Anderson - Change Is Good...You Go First

Copyright 2015 by Mac Anderson and Tom Feltenstein

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Change is not easy. But it is simple. Things will always change. We dont have a choice about that, but we do have a choice on how we react to change; and as a leader whether or not we choose to create change. The choice really boils down to thiseither we manage change, or it will manage us.

As a leader, however, deciding to make changes is the easy part. Getting your people on board is much more difficult. Why is that? Quite simply, change is an emotional process. We are all creatures of habit who usually resist it and welcome routine. Uncharted waters are scary!

In the long run, however, sameness is the fast track to mediocrity. And mediocre companies wont survive. Tuli Kupferberg said it bestWhen patterns are broken, new worlds emerge. And that is your challengeto convince your team that the new world you are trying to create is better than the one youre in. Is it easy? Of course not. It takes planning, commitment, patience, and courage.

The truth, of course, is that change can be a wonderful gift. In fact, it is the key that unlocks the doors to growth and excitement in any organization. And, most importantly, without ityour competition will pass you by. A big part of success, as a leader, will be your ability to inspire your team to get out of their comfort zones; to assure them that even though they are on a new path, its the right path, for the right reasons.

Thats what this book is all aboutideas, to inspire, to motivate, and to encourage your team to move forward and to embrace change. Our goal is simpleto help you reach yours.

Mac Anderson

Founder, Simple Truths and Successories

Tom Feltenstein

CEO, Power Marketing Academy

A few years ago, British Rail had a real falloff in business. Looking for marketing answers, they went searching for a new ad agencyone that could deliver an ad campaign that would bring their customers back.

When the British Rail executives went to the offices of a prominent London ad agency to discuss their needs, they were met by a very rude receptionist who insisted that they wait.

Finally, an unkempt person led them to a conference rooma dirty, scruffy room cluttered with plates of stale food. The executives were once again left to wait. A few agency people drifted in and out of the room, basically ignoring the executives who grew impatient by the minute. When the execs tried to ask what was going on, the agency people brushed them off and went about their work.

Eventually, the execs had enough. As they angrily started to get up, completely disgusted with the way theyd been treated, one of the agency people finally showed up.

Gentlemen, he said, your treatment here at our agency is not typical of how we treat our clientsin fact, weve gone out of our way to stage this meeting for you. Weve behaved this way to point out to you what its like to be a customer of British Rail. Your real problem isnt your advertising, its your people. We suggest you let us address your employee attitude problem before we attempt to change your advertising.

The British Rail executives were shockedbut the agency got the account! The agency had the remarkable conviction to point out the problem because it knew exactly what needed to change.

As Yogi Berra once said:

Before we build a better mousetrap, we need to find out if there are any mice out there.

If you dont like change, youre going to like irrelevance a lot less.

Tom Feltenstein

As the old proverb goes, The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Your first step in the change process should be to re-recruit your best people. That of course starts with the managers of each department. Although the culture of any company starts at the top, it is the managers who will make it or break it, especially in times of change. Their attitude, their commitment, and understanding of the change mission will be key to your success.

Dont make the mistake of assuming theyre on board, because it can be very costly and disruptive if you guess wrong. Even before the mission is clearly defined, bring them in, one on one, to get their input and their feedback. Get them involved in the planning process. But remember, there will be disagreements regarding your strategy and execution. And of course, thats where leadership comes into play.

In other words, if the manager disagrees with the final plan, you need to know up front. At this point, tough decisions must be made. Theyre either committed to the teams new plan going forward, or you need to find a new manager sooner rather than later.