Key Principles For Leading Change

2. Key Principles for Leading Change

Both the text and the lecture material presented a variety of principles for negotiating the challenges of change. To not only motivate but also sustain high performance, leaders must have the skills and experience to see and negotiate the opportunities and obstacles inherent to growing organizations. The following represent reoccurring streams of thought both to develop and maintain excellence within volunteer teams.

Timing Change

Productive change doesn’t happen by accident, it requires precision timing to utilize the momentum of current growth to propel the organization through change toward new growth. Although problems often surface after maturity, effective leaders will anticipate and prepare for

However, leaving these frustrations unaddressed carries an even greater consequence; fractured teams, aborted missions, or struggling leaders. While good leaders see the future, great leaders confidently advance into it with a confident team beside them.

The Guiding Coalition

A second law for successfully steering through change is the development of a strong guiding coalition. The drawback for many leaders is they have a fear of losing control, therefore, their guiding coalition becomes a liability; instead of multiplying the leaders efforts it consumes valuable time and limiting potential for growth. However, for leaders willing to empower key people, the core group offers freedom and accountability (Kotter, 2012).

In his book, Ready, Set, Grow, Pastor Wilson expounds on a three year process, he walks through with his leadership team, first, equipping them to model leadership, next, challenging them to mentor new leaders, and, finally, calling them to multiply leaders by empowering these new leaders (Wilson, 2013). There is always a great risk in empowering others; however, we appreciate the coalition more as we experience the “greater light” it sheds on the decisions and the “great cooperation” it produces to implement them (Eims, 2012, p.

Unfortunately, leaders often disregard this aspect of their responsibility; focusing on personal advancement or success. As leaders tend to be naturally competitive, even ministers can feel disadvantaged when asked to share their knowledge, skills, or resources with other ministers. However, successful leaders recognize they cannot lead forever and will work to prepare others for their eventual transition.

Collins refers to this as a Level 5 Leader. These are individuals characterized by a unique combination of humility balanced with a fearless attitude. They also have an ambition to set up the next generation for success (2001, Kindle location 380, 429). LeRoy Eims describes one such pastor who took the future of the church as seriously as its immediate achievements; equipping and empowering each department of the church to lead Sunday morning worship so when he was gone, they would “know as much about running a church as I do” (2012, p. 93).

Many leaders can initiate change, but few have the capacity to lead through change and even fewer to sustain change beyond their own tenure. As I consider the change in which our family has embarked and the fundamental changes God is birthing in my heart for Chi Alpha, I desire to the leader whose change outlasts