My wife and I made a big move last week. We left our 30-year suburban home where we raised our sons and moved to the lake. The process took almost a year from the decision to make the move and about a day to sell. In-between, we focused on lightening our load of possessions to fit into a substantially smaller home with a much-improved view. (The image here is our sunrise view every clear morning and a big part of our motivation.)
While an incredible number of people move every year, and everyone knows what a miserable project it is, there are a surprising number of leadership lessons in these situations. Here are a few I gleaned from our recent move efforts.
1. A move shares the same characteristics as a transformation initiative.
For moves and transformation initiatives, you give up the familiar for something new. Moving from city to country means your friends and family are a few hours away instead of a few minutes. And dreams, logic, and emotions battle with each other during the entire process.
You must accept risk and ambiguity as part of the transformation process. You are shifting away from the known to something different with no guarantees of success. In the case of an organizational initiative, you have the added stress of being on display in front of a great many people judging you.
2. Purpose is a powerful driver, but ultimately actions create results.
Our purpose—change in the daily routine for both of us, a renovation of our dream home, and the joy (in my case) of endless outdoor work were powerful. Additionally, the environment is remarkably conducive to writing for me and crafting for my wife.
In moments of doubt, it helped to remind ourselves of the reasons we were living through this nightmare of downsizing. Just cleaning out a 30-year residence is an unglamorous, emotion-filled pain in the neck process with dozens of trips to donate our past and saying goodbye to stuff that we thought was important but turned out not to be.
For leaders guiding transformation efforts, the sense of purpose must be crystal clear and personal to every individual. Yet, the quicker you translate the power of purpose into the work of actions, the more likely you are to succeed. Remember to keep purpose present, particularly when the you-know-what hits the fan. And, all those old processes and things you thought were mission-critical, probably aren’t.
3. You have to know when to ask for help and write the check.
I’m not great at asking for help, and I’m cost-conscious. Because we owned the home we were moving to; I decided I could handle most of the labor myself. I hang out in the gym, and how hard could it be?
It turned out it was horrible. I grossly underestimated the effort and time it would take to complete this move. As a result, I lost time for writing, coaching, and marketing. The first two hurt me personally, and the last one will hurt the renovation budget. My wife and 82-year-old father, and two sons all bailed me out. Thank goodness for them.
One of the profound leadership moments of my life happened when we were leading a major technology and strategic transformation. After a few months with this initiative, we found ourselves spinning our wheels. I remarked to a colleague that “We don’t know what we don’t know about succeeding with this.” He agreed, and we went to the board and asked for help in the form of the right outside expertise. The individual we brought in to help was the difference-maker. (Thanks and R.I.P. Jerry.)
4. Transformation initiatives always encounter cynicism and criticism.
My friend Steve regularly describes the 3-C’s of Transformation Initiatives: cynicism, criticism, and culture. The first two happen early in the process. The cynics suggest you are doomed to fail. The critics like to highlight what you are doing wrong. And then, once they see you are successful, they clamor to claim your initiative for them as it becomes part of the culture.
We experienced the first two: cynicism and criticism a great deal. From questions about why we were making the move to suggestions that moving north in the Midwest was foolish to “You’re going about it all wrong” related to the renovation, the naysayers were present and loud. We fought off the seeds of doubt by redoubling our view on our sense of purpose, and then we kept working.
For leaders guiding transformation initiatives, cynicism and criticism are clues you’re on the right track. It pays to engage all stakeholders and focus on uncovering their interests versus ignoring them. They might seem cynical or critical of an initiative because of the perceived impact on their team or because you didn’t consult them early in the process. Engage them, don’t fight them. And, don’t let cynicism and criticism keep you from bringing your purpose to life.
The Bottom Line for Now:
This move was exhausting, emotionally draining, filled with unexpected mishaps, and laced with stress. Letting go of the familiar, embracing the new, and stepping into the adventure required a dose of courage. The same goes for every transformation initiative you’ll lead in your career.
I can surely relate to the process of downsizing and moving!! We, too, we’re targeted numerous times regarding your 3 C’s over the years. But there was one thing we, now I, still hold fast to, seeing and embracing every facet of life, be it personal or work life, as an adventure. That’s the “magic” in life. Congratulations, Art!