A change initiative in any organization is fraught with uncertainties, may bring forth unforeseen crises, engender periods of turbulence and setbacks, or even manifest changed behaviors in people. However, the universal messages in the quotes below can comfort, provide direction, and inspire change agents to ride out any tortuous transformation journey.
1. “Change is a threat when done to me but an opportunity when done by me.”
Even in the best of corporate cultures, there are people who resist changes. More so, when they are not involved in the process, encounter curveballs hurled at them, or fail to fathom how they belong in the scheme of things. On the other hand, far from feeling stifled or constrained, they respond to change enthusiastically and proactively once the desired ‘change’ is made relatable or is tied to their own goals, activities, and aspirations. Instead of being hostile to little-understood decisions thrust upon them from above, they themselves seek innovation and subscribe to the change.
2. “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”
This simple yet powerful Laozi (Chinese philosopher) quote reminds us that to get things done, one has to have the heart and resolve to get started. Change can be confusing and forbidding when the goal seems unclear, magnitude of the problem seems overwhelming, or the time horizons seem inappropriate.
3. “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”
We could go back to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland for a telling parallel. Alice, in a state of confusion, asks Cheshire Cat which road she should take. The latter’s advice to Alice is to pin down the goal first. Thus, a journey initiated without determining either the destination or the course (in the mental map), is likely to falter or be abortive. An effective change journey thus requires change leaders to have clarity about their destination and the road to take them there.
4. “Change is a campaign, not a decision.”
Leaders are known to make momentous decisions or launch path-breaking initiatives all the time. Not many are carried through to fruition or yield desirable outcomes. Thus a change initiative calls for concomitant behaviors and actions – constant communication, setting of milestones, timely monitoring and feedback, remedial/follow-up activities, recognition and rewards, among others. Far from being an organizational decision of transformation, change really is a campaign marked by ongoing efforts till the final milestone is crossed.
5. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Trial and error go hand in hand with change. Sticking to the beaten track for the fear of failure or of the unknown, may be counter-productive. Hitherto unexplored paths can open up unexpected opportunities, lead to breakthroughs and discoveries, or emerge as faster routes to destinations.
6. “Everything can look like a failure in the middle.”
Successful ‘change-making’ calls for focus, single-minded commitment to the cause, perseverance, and integrity. To bring in any lasting change, actions must measure up to its gravitas. It is easy to succumb to an overpowering inclination to give it all up due to failed attempts, unexpected roadblocks, and dead ends. Giving up prematurely automatically spells doom for any change initiative. The challenge lies in working around obstacles, making appropriate tweaks in the plan, and keeping one’s nose to the grindstone till the goal is reached.
7. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
This famous utterance of Gandhi reminds advocates of change to embody the very principles and values of the change they espouse. Unless leaders themselves internalize and exemplify what the change is all about, it can never ring true with the ones being led!
