Change within an organization is usually quite difficult. We may see leadership through the lens of getting "the other side" to come to terms with our point of view to succeed with our vision of change. If you are successful, you have affirmed your ability to lead! If you are unsuccessful, then it becomes "their" fault; scapegoating and perhaps demonizing the other side will occur. To quote from the book When Everyone Leads, "A heroic individual confronting the opposition. makes a nice leadership story, but it is rarely how the toughest problems get seen and solved." (pg 146).
True leadership, therefore, does not begin with the opposition. True leadership begins within your sphere of influence.
Working within your sphere of influence is how most leadership challenges make progress.
You start with those you know and have some form of influence with, which expands that influence on your vision for change within their sphere of influence. That way, when you do meet the direct opposition, you are not out on an island all by yourself with the challenge you are facing. That type of individualized approach will lead to you being scapegoated by the opposition, and you may forever be the face of that challenge (aka it's"your" issue).
Additionally, It is much easier to have these discussions within your network of influence, rather than start with those who directly oppose or may not know you. Starting from square one makes your task of leadership that much more difficult. Rather than start from the very bottom, start where you have a leg up, and build that sphere of influence within your organization from there. That is how momentum is built for ideas like the change you wish to make within your organization.
There may be no better example of this than the world of politics. Despite the connotations that politics has in today's world, the actual sausage-making of passing a bill through the legislature requires representatives and staff to meet with each other and discuss the issues that the bill represents. Politicians rarely start by going to those who oppose the measure. Instead, politicians will garner support from those within their sphere of influence to build on the support of other constituencies besides their own. Remember, the more support you have, the harder it is for the opposition to individualize the issue directly on you.
Like politicians, you can also benefit from working within your sphere of influence first on your desired change within your organization. Here are 4 tips to help you get started:
(1) Identify who you have influence with. You instinctively have some idea who these people might be. Your fellow managers you have lunch with every day. The VP you seek advice from as a mentor. The members of your team who look up to you and admire you as a leader. Start writing down who you may have influence with, as it will prepare you for what you will need to do next.
(2) Start talking to them one-on-one about your desired change. These conversations are not meant for meetings, boardrooms, or in any official capacity. These are conversations meant for one-on-one engagement, over lunch or coffee. Turn the professional pressure down a bit, and perhaps take the conversation off-site to set up the conversation as more relaxed and casual. That way, both sides will feel more open to sharing their thoughts and feelings on the matter.
(3) Ask for their input and ideas. The conversation is not about how great your idea is, nor about convincing them to side with you on your desired change. Instead, focus on what they have to contribute. What is their input on the change you seek to make? What ideas do they have to move your desired change forward? This will create buy-in, as well as provide insightful feedback on how to proceed forward with your desired change.
(4) Ask what their constituency stands to lose if your desired change occurs. The people within your sphere of influence have a constituency to answer to; their direct reports, their peers in their department, the clients in their segment of the business, etc.
Regardless of whether they agree with you, they may not be able to go forward with your desired change due to their constituency. Without addressing these losses, it becomes much more difficult for others to walk beside you in your desired change.
To help with this process, start by addressing the losses you and your constituency will have to take in order for this change to occur. This will make it easier for others to do the same.
Focusing on the people you have influence with will provide you with small victories and allies along the way toward the change you desire. Building a coalition of supporters - with multiple constituencies - is how you reach across the decision table to the opposition in order to have a better chance at making change possible within your organization. There is power in numbers, and multiple groups of people pushing toward the same shared purpose will provide a much greater sense of influence.
Comentarios