Transformation is one step ahead of change
It is clear that our world has changed, and the way it has changed has brought the future head-on. It has been accelerated changes and it is already predictable that the speed of the changes will not decrease; everything contrary. Every day, the space between one change and another will be shorter and uncertainty will be part of everyday life.
The world we live in today and the one we will live in after the pandemic will continue to be uncertain and rapidly changing. It will no longer be enough for leaders to strive to facilitate change in their organizations. There will no longer be time to lead people to change, which will make it necessary for the leader to live the change and for people to incorporate it by modeling rather than guidance.
Living the change implies embracing changes in leadership itself, in the way we relate to our teams, in our intention to lead, going from speech to action, going from asking for a change to being the change itself, as Mahatma Gandhi expressed: "Be the change you want to see in the world". At this point, we are not talking only about a change agent, but also about a change model.
Usually, reflections on change and transformation are part of my day to day, both personally and professionally, since it is true that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. To face this, I had to develop some more characteristics in my path to lead through my own transformation such as compassion, awareness, patience, listening, even-handed approach, inspiration and coaching among others that I have enhanced through from the practice of meditation and yoga although I continue to learn and develop myself every day.
Transformation implies learning to live with change, it needs to incorporate new aspects without the need for them to be disruptive and, above all, it requires people with a mentality of acting, undertaking and making this transformation a reality. That is, the term transform is one step ahead of the concept of change. Transforming implies putting aside what is superficial and easy, looking for the path that leads to the root of things and delving into the darkest and most complex to finally find the light.
If we stop to observe in more detail, we can verify that most of the aspects that surround us today are basically tactical concepts, that is, they impact us on a day-to-day basis and in the short term. For this reason, rapid implementation actions are sought, with rapid feedback, and, above all, with a short-term vision. Today "everything should be for yesterday" at the latest.
It is clear that speed is needed to operate in a fast-paced world like ours; However, speed is not related to reacting faster or having all the variables under control, but to developing enough confidence so that people feel safe to move forward because with greater confidence, greater speed and lower costs.
The true transformation is first internal, from the inside out. Leadership must change categorization. Leaders are no longer the brains of the organization; They are the heart, the ones in charge of pumping the blood to the whole system so that it works. This means that the changes that must be implemented in leadership go beyond quick reactions to the environment, sophisticated activity schedules and complex communication campaigns to convince employees and get them on board. It is about a change of mentality, approach and action that generates credibility, confidence and inspiration in others to be the change, not just part of the change.
What do you think about it? I hope you enjoyed this post and I invite you to share your thoughts in the comments.