Patterns and perils of badass, goodhearted change agents

May 11, 2015 @RebelsAtWork

1  

Pa&erns  and  Perils  of  Badass,  Goodhearted  Change  Agents  

2  

Why  isn’t  anyone  talking  about  how  hard  it  is    to  create  change  inside  organizaBons?  

Why  is  most  a&enBon  on  leaders?    Why  isn’t  anyone  helping  the  individual  change  ins.gator?  

3  

Surprising  Bmes?  Listen  to  canaries,  wild  ducks,  rebels  

4  

My biggest challenge in creating change is:

(choose one)

1.  Afraid I might hurt my reputation/career

2.  My boss is resistant to most new ideas

3.  My ideas go against the culture of my organization

4.  I hate dealing with conflict and controversy

5.  Working through approval processes makes me crazy

5  

The top reason my organization resists change: (choose one)

1.  Execs will never agree to it

2.  Not enough resources/too expensive budget

3.  Like the way things are

4.  Working through approval process exhausting

5.  We’ve tried that before and it didn’t work

6  

What makes a good rebel?

7  

8  

1.  Senses  emerging  trends  

Peril:    sees  too  far  ahead.  Hard  geQng  the  risk-­‐averse  and  complacent  to  pay  a&enBon  soon  enough  

9  

2.  Views  opportunity  as  a  quest.  

Peril:    approaching  like  a  project,  task  force,  or  iniBaBve  

10  

3.  Builds  alliances  and  relaBonships  

Peril:    insecure  managers,  performance  objecBves,    “disloyalty”  to  silo,  not  “corporate”  

11  

4.  Communicates  like  an  acBvist  

Peril:  not  taught  by  the  corporate  training  department  

12  

5.    Is  viewed  as  trustworthy  and  reliable  

Peril:  boss  wants  all  your  Bme,  all  the  Bme  

13  

6.  Thinks  differently  

Peril:  ideas  discredited.  Told  to  be  more  “corporate””  

14  

7.  Makes  meeBngs  meaningful  

Peril:  preparedness,  parBcipaBon,  discomfort,  real  conversaBons  

15  

8.  Able  to  have  difficult  conversaBons  

Peril:    none  

16  

9.  Is  posiBve  and  opBmisBc  

Peril:  misses  signs  of  when  to  quit  

17  

10.  Has  a  life  beyond  work.  

Peril:    creaBve,  courageous  rebels  replenish  their  spirits  by  experiencing  life.    All  work  and  no  play  diminishes  your  change  agent  superpowers.  

A Handbook for Leading Change from Within

Lois Kelly & Carmen Medina

REBELS AT WORK

“Rebels at Work is the essential guide to rocking the boat. From the trenches, Lois Kelly and Carmen Medina outline how to gain credibility, pitch ideas,

navigate politics, manage conflict, and maintain sanity.”— Adam Grant, Wharton professor and

New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take

www.rebelsatwork.com @RebelsAtWork www.facebook.com/RebelsatWork [email protected] @LoisKelly [email protected] @Milouness

18