They Really Aren’t Bad People

When stability is disturbed, do not assume that all who run to your idea are great workers, followers and leaders. Likewise, don’t assume that all of those who fail to initially celebrate your change are bad followers or people.

There is a tendency amongst leaders to see only the short term. This tendency in an environment of change can cause leaders to make alliances, encourage those that adjust quickly and fail to see the value in people who do not adjust quickly or who question what will be the result of this momentary instability. It takes all kinds of people (followers and leaders) to establish, maintain and succeed at any effort. Quite frankly, those people who are slower to change, lovers of stability and assess risk well are invaluable in the long run. These are the people who take their time and think it through but once an adjustment, endorsement or decision is made, they make a long term commitment. Even if they leave your organization because of a change that doesn’t fit them, they will do it well and it will be the correct choice. The “fast paced” often see these people as disliking change but really they simply don’t want to change just to change.

It is the ones who react quickly to change that should be watched. Those who relish change or fake it to “smooze” the leadership can be great factors of instability in your organization. Granted, the balanced innovator and challenger is as valuable to the effort as the risk assessor: however, the unbalanced – nothing is ever good enough – change agent can kill an organization. The balanced innovator is the one who is willing to say to the risk assessor, “You are right. That really isn’t worthy. It may be an improvement but the cost is too high” or “You are right. The idea really isn’t better.”

The long term leader is not worried about what happens in the hypothetical “next 20 minutes” but rather what will happen at the “end of the day.” On a side note, Leaders know that if an idea is great – even if rejected or not implemented – it will show itself as viable and great. Trust the solid decision you have made, wait out the adjustment to change and lead your people well.

It doesn’t mean they are bad followers or people