Leading change in an organization is a process.
Much like the process of pruning a tree.
If you prune too much or prune the wrong branch. The tree won’t have the strength to tolerate the wind and eventual storms headed its direction. While the pruning may not cause the tree to die, the stress associated with no longer being able to handle the storms will eventually cause it to die off.
Too much zeal in making changes when leading and you risk putting the organization in a precarious situation where it can’t stand up to the storms it’s facing.
However, if you prune too little, the overgrowth can actually keep the tree from producing fruit. Dead branches and branches growing in the wrong direction can become dangerous for anything that is near the tree.
A mindset that says we aren’t going to change anything is just as detrimental. While our vision exists as a strong root system. Even an organization with the strongest and most compelling visions will outlive its effectiveness if changes aren’t introduced.
Proper pruning however understands that technique and timing are vital to a healthy tree.
The challenge is that this entire thing isn’t even about trees. It’s about leading people. Every organization is made up of living, breathing people who carry with them emotions, passion, and a vested interest in what you are trying to change. That can look like an employee that depends on the job they have in your business or that can look like people that have attended the church you are leading for years.
This is why empathy and patience are vital qualities in leading people. Empathy to listen and understand why people are are resistant to the change with a strong dose of patience to give them time to process and get on board with the changes.
As I look at my journey over the years to try and grow and become a better leader one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned and I’m still learning is that leading is not always about knowing what to do it’s being able to employ the right technique and timing that will produce healthy outcomes.
