Thank you for joining the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast! The greatest threat to future success is current success. In Embracing Change, Part 1, Craig will discuss the first of three ways to embrace change—if you’re not ready to embrace change, you’re not ready to lead! Download the notes for this episode here.
1. Change how you think about change.
A common belief is that people resist change because they hate change. But people don't hate change! People love new haircuts, new cars, or new outfits. They hire trainers to change their bodies and take classes to change their mind.
There are only two times people change: when they have to and when they want to. A good leader helps others want to change.
Lead with the “why” before that “what.” People will work for a "what," but they'll give their lives for a "why." Never assume people will understand the why. Some will likely oppose change, and those who do oppose are the loudest, but that doesn’t mean their opinion means the most.
People won’t know how good the “new” is until they let go of the “old.” As leaders, we embrace change as part of who we are.
Remember, you don’t have to know it all to be a great leader! Be yourself. People would rather follow a leader who is always real than one who is always right.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Here's an exercise you can do to grow as a leader—ask your team these questions:
- What’s one thing you need to change to grow as a leader?
- What specific actions will you take this week to stretch yourself, to empower change, and create growth? Be specific. If you don’t define it, you won’t do it.
LISTENER QUESTIONS
Have a question for Craig? Email him at leadership@life.church.
How do you keep an organization from losing morale if you set a big goal and your team doesn’t reach that goal?
It starts with setting the right goals. There are two types of goals: input and outcome. We can’t control most outcomes, but we can control the input. Losing 20 pounds is an outcome goal, but eating right and exercising is an input goal. If you don’t reach a big goal, try to find the positives. You've probably accomplished more than if you didn't set a goal in the first place. As a leader, you have two options: own it and take fault, or let the team feel the loss. Losing helps motivate you to win.
I agree that a sense of urgency is important to success, but at what point, if there even is a clearly defined point, does the sense of urgency cause excessive stress or unhappiness which is harmful to productivity?
As a team leader, you can push your team too hard. If you’re winning, but not stopping to celebrate, the wins lose some of the impact. If you’re always pushing it and never having fun, then you could end up being counterproductive. If you’re always driving and never analyzing, you may go fast, but end up in the wrong spot. You have to stop to make sure what you’re doing is right. If you don’t keep the “why” front and center, the “what” becomes meaningless. For yourself, you want to learn to measure what drives your “personal peak performance.” Ask: Under what circumstances do I bring my best? Under what circumstances do I underperform my potential? It's helpful to journal and find patterns. I’ve found yearly patterns that help me plan and prepare.
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