Change…

This week, I had the opportunity to conduct training on Organizational Change.  I split the training time with a colleague who focused on the individual psychology of change.  His teaching was solid and highlighted that the process of changing interferes with autonomy and makes people feel like they are losing control. He further spoke about our desire to feel “importance,” smart, comfortable, and successful.  I agree with all of this and have experienced all points.  In his incredible book Tribes, Seth Godin states, “People yearn for change, they relish being part of a movement, and they talk about things that are remarkable, not boring.”

I find this duality so interesting.  On one hand, we crave comfort and predictability; on the other, we deeply desire better.  I once heard Colin O’Brady, who was the first person to solo hike across Antarctica, describe people stuck in a place that’s neither too incredible to be inspiring nor too uncomfortable to move.  He asked if we ranked each day of our life on a scale of 1-10, how many people would average out to a 3 or 4?  Not uncomfortable enough to make changes and not impactful enough to make the world more awesome.

I think this is my biggest fear in life: wasting time in neutral.  Colin explained that to have days or seasons that are 9’s or 10’s we need to be willing to grind in the days that are 1’s or 2’s.  As an individual, I’m continuously searching for ways and approaches to grow and improve and make the world more awesome.  As a leader, I’m wrestling with the knowledge that people want remarkable and yet comfort and safety.

As a leader, what are you wrestling with?