Way to go! You are leading a change!
You are following all of the proper steps. You have created a Sense of Urgency and you have a Guiding Coalition leading with you.
However, unbeknownst to you – there are forces of mediocrity trying to undermine your effort. There are people who would rather tolerate the problem you are trying to fix, than put in the energy to address it.
Is this happening to you? Check out this Top Ten List of signs that your change project may be in trouble:
1. A task force is being assigned to the problem.
2. You’re being thanked for your time and effort.
3. People doubt whether the organization (really) has a problem.
4. You’re asked to respond to the grave concerns of unnamed critics.
5. The specter of “legal issues” is being invoked.
6. Your colleagues point out all the other problems that need to be solved.
7. You keep hearing about a future state where the conditions for change will be much, much better.
8. The timeline for action is growing short.
9. Your colleagues think they can wait you out.
10. You keep hearing, “we’ve already tried that.”
If you see some of these signs, then your change effort is in trouble! Call your Guiding Coalition together and re-double your efforts of expressing the urgency for this change. This is the stage of your process where fatigue is your biggest challenge. Your persistence and continual communication of the problem, solution, and vision for the future is the antidote.
You and your Guiding Coalition need to mobilize!
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Frei, F. X. and Morriss, A. “10 Signs Your Company Is Resistant to Change,” Harvard Business Review online, September 26, 2023.
