Change Management
“People, employees, managers, and even organizations do not like change, how have you learned to deal with such pushback?”
“Who says I know how to deal with it? The entire Bible is about me making plans and then humans doing something different. It is like etch-a-sketch management. I one heard a Chinese proverb: “When the wind of change blows, some build walls, others build windmills.” A similar statement was made by Peter Drucker who said: “Corporations once built to last like pyramids are now more like tents. Tomorrow they are gone or in turmoil.”
I felt a wind blow across the room. A weathervane that appeared on the Lord’s desk started spinning out of control.
The Lord continued. “All thinking and planning should focus on change rather than staying the course. I created the world to evolve, not stay the same. Imagine if people stopped inventing when the wheel was created? Like a wheel, creation and implementation involves friction and will rub some the wrong way. Many things stay the same due solely to shear inertia and folks who do not want change because it might mean more work or learning a new skill. If the change is not designed to harm others, including our planet and all my animals, then change should be explored. Steven Covey said it the best when he said: “The first step toward change is acceptance. Once you accept yourself, you open the door to change.”
The Lord strode to his desk to stop the weathervane from spinning. I assumed that the interview was taking a lot out of him. More of an emotional toll rather than a physical toll.
“Sam, I have to stay active. That is why I am constantly tinkering with my world.”
I got up to stretch as well. The Lord sat next to me and continued.
“Every business and person must be dynamic and there should not be any sacred cows. Heck, I told Abraham to move from his father and everything he held dear to travel to the unknown. He did not know where I would take him, and he had no GPS. He just knew I was calling him, and he changed in response to that call. He moved from focusing on himself to how he could help others and share my message. One of my special emissaries on earth was The Lubavitcher Rabbi. Years ago, one of his followers sent him a letter where he was asking for a blessing. He wrote the Rabbi that- ‘I am upset, I am lonely, I am depressed, I feel life is meaningless, I do the right things, but do not have solace from those acts, I need a blessing.’ The Rabbi responded by sending the letter back to the sender without any new words added- no tangible response…except that every word ‘I’ was circled. The person was all about themselves. There was no “we,” just “I.” When a person only focuses on themselves it is hard to change others. When that person focuses on others, then they would be more likely to want to change. It is similar to that motivational poster, ‘there is no I in team’.”
That poster popped up on the screen. I had seen it so many times before, but it resonated so much more now.
“Change was what my people needed to get out of the Egyptian slavery. Remember that some of the Israelites were still complaining after over 38 years in the desert. Many were claiming how much better things were for them when they were slaves in Egypt. That is the friction I was talking about. How do you change that? The answer was expounded on by Peter Drucker who said: “All great change in business has come from outside the firm, not from inside.” That is why I brought in Moses. He had the legitimacy of action because he was an Israelite and he stood up for his people when he killed the Egyptian task master. He also was an outsider with clout and the ability to speak with the Pharaoh. Even as an outsider it took him 40 years to really change them…and I helped with allowing a new generation to come forward during those 40 years.”
The Lord was working his magic. The floor started filling in with sand. He was turning his office into a literal desert. Just as quickly as the palm tree popped up…it disappeared along with the sand. The dramatic effects kept coming throughout the interview and I felt it must be one of the Lord’s ways to engage learners.
“Sam, a leader needs to know the opposition to change and address them head on. Moses did not appreciate or address the challenge that Korah would raise. He did not anticipate a battle from his own family and that might be why he fell on his face and asked me to intercede. That is a classic case of power struggle. Unfortunately, I had to intervene, but the complainers either wanted what was best for them, not the change that I had proposed and implemented. As Machiavelli said: “The reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order.”
Up on the screen popped up an image of someone. I assumed it was Machiavelli. He had a red circle with a line across it put on top of the picture. I assumed God was not a big fan. The Lord’s expression on his face proved the point.
“Sam, besides understanding opposition, it is important to know the pulse points of an organization. Where are the key drivers, what they are, where they are, who controls them, who can deliver them, and how to enhance those pulse points. It could be a key product or system. It could be a person. Whatever and wherever it is, the person wanting change needs to identify the point. Moses used to walk around the camp to help identify the concerns. It goes to management by walking around. The only way you can gain the true pulse of an organization is to walk around and investigate what is going on. Moses’s treks allowed him to better manage and convey key issues to the next leader- Joshua.”
“Anything else, Lord?”
“Any change requires significant energy. To change, you need resources and readiness. I gave the Israelites all the resources they needed in the desert. I gave them shelter, food, water, and the riches of Egypt. That was not enough, and they complained that they wanted more or something else. That is when I realized they were not ready for change. The lack of readiness was seen with the incident with the Golden Calf and the spies returning with their negative report. They did not want to change and if we don’t change, we cannot truly grow. That is why I said that I will launch my new nation with a brand-new group of people. None of the generation of the desert, except Joshua and Caleb, made it to the Promised Land. I could have seen some incremental changes, but incremental changes basically meant keeping with the old. I needed a radical change.”
The Lord looked upset. If only people had embraced being holy. I assume he felt sad that he had to destroy an entire nation in the desert to get to the next generation who might finally listen to him. I assumed it was a “necessary evil,” but similar to the Flood during Noah’s time, or Sedom and Gemorah, the Lord was used to facing stiff battles by those who did not want to be holy or follow his commandments.
“But one group still follows you after all these years. They are from various denomination or religions, but they have embraced and remembered you, especially the Jews.”
“I think that is one reason why the Jews are still around today, Sam. Yes, they are my people, and I will forever protect them, but they always had a sense of crisis or an appetite for change. All other civilizations and societies who did not have a sense of crisis or wanted to keep doing the same thing have all disappeared. The Greeks, Romans, Turk, Mongols, I mean the lists goes on and on and they all showed significant growth when they were evolving, but when they did not have strong enemies, whether internal or external, or lost the inertia to grow, they imploded.”
“Another point to consider Sam is that for a leader or manager to effectively launch change, they must prove that they are not undertaking the change for glory, ego, or money. They need to show they want change because they love the organization. Moses loved his people so much that he became the people, and he wanted the change not just because I had asked him to get my people out of Egypt, but because he loved his people and knew that they could reach the heights I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob if they were free and followed my command. For a leader to show they are undertaking change for the right reason they must frame the message that way. It cannot be change “because I said so” or “this is what I was told to do.” People want to know how it will affect them. If the leader can show direct impact and benefit, it is more likely the change will be accepted and pursued by the workers.”
I realized after this answer that so many changes had failed at some of my prior jobs because I really did not know why we were pursuing change. It appears every new manager wants to make their mark. They want to have some type of accomplishment in their first 100 days, rather than to find the true pulse points, the key drivers, and then frame a solution that really matters to everyone.
“I remember one of my friends who was in the military. He told me that they spent all this time practicing and drilling not to break someone for the sake of breaking them, but for turning them into obedient followers. Any good followers need a good teacher. That is why drill sergeants are so critical. They keep pushing the same strategy not once or twice, but for weeks to get the followers to follow correctly. Now I get it, the followers needed training and that requires a great teacher. Change without having a great training regime and a great leader will not result in effective change. That is the key for adaptive leadership and rising to the challenge.”
The Lord gave me a high five. It was like we were turning into pals.
“Oh, before I forget, Sam, change also involves leaders. Moses showed the people that he truly supported Joshua by giving him some of his spirit and laying his hands on him in a public manner. Mosses the leader gave away some of his splendor to his understudy. That did not diminish Moses’ splendor but allowed it to flow to others. I wish you could have seen Moses and how classy he was. He had so much splendor he was able to influence billions of people. I am sure he has influenced you. That is power. That is the ability to influence one long after someone has left their position of power. Kings don’t have that ability. Only those who are real and treat people like kings have that ability- and he shared it. That was a change for those times.”
