Change is hard.

Creating change in my organization, and in myself, is really hard. We all laugh at the old joke about how many psychologists it takes to change a light bulb – but the punchline is a real sucker punch if you think about it.

Has to want to change.

I think it’s the unplanned, unstructured, unexpected change that we fear. These types of change make us feel out of control. Human instinct is to reject and fight anything that feels threatening to our equilibrium.

We can’t expect different results if we don’t change something.

(Side note: apparently the famous definition of insanity didn’t come from Albert Einstein.)

Change doesn’t have to be big.

How big is the effect if you DON’T make a change?

Change doesn’t have to be expensive.

What will it cost you if you can’t make a change?

Change doesn’t have to be out of control.

We never have to tackle change all by ourselves. We never have to take the first recommendation. There are plenty of choices. Often, the number of choices alone can be scary. That’s why we seek out trusted advisors.

Change does have to happen if you want different outcomes.

The hardest part is that the necessary change is rarely the obvious one. It takes work and a different, fresher perspective to see the opportunity among the weeds of the everyday landscape of your mission.

Change is most efficient if you define the desired outcomes first.

Change will probably always be scary, but so is failure. It doesn’t break us; it invariably makes us stronger if we have the courage to face it.

If you want to create change in your organization to improve your results, I’d love to have a conversation over the phone or over coffee. If I can’t help you, I’m happy to point you toward someone who can. I’ve been blessed with a curious disposition, a wide network, and a variety of like-minded clients who share a passion for empowering business leaders.

Here’s a few pieces linked below that have recently inspired me to create some change.

The Leadership Crisis is Upon Us

Perry Maughmer on LinkedIn

“Emotional contagion is real…and leaders must understand that their behaviors can create an emotional wildfire that sweeps across their followers without regard to facts or sound judgment.”

Marketing has a marketing problem

Seth Godin on Seth’s Blog

“Marketing is not about trickery or even insincerity. It’s about spreading ideas that you believe in, sharing ideas you’re passionate about… and doing it with authenticity. “

How to Overcome Your Obsession with Helping Others

Ron Carucci for Harvard Business Review

“A coach or consultant’s greatest value to a client is their ability to see and offer the unvarnished truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear. Followers trust leaders that deliver hard messages in respectful, caring ways.”