It’s election season here in the United States.  In a free and democratic society such as ours, election season offers ample opportunity for virtually any candidate—male or female, young or old, experienced or inexperienced—to jump on the closest “stump” and boldly proclaim his or her leadership qualifications in an effort to earn votes.  The majority of these candidates expend great effort (not to mention huge amounts of money) as they work to position themselves as the most experienced, the most patriotic, the most visionary and ultimately, the candidate most likely to initiate change.  But is change really what most of us want?  

In their popular gift book, Change Is Good…You Go First, co-authors Mac Anderson and Tom  Feltenstein suggest “21 Ways to Inspire Change.”  Included in this list of 21 are common sense ideas such as:

Change what needs changing, not what is easy.
Simplify your message.
Take calculated risks.
Stand with them, not above them.

These practical concepts inspired me to consider other deep-seated truths I have discovered, that relate directly to change. Recognizing and embracing these concepts would be a wise leadership move, whether the one considering them is a national presidential contender or
Joe the plumber. 

5 Truths Impacting Change

Truth # 1:  Too often, by the time the need for change is obvious to everyone—it’s too late. 

Let’s face facts.  Most of us don’t really like change all that much.  We like status quo. We like predictability.  We like our comfort zones.  We like to know exactly what will happen next and exactly how we will be affected by it.  So when someone comes along preaching the gospel of change, we are tempted to add our voice to the “amen chorus”…as long as someone else is willing to go first.

Truth # 2:  Ultimately, most change occurs as a result of force, not choice.

The best leaders are not content to wait for a line of volunteer change agents to suddenly materialize.  Instead, the most effective change leaders are the ones who construct and communicate a compelling message that addresses specifically why change is already  necessary and that no other option to change exists.   Change must begin immediately, they proclaim, in order to assure economic growth, national security, financial prosperity…or on the local level more orders, enhanced quality, competitive relevance.

Truth # 3:  Change is most challenging for those who are most comfortable.

If things are going well, it is hard to convince ourselves, much less others, that now is the time to change and that there is an undeniable reason to do so.  We remember the words that have echoed down through the years: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  We are just too comfortable to be motivated to act.  However, let our retirement portfolios fall by 25-30% in a matter of hours and people tend to become much less comfortable with how things are and much more motivated to make necessary changes.

Truth # 4:  The initial changes are always the most difficult.

Getting started with change can be tough.  Where do we start?  How do we start?  Will you go first?  Some of the best leaders I have known are not necessarily the smartest, the most experienced or the most visionary.  No, rather they possess the one attribute that many other aspiring leaders lack.  They are willing to simply stand up and step out, while the majority of others sit, wringing their hands and moaning “Oh, woe is me.”  Leaders that take action seem to intuitively know that the sooner we are able to get through the uncomfortable, often unpleasant first stages of change, the smoother the path ahead becomes.

Truth # 5:  When change does occur, there will always be new problems to be dealt with and new opportunities to be taken advantage of.

Contrary to the dismay of those who have wasted far too much time hoping that every change they encounter would result in a fairy tale world totally void of problems, I say simply remind you that it doesn’t work that way.  Every change will yield new problems.  Count on it.  Expect it.  But they are problems that can be managed and learned from.  But, get ready, the opportunities are lurking as well.  They are always there for those willing and prescient enough to look for and maximize them.

Let’s face it, change is as much a part of our life as death and taxes.  Those leaders who accept the inevitability of change and who learn to benefit from the opportunities change presents are the ones for whom opportunities will be never ending.  So, who’s willing to change?  Will you go first?

For a discussion of the fears associated with change, watch this video clip now.

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