Leading Fearless Change

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Leading Fearless Change

• Mary Lynn Manns, Ph.D.
• University of North Carolina at Asheville
• manns_at_unca.edu
• www.cs.unca.edu/manns

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The Project

• Started in 1996 collecting change leadership
  strategies from
• discussions with people leading change worldwide
• leaders of change throughout history
• change theories

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Patterns

• Successful strategies documented as patterns
• Patterns capture recurring problems and
  successful solutions
• Each pattern has a name
• A collection of patterns (for leading change)
  provides a vocabulary or language (for leaders of
  change)

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The Book

• Fearless Change
• Patterns for Introducing New Ideas
• (Addison Wesley Publishing Co., 2005)
• 48 patterns
• chapters on change and the use of the patterns
• experience reports
• target user is powerless leader
• emphasis is emergent change
• The goal of Fearless Change People become so
  involved and interested in the change process
  that they want to change.

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The Context

• You belong to an organization.
• You have an idea that you would like to bring
  into the organization.
• This idea stirs something in youyou have
  passion for the idea.
• You are a powerless leader. Arent we all
  powerless to change peoples minds?

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Leading Fearless Changecourse at UNCA

• Leading change is hard just ask anyone who has
  tried. Yet, any person with a good idea has the
  potential to make that idea a reality if s/he
  knows effective change management strategies.
  This course will examine how leaders throughout
  history have been visionaries of ideas and made
  changes happen in many different situations and
  organizations. The goal is to equip students with
  the strategies they need to become successful
  leaders of change in their personal and
  professional lives.

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Leading Fearless Changecourse assignments

• Short paper on a leader of change from history
• Further exploration of a change issue
• Interview with a leader of change
• Semester-long change project
• regular progress reports
• final report and self-evaluation

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Some Misconceptionsthat get change leaders into
trouble

• If I have a good idea that adds value, it will be
  easy to convince others to accept it.
• All I need is a lot of knowledge about the new
  idea and an effective plan.
• I can convince people with my charm and a nice
  PowerPoint presentation.
• Run away from the skeptics.
• I can lead this change initiative alone.
• Once I convince people, they will stay convinced.
• And why do I need this information? I am in a
  position to impose the change.

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Myth 1I need a specific plan for leading the
change.

• However.
• Change is not an event it is a process.
• Change happens one individual at a time.
• Can you predict how individuals will react
  during this process?
• How does a powerless leader begin the process
  of change?

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Keep a Package of PatternsWith You

• Take on a role
• Evangelist
• Create a vision. Make short-term goals. Build on
  your successes and learn from your failures.
• Test the Waters
• Step by Step
• The key to innovation is to manage a balance
  of
• planning, structure, and improvisation. (K.
  Sawyer, Group Genius)
• Time for Reflection
• Small Successes

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Get Started

• Learn about the new idea
• Study Group
• Just Do It
• Gain visibility
• Hometown Story
• Do Food
• Token
• In Your Space

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Myth 2If I just explain the value in the new
idea, people will understand and accept it.

• However.
• Are people reasonable and logical
  decision-makers?
• Behavior change happens mostly by speaking to a
  person's feelings. (J.P. Kotter, The Heart of
  Change)
• Relate to whats going on in the other persons
  head, not in yours. (R.N. Bolles, What Color is
  Your Parachute?)

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Different people accept new ideas at different
rates

• Do you know these people?
• New stuff is cool!
• Innovators
• Interesting idea, but I want to hear more.
• Early Adopters
• What do other people think?
• Early Majority
• If I have to
• Late Majority
• Weve always done it this way
• Laggards

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Tailor your message

• Personal Touch
• Innovator
• Early Adopter
• Early Majority
• Whisper in the Generals Ear

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Myth 3I can lead this change alone.(After
all, reaching out is a sign of weakness.)

• However.
• You dont have an unlimited supply of time and
  energy.
• The change could become all about you.
• What separates those who achieve from those who
  do not is in direct proportion to ones ability
  to ask for help. (D. Keough, former president of
  Coca-Cola)

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Get Connected

• Ask for Help
• Innovators
• Early Adopters
• Bridge Builder
• Connectors
• Guru on Your Side
• Group Identity
• Just Say Thanks

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Myth 4Cynics and Skeptics are negative people
so I should avoid them.

• However.
• Will they be happy if you avoid them?
• Should we spend our limited time trying to
  convince them?
• Can they teach us something we dont know?

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Respect the Resistanceand make use of it

• Fear Less
• Champion Skeptic
• Corridor Politics
• Trial Run
• Whisper in the Generals Ear
• Bridge Builder

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Summary

• Patterns document recurring, successful
  strategies
• The Fearless Change book contains 48 patterns
  from successful leaders of change
• The book is written for all powerless leaders
  who have a good idea and want to introduce
  changes into their organizations

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Go out andlead great changesin the world!
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For more informationwww.cs.unca.edu/mann
s/intropatterns.html