You are a new leader on a team. You are responsible for making change happen, and your team will resist the change. How do you proceed? Cultivate an ally.
How do you cultivate an ally?
Propaganda. Create a message and promulgate that message to your team. You may alienate some people that are likely not good long-term fits — you accept that risk. You hope that your message resonates with a potential change champion.
Listening Campaign. Ask your team questions like What’s not working? What’s working? What’s getting in your way? What would you change? Though listening campaigns are effective, you could encounter listening traps. Mitigate the risk of traps with Option 3.
Listening + Remaining Silent. Ask the question from step 2 and refuse to answer questions about your vision posed to you by the team. Every time I use this option, I cultivate a champion and effective change occurs. Why?
Because you and I want to work with and for people who listen. That means we look for people who ask insightful questions and reflect back what they hear us say. But that’s not all.
A great listener humbles themselves before the person they are talking to. They say I wish I could share, but I don’t know enough yet to have a strong opinion. I’m going to continue learning from you when their team asks for their vision of the future.
Imagine how powerful an experience it would be to work for that kind of person. How quickly would you want to help that person? How quickly would you share with others, finally, someone who cares about us?
Options 1 and 2 can work, I have seen them work with mixed outcomes. But, I am always effective at creating allies and results when I use option 3.
People change when they believe the change benefits them.
There’s always a benefit engaging with and giving efficacy to the stories and views of others.
An effective way to give that efficacy is to humble yourself and learn from those in your charge.