Leaders That Make the Change Inspire Others to do so too

Change the leader and you change the organization.” – John Maxwell.

I have always said that most resist change; that one will only change because they faced a physical or emotional event, or they have a motivator for making a change.  The one common thread is that one needs to see the value in making a change in their life. 

John Maxwell further breaks this down by indicating one will change because of one of the three following conditions:

1. They hurt enough and must change.
2. They learn enough and want to change.
3. They receive enough information and tools and can change.

As I said, the common denominator in making a change is that one sees and understands the value in making that change in their life.  Studies have shown that it’s not the people themselves that resist change, rather they resist “being changed” by an outside force.

As a leader, one must create an environment that fosters, promotes, and encourages change through the individual’s own free choice.  When a culture can accomplish this, it will be easier for everyone to see the value and how they personally benefit from making changes.

When looking back over my career and entrepreneurial endeavors, I have noticed plenty of changes in my personal and business life.  Like most, my life has been full of trials and tribulations, or as I say, opportunities to change, grow, learn, and improve. In every case, the change came about through my ability to see the value in making those necessary changes, whether it was parenting or running a business. 

One of these changes was within my own personal philosophy on leadership and the importance of it in reducing risk in the workplace.  Some changes came naturally through maturity or were motivated by a significant event that occurred.  In each case, I saw the value or the return in making that change.  We are all human and life can get complicated at times, making it hard to see the value of change in a culture that is constantly shifting.  However, a workplace culture that understands the necessity of change and creates an environment to encourage it will grow, producing a workforce that is more engaged, happier, and statistically safer.