Ricci M. Victorio

In order to win the game you must understand your opponent
October 15, 2008

Before you can direct the experience of change to your favor, it is important to recognize the obstacles that will present themselves within any kind of change. It is human nature to fear the unknown. It has been well documented that it is not a normal trait to seek change – we want to be comfortable, unchallenged, find the status quo and live a life without strife. Guess what – we don’t – it’s not going to happen. You are either moving forward, heading into the unknown or you are backsliding or falling into what Robert E. Quinn coined in his book, Deep Change, as “slow death.” He stated that,

“It is much easier to focus on solving today’s problems than it is to mold the future. It is easier to be an operational analyzer and taskmaster than it is to be a developmental and visionary motivator. Yet transformational leaders can do both. They link the operational present with the developmental future.”

How does a business leader recognize the various behaviors of their management team that can either move the company forward or pull them down into Gorki’s lower depths of “slow death” during these challenging times? First, it is important to recognize the five postures or levels of change:

• Denial – I’m going to pretend it’s not happening. Hopefully it will not see me, leave me alone and pass me by.
• Coping – I’ll put up with these changes, but not do anything to help it along. Hopefully it will get tired, give up and just go away.
• Reactive – I’ll harness the energy change creates and direct it where I want it, so that I won’t be left behind. Hopefully I have put enough away in my reserve to accommodate the changes that are being dictated to keep up.
• Anticipative – I have a good idea of what’s going to happen and I’m making proactive changes that are advantageous to me so that I can stay in the pack with my competitors without the risk associated with being an innovator.
• Innovative – I have the vision, take the risk and make it happen in my own time frame and budget. If successful, the world will adapt and change to keep up with me.

The positions of denial, coping and reaction all come from being “at effect.” To live at effect is to be out of control and reactive to situations around you. This experience will create anxiety and worry for all those involved – you, your management team, your employees, your manufactures, bankers and vendors, and eventually your customers. At times you may lash out or make bad decisions in order to gain some kind of control over your environment. The “ready-fire-aim” gunslinger mentality will reign more often than not. There will likely be all kinds of casualties.

The positions of anticipation and innovation come from being “at cause.” To function from this place means you are the one in control, the initiator of situations around you. To be “at cause” means to take actions that move your life and business forward in the direction of your choice, rather than reacting to where others may be driving you. Rather than living reactively, live actively, making thoughtful, well-planned choices. In this way, you can choose the effect you want to have on people to make your life and business work, rather than making reactive choices that may push you away from your desired goals.

So, what do you want to believe – that you are out of control and can only react to what the market forces you to do? Or do you want to be the one who is controlling change, dictating the timetable and setting the pace, while shouting out over your shoulder to the others struggling to keep up, “Eat my dust!”

Posted by Ricci M. Victorio on October 15, 2008 | Comments (0)