The Missing Link to Successful Change

Our collaboration partners, Cerebyte, discuss in their recent blog that change cannot happen inside an organization unless the change is desired. The link to their blog is posted below. In fact, that concept is central to their successful wisdom capture and dissemination methodology. Their process engages each individual affected by the change at a personal level, so each person makes the change their own.

At Leadership Beyond Limits, we know the same is true for full system cultural transformation. Cultural Transformation typically fails because leaders fail to connect the transformation to the values of the people, who are the organization. Most organizations spend a lot of time building the foundation and structures to support a change, but fail to support their employees' exploration of what this change means to them. This step is scientifically proven as necessary for success. Without it, what organizations will get is resistance to change - something we are all familiar with.

Think about a time when you resisted change yourself and then a time when you embraced it. Chances are, the difference was your involvement with the process and your ability to internalize the change. Change does not have to be difficult, in fact, it can be energizing for everyone involved!

http://www.cerebytejournal.com/?p=324

Enhance Your Leadership - Build Your Trust Account

In my last blog I wrote about Stephen M.R. Covey's book The Speed of Trust, where he refers to five waves of trust. I wrote about the first wave, self-trust and I'd now like reveal the second wave - relationship trust. Covey introduces the concept of "trust accounts" - how we establish and maintain them.

The central premise behind Covey's trust account is that with each interaction we have with another person, we are either building trust, "making a deposit" or destroying trust, "making a withdrawal." The balance in the trust account is a reflection of the current level of trust in the relationship.

Trust is a core element in any relationship and it is essential in effective leadership. Covey offers several observations about trust accounts that leaders will want to consider.

Each trust account is unique. The account you have with your leader may be different from the account you have with your administrative support person. Understanding the nuance of each account allows you to build it more effectively.

All deposits and withdrawals are not created equally. Small oversights or acts of kindness can create a disproportionate impact. Remembering to acknowledge someone's contribution can make a big deposit.

Trust deposits are person specific. This awareness offers another great reason to know followers as individuals.

Withdrawals are typically larger than deposits. A breach of trust from leadership may impact the leader/follower relationship in a more dramatic way than a deposit.

Recognize that each relationship has two trust accounts - yours and the other party's. Understanding what makes a deposit and a withdrawal for the other party is essential. Could there be any better way to build trust than to have a sincere conversation about what constitutes a deposit for the other party?

When you notice a trust account is getting low - address it. Trust can be restored through consisent behavior that makes deposits in another's account.