“I don’t think we have any choice. I think we have an obligation to change the rules, to raise the bar, to play a different game, and to play it better than anyone has any right to believe is possible.” Seth Godin

Causing change to happen isn’t an easy thing to accomplish.  You cannot fall victim to the belief that bringing about change is as simple as making a new rule, policy, or procedure. The reality is it’s not that easy. If it were, a policy manual would fix everything!

Having Their Head

The development, implementation, and enforcement of a new rule, at a minimum, will get people to behave and perform a certain way only as long as the rule-maker / enforcer is watching.  When you remove the rule-maker and the old behavior returns.  People will follow the rule because they know the rule is important to the rule-maker, but because it’s not important to them they won’t follow the rule when they’re not being watched.  In short, new rules will get someone’s head, but it doesn’t automatically correlate to having their heart.

Having Their Heart

Change occurs when people have some sense of urgency for the change.  The key is to help them understand the value of making the change as opposed to staying in the current situation.  Helping them to see how the change will make their life, or the lives of those around them, better speaks to their heart.  Demanding that someone become better doesn’t help to communicate that value.

Raising The Bar

When each of us demonstrates through clear action what “better looks like “ and “what right looks like” those around us have a new level to reach.  Personally, I’ve never been motivated by someone telling me that I must do something, but I have been motivated to become better when someone challenged me through their performance.

My encouragement to you is to set the standard for a higher level of performance through your personal actions, and don’t expect those around to change because you demanded something from them.  How do you get their heart and not just their head?

“Your peer group are people with similar dreams, goals and worldviews. They are people who will push you in exchange for being pushed, who will raise the bar and tell you the truth. They’re not in your business, but they’re in your shoes. Finding a peer group and working with them, intentionally and on a regular schedule, might be the single biggest boost your career can experience.” Seth Godin