Leadership and Change

Does your leadership result in succesfull change?

The most important aspect of leadership is its relationship with change. Leadership is about doing the right things. So the question is: are we doing the right things? In most cases the answer is "No, we need to improve" or "No, we need to do something new". Both answers imply that we have to change. And that is how simple the relationship between leadership and change is.

Integrity is the corner stone

Not so simple is the next step: how can we succesfully change? It is one of the biggest challenges in todays business. Let me bring it close to you. What does it take to get you to really join an effort to do something new? When do you follow someone to get there? Worldwide studies have shown that 'integrity' and 'reliability' are the most frequently given answers to these questions. It makes plain sense. It is not in our nature to follow someone who can not be trusted. This even applies to a dog. It's in a dogs' nature to follow its boss and be loyal to him. As long as the boss is reliable and predictable. Prove the dog wrong and its loyalty will soon be gone. 'Trust comes on foot and leaves by horse'.

Integrity and reliability are conditional to leadership. Without them there is no leadership. But there is more required to get followers for your good ideas. One of them is vision. As a leader you need to have a clear vision on a better situation that will benefit us all. And you also must be able to draw that picture in a way that it inspires us. It must challange our imagination.

Earlier I spoke about 'a clear vision on a better situation that benefits us all'. Leaders pursue goals that are beneficial for the group they lead. Followers understand that, otherwise they would not follow. That is the servent aspect of leadership.

Now you can move mountains

The power of inspired people is massive, because they give their best. Not because they have to, but because they want to do so themselves. Another characteristic of leaders is that they have loyal supporters close to them. And again, like with the inspired followers, their loyalty is based on trust. Once you are in a position where you have inspired followers and loyal support, you can move mountains, you can succesfully change.