When we receive negative feedback we can turn the observer we are from victim to protagonist and change the wording from “negative feedback” to “window of opportunity”. As the guru Dr. John Kotter says “To successfully react to windows of opportunity, regardless of the focus — innovation, growth, culture, cost structure, technology — a new methodology of change leadership is required.
Dr. Kotter has proven over his years of research that following The 8-Step Process for Leading Change will help organizations succeed in an ever-changing world.
We studied many cases with Dr. Bertagnini at Saint Andrew University and in fact this is one of my take-aways. One of the cases were about a woman who was able to achieve what appeared as IM-POSSIBLE.
Step 1: Establishing a Sense of Urgency – ESTABLECER UN SENTIDO DE URGENCIA
Help others see the need for change and they will be convinced of the importance of acting immediately.
Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition – CREAR UNA COALICION de LIDERES GUIAS
Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change effort, and encourage the group to work as a team.
Step 3: Developing a Change Vision DESARROLLAR LA VISION
Create a vision to help direct the change effort, and develop strategies for achieving that vision.
Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in COMUNICAR LA VISION PARA QUE LA “COMPREN”
Make sure as many as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy
Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action – HABILITAR ACCIONES
Remove obstacles to change, change systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision, and encourage risk-taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions
Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins GENERAR EXITOS EN EL CORTO PLAZO
Plan for achievements that can easily be made visible, follow-through with those achievements and recognize and reward employees who were involved.
Step 7: Never Letting Up – NO DETENERSE
Use increased credibility to change systems, structures, and policies that don’t fit the vision, also hire, promote, and develop employees who can implement the vision, and finally reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes, and change agents.
Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture INCORPORAR LOS CAMBIOS EN LA CULTURA, ASEGURAR DESARROLLOS DE LIDERES Y CUADROS DE SUCESION
Articulate the connections between the new behaviors and organizational success, and develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession.
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We live in times where the negative feedback is everywhere….Let’s observe them as a “window for opportunity” . Choose one and focus on it. And be the leader of change. Each of us, whenever we are, that’s the right place-space-time to start. Wherever we are, Let’s BE the change WE want to see in the world (Gandhi)
