As leaders, accurately evaluating capacity for change in ourselves, others, and situations, is as important as any other responsibility we have.
When assessing aspects of ourselves, another person or situation we would like to change, it can be seductive to hope change will happen on its own. This is particularly true when the person or situation presents, as many do, both obstacles and reason for hope at the same time. Yet time and time again we are disappointed in those we hope will accomplish the change.
Change is the ultimate result – and the ultimately challenging task. We constantly strive for, talk about, and wish upon that magic success star: change. Yet often we fear it as much as we strive for it, hoping that an unpleasant employee will simply quit, “the sooner the better,” that a failure will magically evolve into a success if we just “leave it alone,” or that unpleasant circumstances will eventually ferment and ultimately evaporate “on their own.”
So often what diverts us from change is our desire for security; we seek the status quo – that blissful state of sameness – and so in turn naturally try to avoid change of (almost) any kind. Yet when we give ourselves over to the fact that change is truly inevitable, we open ourselves up to a world of opportunity.
Certainly change occurs over time, but without our active involvement in it, it is unlikely to hit the marks of when, where, or how we’d like it to be. Leadership demands we be unflinching in facing circumstances in ourselves, others, and situations as they are, not how we’d like them to be in the “ideal world.” A Peaceful Leader makes decisions base d on a clear assessment of capacity for change, and then rides it out with poise.
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Accountability questions:
Are you trapped by your own addiction to comfort? Is it stopping up your ability to change? Or even seek change? What change do you need to face or embrace wthat you have been avoiding?
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