If there's one thing that is consistent in today's tumultuous business environment, it is that change is required for growth.  Put another way, if you continue to do what you've always done, you cannot expect to get different or better results. 

If you are in a position where you must lead others through change, you have likely discovered that change is very difficult for most people to accept.  it's scary!  Each of us has a comfort zone, built up through years of experience at completing the tasks that have always been required of us.  It's tough enough to break out of your own comfort zone, let alone to convince your staff to break out with you.

Kayaks and Viking Ships

Think of change management in terms of steering a boat.  If you are in a kayak, you make all of the decisions about where you want to boat to go, and you do all of the work to get there.  In calm waters this will be an easy task, but in rough waters you may experience difficulty in turning your kayak to the desired heading.  Regardless of the direction you take, you have complete control over both the decision and the direction of the work.

If you have employees working for you, however, steering the boat becomes exponentially harder.  As the leader, you may still be making the decision as to the direction you want your company to take, but now you must convince 10, 50, or even thousands of employees to come along.  Visualize the old Viking ships with dozens of oars sticking out of each side of the hull.  You need all of the oars working together to turn the ship, and you must convince your employees to place their oars in the water on the correct side of the boat to accomplish the turn.

Some of your employees will immediately see the wisdom of your plan and will begin rowing right away.  Others may pretend they agree, putting their oars in the water but not really rowing.  Others will hinder your efforts to change, either openly by rowing on the wrong side of the boat or surreptitiously by dropping their oars or by distracting those who you thought had already been converted to your cause.

Pigs and Chickens

Each employee may progress to the desired level of commitment at a different rate, and some will likely never get there at all, but they may still be able to contribute to your success.  Consider the ham and egg breakfast:  the chicken definitely makes an important contribution, but the pig is truly committed.  Your job, strange though it may sound, is to create a workplace full of pigs.

Your challenge as a leader is to provide the motivation your employees need to fully commit to the new plan.  Rarely is this as easy as simply telling your staff, "If you do as I say, we will have greater success."  In Part II of this series, we'll look at strategies to help you steer your ship through the rough sea of change, bringing as many employees with you as possible.