Alive and Well at the End of the Day, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 10MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN

Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die.

—Lord Tennyson

8:15 a.m., Tuesday Morning Staff Meeting

The department’s supervisors and specialists are gathered in the conference room, paying rapt attention to their Department Manager, sitting at the head of the conference table.

The manager begins: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our leaders at headquarters have done it again. As if we’re not already overloaded with everything else that’s going on, now they’ve decided to add a new rule about how to park company vehicles. We’ll be required to back into every parking space. If that’s not bad enough, they’re telling us we have to put a magnet on the front door reminding us to walk around the vehicle before we get back in to drive a parked vehicle.

“I’m not any happier about this change than you are. Don’t ask me what they were thinking: nobody called me up to ask for my opinion before they announced the change. You know that’s how things are done around here these days.

“Any questions?”

We’ve all been on the receiving end of a new policy communicated that way; most leaders will admit at some point, they’ve made the speech to their followers. As to what happens next, it’s totally predictable: resistance. When was the last time you announced a change to a safety policy and were greeted with a resounding cheer and, “Thank you so much for looking out for our safety”?

What you are likely to hear from your followers are complaints, ...