Page 226 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

From Resistance to Renewal 211

ing to be as tough as needed. Conflict avoidance is a killer for leading change.
Also, win-win conflict resolution wasn’t useful because the resistors didn’t
want to compromise. As Lauren hesitated, her opponents simply stiffened their
resistance. Ultimately, time and circumstances demonstrated Lauren’s “vel-
vet,” but she could not use the “hammer.” While some improvements
occurred, the pace and depth of change was disappointing to her and her boss.
Ultimately unable to control her organization, she was passed over for pro-
motion and eventually reorganized out of her job.
In addition to wasting valuable time and money, unsuccessful efforts can
escalate existing problems and further entrench negative norms, apathy, and
frustration. Some of the most common traps follow.
Lack of Senior-Level Support

As your organization’s leader, you have to be fully committed, skilled, and strong
enough to improve or turn around your organization. Your boss must also pro-
vide unflinching support. If you are hesitant or if your support from above is
ambivalent or weak, you stand a better chance of failing than succeeding.

Perpetuation of Win-Lose Behaviors
Moving an organization is difficult enough without people sabotaging the
effort. Decisions that chronically result in winners and losers encourage peo-
ple to drop out or stand in the way of progress. Once you are sure that you
have the right people, then do everything in your power to use I win/you win
(no-lose) problem solving as issues, barriers to success, and problems arise.
Some organizations use the Quaker concept of consensus before action. A
Quaker meeting does not adopt a decision until all assent. This is time-con-
suming and not always appropriate or even possible. However, consensus deci-
sion making can be very powerful. It helps ensure that the decision has been
thoroughly discussed, and it has a good chance to be supported up and down
the organization. Organizations need people who can combine championing
good ideas and helping to shape a consensus.

Inadequate Involvement of All Levels of Employees
Time and time again we have seen the status quo perpetuated because employ-
ees resent an effort of which they are not a part. Employees at all levels need
to help plan and become involved in (not just hear about) the change process.
As leader, you can design intra- and inter-level and cross-functional discus-