A635.3.3.RB_MaceRoyce
Personally, I am "middle of the road" when it comes to hearing colleagues use some of the excuses listed in the 50 Reasons Not to Change graphic. While I agree that change is great on many levels in order to make organizational improvements, I also believe that creating change to just "create" change can create a certain level of chaos. As a military member, many rules and procedures have been implemented for a reason. Some of these rules and procedures need to be changed due to the inherent nature of a changing environment and a changing world.
This is when I implore those asking for change to use tools like Six Sigma and the Air Force's own Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) program in order to prevent "knee-jerk" changes and ensure that change is really necessary or completely thought-out. For example, circa 2009, the Air Force decided to implement a new uniform for its members. Many thought a new uniform was long overdue. In the beginning, the issue of these uniforms only included winter-weight style cuts. A summer-weight uniform was not readily available to members. This became an immediate issue as members of the Air Force around the world can be stationed in very warm climates. I was personally deployed to Iraq during the late summer months at the time that I received the new uniform and was very uncomfortable in the Iraq heat.
To me, this decision screamed, "We want new uniforms and we want them now!" without taking the time to consider the uniform's effect on those in warm regions around the world. Getting back to the prompt, I think that excuses to change should not be made in laziness, but made in approaching a problem with facts and a solid plan of action that takes all factors into account. I have used the excuses mentioned in the 50 Reasons Not to Change graphic in both laziness and as a means to slow any change prompts that were too sudden or lacked structure. To be honest, I knew when things needed change, but was either to afraid to ask for the support to change it or too busy with what I deemed to be a more important issue at the time. As a leader, this cannot be the norm and I realize that now as I have matured and learned more about organizational change.
In order to overcome the resistance to change, we as leaders must be receptive to our people while simultaneously monitoring the climate in terms of budgets, internal factors, external factors, politics, etc. Additionally, in order to overcome the thinking and excuses that changes cannot be made, we must put together teams that are receptive to change and willing to make the effort for positive change. Developing plans and delivering the "why" helps the organization prepare more easily for change. Godin (2009) argues that tribes can create changes far greater than money or factories. Tribes create great change for the simple fact that people are not forced to believe in the change they want to make, they simply believe in the change and are likely passionate about it.
This exercise has taught me that connecting with tribes can create powerful change in the world and that in order to make the change we want to see, we must tell a story, connect a tribe, and then lead a movement. I plan to go back to my work center and look for ways that I can make changes to old processes. I took a Six Sigma course about a year ago and have a co-worker who recently took the course. He reached out to our organization and asked for volunteers who would like to partner with him to incorporate Six Sigma practices within our organization. Armed with this new information about tribes, I think we may just have to start one.
References
Godin, S. (n.d.). The tribes we lead. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead
This is when I implore those asking for change to use tools like Six Sigma and the Air Force's own Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) program in order to prevent "knee-jerk" changes and ensure that change is really necessary or completely thought-out. For example, circa 2009, the Air Force decided to implement a new uniform for its members. Many thought a new uniform was long overdue. In the beginning, the issue of these uniforms only included winter-weight style cuts. A summer-weight uniform was not readily available to members. This became an immediate issue as members of the Air Force around the world can be stationed in very warm climates. I was personally deployed to Iraq during the late summer months at the time that I received the new uniform and was very uncomfortable in the Iraq heat.
To me, this decision screamed, "We want new uniforms and we want them now!" without taking the time to consider the uniform's effect on those in warm regions around the world. Getting back to the prompt, I think that excuses to change should not be made in laziness, but made in approaching a problem with facts and a solid plan of action that takes all factors into account. I have used the excuses mentioned in the 50 Reasons Not to Change graphic in both laziness and as a means to slow any change prompts that were too sudden or lacked structure. To be honest, I knew when things needed change, but was either to afraid to ask for the support to change it or too busy with what I deemed to be a more important issue at the time. As a leader, this cannot be the norm and I realize that now as I have matured and learned more about organizational change.
In order to overcome the resistance to change, we as leaders must be receptive to our people while simultaneously monitoring the climate in terms of budgets, internal factors, external factors, politics, etc. Additionally, in order to overcome the thinking and excuses that changes cannot be made, we must put together teams that are receptive to change and willing to make the effort for positive change. Developing plans and delivering the "why" helps the organization prepare more easily for change. Godin (2009) argues that tribes can create changes far greater than money or factories. Tribes create great change for the simple fact that people are not forced to believe in the change they want to make, they simply believe in the change and are likely passionate about it.
This exercise has taught me that connecting with tribes can create powerful change in the world and that in order to make the change we want to see, we must tell a story, connect a tribe, and then lead a movement. I plan to go back to my work center and look for ways that I can make changes to old processes. I took a Six Sigma course about a year ago and have a co-worker who recently took the course. He reached out to our organization and asked for volunteers who would like to partner with him to incorporate Six Sigma practices within our organization. Armed with this new information about tribes, I think we may just have to start one.
References
Godin, S. (n.d.). The tribes we lead. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead
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