If you’re like me, the pace of change never moves fast enough. Unless of course we find ourselves in a room full of change agents, embracing the future goal or objective with unbridled enthusiasm much like a little kid just arriving at the beach and charging towards the crashing waves with joy and reckless abandonment.
Doesn’t that paint a picture?!
Those who live in the world of change leadership know that scenario is likely filled with missed details and not enough critical thinking. As much as we’d love to charge full speed ahead, slowing down often leads to a better approach.
Patience when leading a change effort is just as important as any step in the process! It is absolutely critical for anyone leading these efforts to be patient with the humans involved and the pace at which change moves forward.
To be successful, the change leader should identify early in the process where each member of the group falls on the spectrum of change acceptance. The spectrum varies from resistance to pursuit with most humans falling somewhere in between. There are different approaches the change leader must take to ensure that everyone in the group is moving forward cohesively. A small crack of uncertainty or discomfort can detail the entire goal or objective.
With the risk of stating the obvious, not every human loves and pursues change. The larger the group of people collaborating, the more important patience can be. Not just for the change leader, but for those in the group who move quickly, or are comfortable making decisions with less information than others.
Whether we are running full force at those waves or cautiously dipping a toe into the receding waters, we are still moving forward. All we need, is just a little patience.
Feel free to reach out to Vault Consulting if you need any guidance or support — and best of luck as you move forward!
