Improvement without change? It doesn’t happen.
Not all change is an improvement, but all improvement requires change. I’ve been involved in an effort to improve some significant processes within an organization. Most everyone want to improve the processes; few are willing to actually change them.
Recently someone threw up the old “change for the sake of change is not good leadership.” That’s true, but not always relevant. Often that phrase is a crutch for people unwilling to change or who are only willing to look at the downside risks.
It reminds me of the old adage “everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.”
Everybody wants their team, company, family, organization, etc. to get better–just don’t ask them to change anything.
Improvement without change is a myth, and one of the hardest jobs of leadership is dealing with those unwilling to accept it.
