Below is an excerpt from the upcoming book from Tompkins Press by Jim Tompkins, available May 1, 2007.
Pre-order by calling 1-800-789-1257, ext. 55494, and mention code BL-1. Price: $24.95 (free shipping to US and Canada).
Leaders and Revolutions
True organizational success requires a revolution. Organizational revolution is a process of preemptively initiating change to meet transformations that occur in the marketplace, and it usually follows this pattern:
- Irritation: An uncomfortable problem becomes apparent.
- Motivation: Someone, usually an inspirational leader, calls attention to the problem and holds out the vision of solving it.
- Education: Those who suffer under the problem seek to understand its complex nature.
- Collaboration: Those who understand the problem and are still convinced they can solve it bind together to develop a powerful force. They collectively plan a strategy for formulating a solution to the problem.
- Action: The motivated, educated group carries out its plan to solve the problem.
A successful revolution has a grassroots element and a leadership element. However, leadership is the key element of a revolution because grassroots energy without proper leadership, or with poor or corrupt leadership, becomes merely a fringe element. Grassroots energy channeled by solid leadership becomes a movement with permanent, lasting results—which means they continue the revolution.
A revolution is more than simply reorganizing existing fortresses. Instead, revolutions are grassroots efforts that come from within that transform the culture where the fortresses reside. Culture is an organization’s personality; it is how things work in the organization.
Over time, your organization’s culture has evolved; however, when you lead a revolution, you are shaping the evolution rather than waiting for it to happen. Your goal is to instill an attitude of dynamic consistency—a mentality of continuous improvement based on a clear, shared and consistent direction of where the organization is headed.
Because of the nature of the cultural transformation, a revolution cannot be managed; it must be led. This includes defining its direction. Without a robust definition of direction, insufficient evidence will exist for true buy-in.
This definition of direction must have:
- A vision
- A mission
- Requirements of success
- Guiding principles
- Evidence of success
The first two elements, vision and mission, are closely linked. The vision addresses where you are headed; it is your goal. The mission addresses how you will get there; it is your strategy. The mission is also your plan for accomplishing your vision.
The requirements of success answer three questions:
- What is the science of our revolution?
- What are the rules of our game?
- What are the paradigms in which we believe?
It is critical that everyone in your revolution understands the requirements of success. This is because they form the science of your revolution. If you and your organization do not understand your revolution and what it needs to be successful, this can spell trouble.
Guiding principles are a set of standards about how people should be treated. These standards are deep seated and pervasive and they influence all that you do--judgments, opinions, attitudes, desires, fears, responses and actions.
They play a big role in defining the spirit in which things in your revolution will be accomplished. As individuals contemplate different actions, they consciously and subconsciously compare the alternatives to these standards to define the right path.
The evidence of success describes how you will measure the success of your revolution. Measurements are what provide leaders the information they need to provide feedback on the revolution. They allow you to determine whether you are on the right course, whether you need to re-double your efforts, or whether you should follow a different course.
The secret to sustaining involvement and passion in a bold organization is the commitment and enthusiasm of its leaders. They are courageous, charting unknown courses and making tough calls for the sake of organizational success. Learn more in the new book Bold Leadership for Organizational Acceleration, available May 1, 2007. Pre-order by calling 1-800-789-1257, ext. 55494, and mention code BL-1.
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