How leaders adapt wisely

[Workplace Interpersonal Relationship Series]

The world's trends are constantly changing, and so are the living conditions around us. The development of science and technology is changing with each passing day, and the innovation of information network is rapid. Our work habits, clothing styles, popular music and art, blockbuster movies and popular television programs are also changing. Competition in today's industrial and commercial society is fierce, layoffs and layoffs are common, and the lifetime employment system has almost collapsed. Many people change jobs on average every five years, and about one in five Americans moves every year. Some changes may not necessarily make things better, but if you don't change, you may be eliminated. As the saying goes: "If you are poor, you will change; if you change, you will succeed." To maintain the status quo is to fall behind. The ancients also said: "If the door hinge is not beetrooted, the running water will not be rotten." They also said: "There are talented people from generation to generation, and each has led the way for hundreds of years."

Innovation and innovation are the driving forces of progress, and change often must come from the top. Therefore, a good leader is someone who can lead innovative changes. Since ancient times, reforms have often failed, for complex reasons. But we have also seen some successful examples. Their success is not only due to the right time, place and people, but also due to the vision and wisdom of the leaders, and it is also God’s favor and blessing. As the Bible says: “Many plans are in the heart of a man. , only the Lord’s plan will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

Leaders must have a vision

Elmer Towns proposed The Eight Laws of Leadership. The first law is called the "Law of Vision/Dream." He said: "If your followers accept your vision, they will accept your leadership." The Bible also says: "Without a vision, the people will act recklessly." (Proverbs 29:18); the chaotic era recorded in the Book of Judges, It was because "there was no king in Israel at that time, and everyone did as he pleased." Therefore, it can be seen that the absence of a leader, or the lack of a leader's vision, was the root cause of chaos.

Leaders must communicate vision effectively

If a leader wants to lead people to experience change, he must effectively convey the beautiful vision after the change, persuade layer by layer from the inside out, and influence the will of the followers step by step. Therefore, the leader himself must be a learner. He/she must continue to learn and grow. He/she must understand that the trends and culture of the times are changing, and the chance of success using ancient methods has become very small. Leaders must be brave enough to innovate, have confidence, patience, and enthusiasm in order to lead innovation and change. Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt is a good example. The Lord Jesus also taught us: “No one sews new cloth onto old clothes, and no one puts new wine into old wineskins.” (Mark 2:21-22)

Leaders must have the courage to replace the old with the new, and they must be wise and communicate effectively. Because people often don’t want to change, preferring to settle for the status quo and get used to the old routine, unwilling to take risks, unwilling to try new things, unwilling to leave their comfort zone, and unwilling to accept new challenges, so they often resist change. Therefore, leaders must convey their vision to followers, overcome followers' doubts and fears about change, and gain support and support so that change measures can be carried out smoothly.

Change is like "ripples", coming from the inside out

John Maxwell was once the senior pastor of a large church and had many experiences going through change. He believes that the success or failure of change often depends on the leader's ability to convey the vision. He uses the metaphor of "throwing a stone into water to create ripples" to illustrate the importance of communicating and conveying the vision at all levels from the inside out.

central starting point for change

He believes that the center of change is the leader himself, and then gradually spread to the outside world, it must be step-by-step and step-by-step, and it must not be acted in a hurry or hastily.

He used the church he pastored as an example to explain that every time he wants to make changes, he is used to asking himself five questions:

1. Is this my idea or God’s idea?
2. Am I willing to pay the price for change?
3. Who might I lose if I implement the changes? (Someone may leave this church)
4. How long does this take to complete?
5. Will I still be there after the change? (I might be forced to leave)

The leader must face these questions honestly and answer them accurately; otherwise he will feel uneasy and lose momentum. This is a necessary lesson for a leader before making important decisions. He/she must pray and meditate in solitary silence. The prayer Jesus Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that night when he was betrayed is our model.

Circle Two: Key Figures

Every group has key figures who influence many followers. Without the support of these key individuals, innovative change will fail. Some of these people are in important positions, and some may not have positions, but they can still influence many people.

John Maxwell says leaders must communicate four things to these key people:

1. They must understand the leader’s vision and commitment, as well as the sacrifices the leader makes for innovation.
2. They must fully agree with the change, not only understand the need for change, but also be willing to assist in the change.
3. Leaders must support them because they can influence group members and their support should be reciprocated; they should also support the leader.
4. Leaders must allow them enough time to understand the details of innovation so that everyone can say this change is our idea.

Circle Three: Decision Makers

Leaders must have a deep understanding of decision-makers and have in-depth fellowship with them. They are elected by the congregation and are the group of people who have the power to make decisions. Leaders must understand their styles and tendencies, ideally by meeting individually with each decision-maker and then in a group setting. John Maxwell's law is: "Meet as a group when things are going well, and deal with them individually when things are going bad." If the decision-makers on the decision-making committee can feel the same way, the innovation the leader wants to promote can be successfully realized.

Circle Four: Those Who Are Deeply Influenced

These influencers are often the people involved in and implementing the innovation. Leaders do three things: ask for information, pique their interest, and give in when possible.

Many of the leaders' visions and dreams are just rough and tumble, and this group of people must turn the visions into practical work. The problems they know are often unknown to the leaders, and the problems they can solve cannot be solved by the leaders. So leaders must work closely with them to fine-tune and realize their dreams.

Circle Five: Congregation

Leaders do not often need the members' votes, but simply want to know their inclinations or intentions. What he needs to know is: Will they follow their leader? If people in the first four circles are inclined to agree, most people in the fifth circle will accept it. When large churches first resolve issues in smaller meetings and then submit them to the membership meeting for review, they can often pass them smoothly and it is easier to promote implementation. Some small churches often send problems directly to the fifth circle for review, hoping that the entire congregation will work together to solve the problem. Instead, this often creates misunderstandings and hostility, making change more difficult.

The ripple effect mentioned above is John Maxwell's personal experience in the book Leaders on Leadership, which teaches us the principles of how to effectively lead change. These principles apply elsewhere as well. Whether at home, in a company, or in a community, if innovation or change is to be carried out smoothly, care must be taken. You must have heavenly wisdom and communicate effectively in a step-by-step manner; otherwise you may encounter inexplicable opposition and obstruction. Throughout the ages, many good laws and good intentions have often been aborted or failed due to poor communication, which is a pity.

I grew up in a large family. If my parents made a major decision, they would first reach a consensus, then communicate with my older brothers and sisters to gain their understanding, and finally discuss it with the older siblings like us. Instructions for Young Children. Later, I learned to use the same method to communicate in the company. Especially in the United States, my company has more than 500 colleagues, only ten of whom are Chinese, with many ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Over the years, we have been able to live in harmony, work together, and continuously expand our business to more than 20 countries. It is actually God's grace and an effective communication model.

The Lord Jesus said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) In order to see things from God’s perspective, we must first determine this It is the right thing to do, but also consider what is the right way to do it. In order to be a faithful, kind and wise steward, you must first humbly ask God and understand that this is indeed His will and not your personal ambition or selfish desires. In this way, your faith will be firm. Secondly, you ask God to give you wisdom and give you appropriate strategies and methods. Then you have to communicate step by step from the inside out, layer by layer, so that the participants are on the same page with each other, and everyone works together to make the change a complete success.Note:The Ripple Effects of Leadership described in this article is based on Chapter 9 of the book Leaders on Leadership, edited by George Barna (Ventura, California Regal Books, 1990), Elmer Towns, "An Inside Look at 10 of Today's Most Innovative Churches", the author is based on an interview with John Maxwell.

Lin Fengliang served as chairman and CEO of Payless Car Rental System Inc., one of the six largest car rental companies in the United States, from 1989 to 2013. Currently, he is a director of the Christian Messenger Association and is dedicated to the ministry of workplace missions and corporate transformation.