The name of this blog comes from our mission at INFLUENCE: “To empower people with clarity and confidence.”
Our objective is to provide brief but meaningful topics (under 500 words) that inspire, educate and empower leaders through resources both inside and outside of INFLUENCE. This week’s edition is provided by David Salmons.
Adapt. Change. Grow. Have these words ever not applied to leadership? Some have suggested that great leaders are energized by change and even compelled to seek growth, ready to navigate the currents of opportunity – and the rocks of risk – while helping others to do the same.
Regardless of whether change stimulates or exhausts you however, there is a dark side to change. Some change produces personal decline, and the losses can be destructive and disillusioning. This post is about that type of change and how you can avoid it.
First, let’s create some contrast through definition. It’s important to recognize that good change involves growth. Examples might include a more effective plan, a better mindset, improved skills, a deeper understanding or an increased personal or collective capacity. It may further help to clarify this type of change by calling it “creative change”.
While many variables are involved, creative change is most likely to occur when leaders are clear on their own values AND how those values integrate with the values of their organization. This is usually evident through a leaders’ behaviors as well through the team cultures they produce.
Destructive change, on the other hand, reduces the likelihood of successful outcomes and often develops in an absence of the previously noted clear values.
Put simply, when leaders don’t have clear values, they tend to adapt downward.
Here’s an example. Even when leaders don’t begin as bullies, in the absence of clear values they sometimes gravitate towards the lowest common behavioral denominators, these being behaviors used to manipulate and control. Understand that rarely do leaders enjoy the results. Yet finding themselves trapped within a destructive cycle of reactions, leaders and the teams they lead discover that disrespect and dissatisfaction go hand in hand. Toxic cultures result.
An antidote to this mutually demoralizing and destructive experience is to clarify personal leadership values up front – and then refuse to change.
As this can be a challenge on its own, here’s one way to start.
Ask yourself what’s so fundamental to you that you feel off-balance or empty without it? Is it courage? Honesty? Creativity? Self-Respect? Identify 3 to 6 values and make a note of them with a little context on why each is important to you.
Then, use those values to craft a personal leadership philosophy in the following 4 areas:
- Belief – “I believe [something worthwhile as a leader] is possible.”
- Impact – “I want to make [the following meaningful impact on my team].”
- Values – “I will lead with [Courage? Honesty? Creativity? Respect for others?].”
- Action – “I will [make no excuses? Own the hard stuff? Be decisive yet respectful?]”
Once this is ready, print it, put it somewhere you’ll see it regularly, and find peers who’ll hold you accountable. View it as your standard and compass. Allow it to direct and embolden you. And certainly, expect it to provide a point of reference for others.
In summary, while changes can and should be creative, the risk and dangers associated with personally destructive changes are grave. One way to stay on the path to creative growth is to define what’s so important to you that you won’t change. Once defined, these values can become your standard instead of the destructive mindsets and behaviors that lead to disillusioned leaders and devalued cultures.