emotion connection and that is what changes behavior. Click the link above to read more about my "why" and how I believe blended learning helps learners take ownership of their learning.
Understanding and leveraging the six sources of influence is crucial for organizations striving for positive change and impact. By examining how these influences interact and intersect, we are able to gain insight necessary for effective leadership, decision-making, and achieving meaningful results within our organization. Click the link above to view my strategy to influence change.
The whirlwind is our day to day things and tasks that is necessary to just keep going. Ironically, though the whirlwind is what keeps the organization going, it is also the thing that makes change hard to execute and therefore keeping the organization from moving forward. Click the link above to see my plan to combat the whirlwind and execute my Wildly Important Goal.
Crucial conversations are a part of everyday life, whether in our personal relationships or professional ventures. These conversations are called "crucial" for a reason – they involve high stakes, strong emotions, and differing opinions. Mastering the art of crucial conversations can make the difference between success and failure. Click about to read more about the big skills that can help navigate tough conversations.
