Learning To Change

Change is a fascinating topic that mixes art with science. Many books are published every year on the subject, and business management schools are flowing with studies. Learning to change yourself before trying to change others creates momentum that can help move the wheels of change. Here are a few ideas.

Change yourself first - Ghandi's quote, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world," most eloquently sums this point. Whether you want to turnaround an underperforming team, or wish to improve police officer accountability in Ferguson, change yourself first by focusing on things you can change.

Follow by example - In leadership, pundits suggest that leaders should lead by example. Further to this, one should find ways to follow by example. Followers should not just blindly emulate leadership; followers can project to leadership the types of behavior they want to see such as humility, fairness, openness, etc. This does not mean to be overly vocal about your opinions, but rather to ensure you exhibit good behavior when following. Change becomes easier when teams are practicing good behavior up and down the organization chain.

Include others - If you have not ready the book, "What Got You Hear Won't Get You There," by Marshall Goldsmith, please do.  Marshall describes a technique he calls feedforward. Similar to feedback, feedforward involves telling others what you are trying to change and engages them in helping you progress. This can create a ripple effect, helping establish an environment for change.

John Kotter is an author, speaker, and professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School. If you want to learn about leading change, his writings are great resources. At the end of the day, it comes down to putting things into practice. So start with yourself, show you are capable of change, and involve others.