Change and leadership - Liberty University



Change and leadership

What were some of the greatest changes to take place in the 20th century?

If you could change one thing about how your church does church what would it be?

How well do you handle change? How well do you do change?

CHANGE ILLUSTRATION: write the word attitude

Now write the word attitude with the hand that you do not write with.

The way you wrote the word attitude with you off hand is the way your attitude looks when you face change.

Great book for handling change: Who Moved my Cheese? Mice – Sniff & Scurry Hem & Haw

Some power quotes on change:

In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what are we.

If we keep doing what we have been doing we are going to keep having what we have been having.

“Though you cannot go back and make a brand new start, my friend, anyone can start today and make a brand new end.”

Five last words of the church – we shall not be moved

Seven last words of the church – we’ve never done it that way before.

Seven more last words of the church: We have always done it this way.

Story: every year at Thanksgiving my wife cuts off the end of the ham before cooking it. Daughter asked why – she did not know – simply that that is what her mom had done and so she did it and she suggested that her daughter do it when she started cooking. Daughter see grandmother and asked her why she cut of one inch of the ham before cooking it. She said she did not know – she simply did it because that is what her mother had done. Great grandmother is still alive so daughter go to visit her and asked why she cut of 1” of the ham before cooking – she states the pan she had was not large enough for the ham.

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct or more uncertain in its success, that to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” Nicolo Machiavelli

“To be a leader you must throughout your life possess the attitude of being receptive to new ideas.” William Hewitt

The power of change as illustrated by Henry Ford.

Henry Ford was told that the people would like to have a different color Model T. He replied, “they can have any color they want as long as it is black.” Sales dropped as GM started offering cars with different colors.

As leaders you have to bring about positive change. Leaders are to challenge the process. It has been stated that if it ain’t broke don’t touch it. New thinking states that if it ain’t broke – break it. If you don’t ask the question “why” enough someone will ask “why you?”

Why People Resist Change

1. The change isn’t self-initiated.

We like making change but we don’t like being changed.

2. The Routine is disrupted.

Letter to president explaining why the train would be bad for the country.

3. Change creates fear of the unknown.

Change means walking into uncharted waters and this causes insecurities to rise.

Many people are more comfortable with old problems that with new solutions.

When Joshua was told to cross the Jordan into the promise land, God did not tell

him immediately what he would be doing next. Sometimes we will not see the end

result when we begin. What’s next may be met with “I don’t know.”

If you have to see the final result before launching out you will never do anything

that will change the world. The greater the risk the greater the reward.

4. The purpose of the change is unclear.

Employees resist change when they hear about it from a second-hand source. Decisions need to be made at the lowest levels possible. Attempt to keep as many people as possible in the loop.

5. Change brings about the fear of Failure

FAILURE: It is tragic when success goes to a person’s head, but it is more tragic when failure goes to a person’s heart.

6. The rewards for change don’t match the effort change requires.

People will not change until they perceive that the advantages of changing outweigh the disadvantages of continuing with the way things are.

NOTE: You have to give them a picture of what the new building looks like before you tell them you are tearing down the old one.

7. People are too satisfied with the way things are

8. Change won’t happen when people engage in negative thinking

The epitaph on a negative person’s headstone should read, “I expected this.”

Don’t look -you might see

Don’t listen -you might hear

Don’t think -you might learn

Don’t make a decision – you might be wrong

Don’t walk -you might stumble

Don’t run -you might fall

Don’t live- you might die

Don’t change – you might grow

9. The followers lack respect for the leader. The higher the Credibility the better

potential for change. Ask for their heart before asking for their hand.

YOU GOTTA LOVE’EM BEFORE YOU CAN LEAD’EM

10. The leader is susceptible to feelings of personal criticism

Every organization goes through cycles

Create, conserve, criticize, change

Stage 1

Create

Stage 4 Stage 2

Change Conserve

Stage 3

Criticize

Stages 1 and 4 are the offensive functions of an organization.

Stages 2 and 3 are the defensive functions.

Either the creators handle criticism positively and begin to make changes or they will be replaced by those who will embrace change and therefore create.

11. Change may mean personal loss. We are tuned in to WIIFM what’s in it for me?

12. Change requires additional commitment. We are going to a new level.

13. Narrow – mindedness thwarts acceptance of new ideas.

Ideas are usually rejected - then tolerated - then accepted

14. Traditions resists Change

How many people does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: four. One to change the bulb and three to reminisce about how good the old light bulb was.”

As a leader you have to know the timing of doing a change.

The wrong decision at the wrong time = disaster

The wrong decision at the right time = mistake

The right decision at the wrong time = unacceptance

The right decision at the right time = success

As a leader you need to know the way people are.

PEOPLE CHANGE WHEN THEY HURT ENOUGH THEY HAVE TO CHANGE

PEOPLE CHANGE WHEN THEY LEARN ENOUGH THEY WANT TO CHANGE

PEOPLE CHANGE WHEN THEY RECEIVE ENOUGH THEY ARE ABLE TO CHANGE

The leader must recognize when people are in one of these three stages as well as create the atmosphere that bring about the stages.

Creating a climate for Change

Human behavior studies show that people do not basically resist change; they resist “being changed.”

1. The leader must develop a trust with people.

It is great when the people believe in the leader but it is more wonderful when the leader believes in the people.”

The more people trust the leader the more willing they will be to accept the leader’s proposed changes.

Abraham Lincoln “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his true friend. Next, probe to discover what he wants to accomplish.”

2. The leader must make personal changes before asking others to change.

Everyone is interested in changing the world but no one is interested in changing themselves.

3. Good leaders understand the history of the organization

“Don’t take the fence down until you know the reason it was put up.” G. K. Chesterton

4. You place influencers in leadership positions.

Leaders have two characteristics: First they are going somewhere and second they are able to persuade other people to go with them. Surround yourself with people who are moving forward.

5. Check the “change in your pocket”

Every leaders is given a certain amount of change at the beginning of a relationship.

It take “change” to make change.

6. Good leader solicit the support of influencers before the change is made public.

In the multitude of counselors there is safety.

7. Use your meetings to assist in making changes

Have Information items; have Study items (I want us to think about);

Have action items that you are now implementing.

8. Encourage the influencers to influence others informally.

Major changes should not surprise people. A leadership leak done properly will prepare the people for the formal meeting.

Make sure your key leaders have a bucket of water – to put out fires that attack you and a bucket of gas to fire up your ideas.

9. Show the people how the change will benefit them

Assumption: the proposed change is what is best for the people, not the leader. The people must be first.

10. Give the people ownership of the change.

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