Experiences with clients as they have decided to “impose change” on me as the consultant partnering them in the delivery of a leadership development program within their organisation has certainly created great mindfulness about the
importance of creating respectful “endings”. It is never the change itself that does people in – it is the way we respect the past, it is the way we explain the change and bring the people along and it is the ending that is created. This ending marks the conclusion of the old way and creates readiness for the new way.
I sat recently in a meeting where it became evident through subterfuge and then me being blunt that the leadership program I had been delivering for several years was being dropped and would be replaced by something more scientific, more measurable and more fitting with the new direction of the business. The logic was easily evident however the emotional component was totally missing from my perspective. I came away feeling sad and after reflection realised I had not experienced an “ending” – where we acknowledged the history and the achievements with respect and integrity. It caused me to think about the importance of creating such endings when we are imposing change on others as leaders of a business. My experiences over recent times lead me to conclude there are far too many leaders who do not create such endings and are far too busy racing ahead to create the future. They also expect that people will follow far easier and far quicker than they actually do!
Courageous leaders acknowledge the importance of endings when change is being imposed on people – what experiences have you created for your people?
