I agree whole heartedly with Mr. Benjamin. Living systems, such as
organizations or mammals, seek stability in order to survive. Our bodies
maintain temperature, etc. and so remain alive. The fear and resistance
people might have to change is reasonable and valuable for the reason of
survival. Too much change or the wrong change can lead to failure of the
business. This failure is even more frightening to those old goats who
have more to lose. I might find it very difficult to find a new job with
the benefits and security I have currently were I to lose this job. And it
is my job to do my best to assure the success of the business.
The proper method to seek change in a system, be it an African village or
an American business, is from within. Honor those you would like to help
change by recognizing the value in the stability they offer, and their
experience, knowledge, and wisdom, and by including them in the change as
much as possible. Find out why they resist change, and give that
resistance the honor it is due. Ask them how you can help them change,
instead of insisting that they do it your way. Show them what you have to
offer, ask if they want it. Fit your wished for changes into the current
paradigm. After all, it might be true that they are right, and the changes
you want won't work for them.
Of course, I tend towards idealism. Maybe they are just stubborn old
goats. Sometimes it takes a two-by-four up side the head to implement
change.
--"John P. Crutcher" <john.p.crutcher@boeing.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>