In this post I want to introduce a topic which I have been developing over the past few years and about which I intend to write in depth in the future. It is what I call compassionate change, or, leading transformational change without being a jerk about it! If you’ve been around the block at least once in your leadership life, you’ve undoubtedly had to deal with an organization’s need to continually change and adapt in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the culture and community of people you serve. Your experience may have been as the actual agent of change, or as a member of a team which was personally affected by the changes. Either way, change is a difficult, but necessary, part of an organization’s remaining healthy, growing, and competitive. Unfortunately, it is often the case that leaders who have come to the conclusion that change must happen step forward far too zealously to implement the changes they’ve decided to make, and create what Cawsey and Deszca (2007) state, “road kill on the path to change.”
As stated earlier, I intend to write much more about this, but let’s begin with my premise that many change agents, in their sincere desire to move their organization forward, leave out a crucial piece of the process: the human element. I’ve witnessed leaders who, after wrestling with their team’s problems, hiring consultants, and thoroughly working through what was needed, proceed to announce edicts of change without allowing their team members the same ability or time to process the justification and proposed steps, often with the expectation of complete and immediate compliance with little or no discussion whatsoever. In most cases the need for change is not at issue, but the problem comes in the implementation.
I am an advocate, even a champion, of change. I speak often of how organizations must adapt their methods to reach today’s culture while remaining true to their mission. However, I believe it is our responsibility as leaders to remember that people are directly affected by the decisions and changes we make—and people matter. The ramifications of change don’t exist in a vacuum. When leaders make changes, large or small, people’s lives will be impacted. In a 2009 article, Business as Mission: The Spirit of Leadership, Nur reminds us “When dealing with employees, always [remember] that they have families at home” and Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky (2009) state, “The analysis must take into account the human dimensions of the changes required, the human cost, paces of adjustment, tolerances for conflict, uncertainty, risks and losses of various sorts.” As leaders, we have the responsibility for the health and future of our organizations, but we must never forget that organizations are made up of human beings, and our responsibility extends to their health and future, too. So, as we act as an agent of change, we must do so with compassion and a sense of stewardship, responsible for the lives of the people in our care.
To become a leader with the ability to bring about compassionate change, I believe there are many attributes that must be mastered, but to start with, here are two of the foundational characteristics needed. Compassionate change agents must first be humble. Standish (2007) states, “We lead from a sense of humility, willingly putting aside our own motivations and desires.” I believe it is important that when we are about to throw our people into the sea of ambiguity which comes from organizational change, we must make sure that our motives and actions reflect a deep humility which clearly shows that we don’t see ourselves above others and we don’t believe that we are the only one with possible solutions to the problems. We must stay open and willing to listen to the people for whom the changes will matter because, as Yukl (2006) states, “People are more likely to perceive that they are being treated with dignity and respect when they have an opportunity to express opinions and preferences about a decision that will affect them.”
The second foundational characteristic is that we must remember to be human. We can’t allow ourselves the luxury of turning off our emotional and empathetic side. We must remember, as Heifetz, et al. states, “What people resist is not change per se, but loss.” Remembering to be human means that in whatever actions we take, we think about what it would be like if the changes being made were happening to us personally and affecting our family. It doesn’t mean that changes don’t happen, but that they happen in a manner that listens to those impacted and is empathetic, fair, and caring. Cawsey & Deszca emphasize this when they say, “Too often, change leaders focus on the organizational benefits and miss the impact at the individual level.”
Change is a necessity and a given, however compassionate change is a must. Too often people end up feeling like “road kill on the path to change,” which I believe is unacceptable. I hope you do, too.
Lead well.