A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a leader who had just left a role he was hired into to drive transformation. When he joined, the CEO had been very clear. He was unhappy with the existing leadership team. In his view, they were underperforming and needed to be challenged.
So the new leader did exactly what he thought was expected of him. He came in with urgency, pushed hard and challenged people directly. And very quickly, he started to make enemies.
Looking back, he could see what had happened. He had entered the organization with a negative frame – assuming team ignorance, questioning people’s competence and pushing for change before building any social capital or real relationships.
The Self-Fulfilling Trap
In psychology, this is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we expect people to resist or underperform, we tend to behave in ways that bring that outcome to life.
We become more forceful, less patient and less willing to listen. And in response, others withdraw, push back or disengage. This then confirms our original beliefs and the relationship further deteriorates.
That’s exactly what happened to the leader I was having lunch with. He treated the leadership team as if they were the problem. And over time, they became one.
He burned bridges before he even knew where they led. The result was predictable. The transformation stalled and eventually, he was out.
The Two Faces Of Transformation
In my work, I tend to work with specific types of people (i.e. mavericks, change makers and innovators). These people are trying to move things forward inside organizations built to keep things stable.
And there is a pattern that I see quite often. Innovators are excellent at coming up with breakthrough ideas, but they struggle to get those ideas adopted. And the reason is simple. Creating breakthrough ideas and getting them adopted requires two very different skillsets:
Where It Breaks Down
As you can see above, the traits that make you good at creating new ideas can make it harder to bring others along. Independence can create isolation, disruption can create resentment and agility can create friction.
Before you realize it, you’ve lost the support of the very people you need to succeed.
This is why so many strong ideas fail to gain traction. The person driving innovation never makes the shift from creator to collaborator.
Creation vs Adoption
It’s important to realize that transformation and innovation require two modes: creation and adoption. Creation allows you to generate the idea. Adoption is what turns that idea into real impact.
Most people I work with tend to focus on just one mode, usually creation. And that’s why their impact is limited.
So the real challenge is this; how do you stay bold enough to challenge the status quo, while building the relationships that make change possible?
If this is a tension you are currently navigating, you’re not alone. With our coaching and advisory programs, we can help you create the trust, legitimacy and social capital you need to succeed.