Change is tough. Breaking with old habits at will does not work well for many people. The hardwiring in our brain needs time to adapt. Rational arguments don't work. Emotional might work for the moment. There is one thing that works. Is to allow people some time for adaption and to reinforce new patterns of the desired behaviors. If you like to be drastic, it is a kind of brainwashing. In case you stimulate more senses and allow people to learn in their preferred way you have better chances to move the change forward.
As a leader, you will most likely act as a role model. You will show yourself that you take some risks and try to learn new and unlearn old things. But can you do more? How do you inspire your people for more?
Imagine two leaders, both acting as role models. One repeats the arguments for change over and over. And another leader who highlights the actions and behaviors of others in the organization or team that reinforce the change. Guess who is moving the organization faster!?
I would say, the impact of the first leader will disappear with time. The second will spark inspiration and indirect competition. Who does not want recognition for the risks he/she takes?
One way to do that is to collect stories from people in your organization who talk about the change journey they took. How have they acted in the past? How did it feel for them when they deviated from the past? How did colleagues respond to that?
Collect stories of change and write a new chapter of the organization
Collect these stories and highlight one or two per month in public!
Publish the other stories that fit, that people see they are not alone when the move the change forward. Others will join.
This collection of stories will help to write a new chapter in the development of the organization. Imagine reading those stories in combination with the description of what was before. You will have fun in five years when looking back.
